The Most Expensive Cities in the USA

October 2nd, 2013

Lodging cost has just earned Boston the distinction of being the United States’ most expensive city. The title was handed to Beantown after a comparison of hotel rates for the 50 most popular cities in the country. The survey resulting in this finding focused specifically on the month of October.

In terms of comparison, October makes for a rather good month. Data indicates that the highest hotel rates in the majority of big cities are achieved during the tenth month of the year. Only a random few cities like New York City and Atlanta boast slightly more costly rates in September. Certain beach destinations such as San Diego and Virginia Beach, for obvious reasons, are also more expensive during the month of August.

In October visitors to Boston will be hit with a $242 per-night bill at hotel check-in, and that price tag will be for the most affordable double room. The survey considered only hotels with a minimum rating of 3 stars. The Massachusetts capital is therefore significantly costlier than even New York City, which earned the number two spot on the rankings at an average nightly rate of $226.

The following table compares the 50 most popular US cities. The prices shown reflect the average rate for each destination's cheapest available double room for the time period spanning October 1 through October 31, 2013:

• Boston $242
• New York City $226
• Nashville $217
• San Francisco $178
• Austin $174
• Washington DC $173
• Pittsburgh $167
• Houston $165
• Louisville $164
• Columbus $164
• Oklahoma City $156
• Denver $155
• Minneapolis $152
• Chicago $147
• Kansas City $147
• Cleveland $145
• New Orleans $145
• Philadelphia $142
• Fort Worth $139
• San Diego $137
• Portland $126
• Dallas $126
• Long Beach $125
• Charlotte $124
• Milwaukee $124
• St. Louis $122
• Indianapolis $118
• Los Angeles $117
• Memphis $117
• Omaha $117
• Seattle $116
• Phoenix $114
• Indianapolis $114
• Baltimore $113
• Albuquerque $113
• Cincinnati $112
• Tampa $102
• San Jose $101
• Sacramento $98
• Atlanta $98
• Miami $94
• Anchorage $86
• Jacksonville $83
• Honolulu $83
• Anaheim $81
• San Antonio $78
• Virginia Beach $68
• Tucson $67
• Las Vegas $49
• Orlando $45

About the Methodology

Among all U.S. cities with a minimum population of 200,000, the 50 most popular destinations were picked, mainly based on number of hotels they possess. For each of these destinations, the price for the cheapest available double room was established for the following time periods: October 4-6, 9-11, 15-17, 18-20, 25-27 and 29-31. Based on this data, an average price was calculated for each destination, resulting in the aforementioned rankings. Only hotels rated 3 stars or higher and with a TripAdvisor rating of at least 3.5 (Good) were included. Moreover, only hotels located in or less than one mile from the city center (downtown) were considered for each respective destination. For some destinations, such as Orlando or Los Angeles, several city centers were considered. All prices were established September 25-27 via a hotel comparison website.