TripAdvisor: Boston Among Most Expensive Cities For Travelers
NEWTON (CBS) -- After completing its annual cost-comparison study, TripAdvisor announced Thursday that Boston is the third-most expensive city for travelers.
Based on their findings, Boston (about $1,931) came in just behind Seattle (about $2,081) and Honolulu ($2,046) among the most expensive cities in the U.S., with San Francisco ($1,909.23) and New York City ($1,909.17) rounding out the top five.
Per day, travelers visiting Boston pay an average of $32.66 for lunch, $81.82 for dinner, $23.96 for a taxi ride, $98.70 for a tour or activity and $406.45 per night at a hotel.
The top five least expensive cities in the U.S. are Dallas (about $1,171), New Orleans ($1,248), Miami ($1,262), Minneapolis ($1,294) and Atlanta with an average three-day trip costing about $1,302.
TripAdvisor says the TripIndex helps travelers find destinations that offer the best value by comparing the typical costs of a three-night trip for two during the summer in nearly 60 tourist cities nationwide and internationally. The index also assumes that the travelers will be staying at a four-star hotel, planning an organized activity or tour at local attractions, taking a two-mile round-trip taxi ride and having lunch and dinner.
The study was completed before the summer travel period by TripAdvisor with help from Ipsos, an independent research firm. Prices were taken in local currencies between March 27 and May 5, and currency conversion rates were taken from xe.com on May 10.
"The South is the most affordable U.S. region for a summer city escape, with a three-day trip estimated at about $1,300. That's $450 less than what travelers would pay for a similar trip to Western cities, according to the TripIndex," says Brooke Ferencsik, director of communications for TripAdvisor, in a press statement. "But even in the most expensive destinations, savvy travelers can snag a bargain stay by comparison shopping on TripAdvisor, which could save them up to 30 percent on their hotels."
Internationally, Cancun is the most expensive international destination for a three-day trip ($2,019), with the most expensive international hotel rates ($373) and activity cost at $167.
Meanwhile, the least expensive trip is to Hanoi, Vietnam, with the average three-day vacation costing about $732.