Miami on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Miami is hard but not impossible on a budget: allow about US$160 per person per day, with about US$80 for a shared bed, US$45 for food including tips, US$20 for sights and US$15 for transport. Beaches, Art Deco walks and the free trolley and Metromover help a lot.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | US$80 | US$160 | US$400 |
| Food & drink | US$45 | US$90 | US$200 |
| Sights & tickets | US$20 | US$60 | US$150 |
| Local transport | US$15 | US$35 | US$80 |
| Per person, per day | US$160 | US$345 | US$830 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Miami day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walk the Art Deco Historic District between 5th and 23rd Street.
- Swim at South Beach and relax at South Pointe Park.
- Watch cruise ships leave from South Pointe Pier at sunset.
- Watch the domino players in Máximo Gómez Park in Little Havana.
- Wander the murals in the streets around the Wynwood Walls (the Walls themselves are ticketed).
- Walk Lincoln Road, the pedestrian mall designed by Morris Lapidus.
Cheap eats
- Cafecito or colada from a ventanita: about US$1.50-3.
- Pastelitos and croquetas: about US$1.25-2.50 each.
- Cuban sandwich: roughly US$9-15.
- Frita cubana (Cuban burger): roughly US$7-12.
- Arepas: roughly US$8-14 each.
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in hostels and cheaper hotels in North Beach or Downtown, at about US$120-200 a double, with dorm beds in South Beach hostels cheaper. Watch out for resort fees and parking charges.
Getting around cheaply
Use the free Miami Beach Trolley and free Metromover, Metrorail from the airport to Downtown, and Metrobus between Downtown and Miami Beach. Rideshare is needed for Little Havana, Wynwood and Coral Gables if buses do not fit your plans.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Art Deco District walk and a swim at South Beach (free).
- Lunch: Cuban sandwich and cafecito (about US$15).
- Afternoon: bus to Little Havana, Máximo Gómez Park and Calle Ocho (about US$5 in fares).
- Evening: sunset at South Pointe Pier and croquetas or arepas for dinner (about US$20), with a hostel bed.
- Total: about US$160
More ways to save
- Visit between May and October for the lowest room rates, accepting afternoon storms.
- Choose hotels without resort fees, or hostels that include breakfast.
- Eat a few blocks inland from Ocean Drive.
- Go to Little Havana on the last Friday of the month for the free Viernes Culturales.
- Use the Shark Valley entrance of Everglades National Park for a cheaper, independent visit.
- Buy drinks at a supermarket for the beach; bar prices in South Beach are high.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Common questions
Can you visit Miami on a budget?
Yes with planning: hostels, Cuban food, free beaches and the free trolley and Metromover keep costs down.
How do I get from the airport cheaply?
Take the Metrorail from Miami International Airport to Downtown, then the Metromover or a bus to Miami Beach.
When are fresh stone crabs available?
Only from 15 October to 1 May; outside that period, claws are frozen stock.