A comparison of Hotel Rates in 50 Cities in the United States

Updated: September 30, 2021

According to a survey conducted by Cheaphotels.org, Boston is the most expensive city in the U.S. based on cost of lodging. The survey compared 50 destinations based on their hotel rates during October 2021.

October was chosen as it's the month when most U.S. cities reach their highest average rates. It has to be noted further that only centrally located hotels with a 3-star rating or higher were considered for the survey.

Boston leads the rankings at an average price of $236 for the most affordable double room. Nashville and Albuquerque complete the podium with rates of $209 and $184, respectively. Las Vegas is the least expensive destination, averaging just $52 per night.

On average, hotel rates are still about 20% more affordable than they were in 2019 across the 50 destinations considered by the survey. In certain cities, they are down even more: Houston (-35%); New York City (-42%); and San Francisco (-46%). In Boston and a few other destinations—such as Sacramento and Cleveland—however, rates are more expensive now compared to pre-Covid levels.

The following table compares 50 city destinations in the United States. Prices shown reflect the average rate for each city's cheapest available double room (minimum 3-star hotel) in the city center for the period between October 1–31, 2021.

City	Average Price
Boston	$236
Nashville	$209
Albuquerque	$184
Sacramento	$182
Cleveland	$178
Denver	$176
Austin	$174
Cincinnati	$165
Pittsburgh	$150
Fort Worth	$148
El Paso	$147
Kansas City	$145
Charlotte	$144
Orlando	$144
Portland	$135
Washington DC	$135
Jacksonville	$134
Milwaukee	$134
Los Angeles	$134
Columbus	$134
Raleigh	$132
Seattle	$132
San Jose	$130
Phoenix	$127
Detroit	$125
Miami	$125
Indianapolis	$124
Dallas	$124
Memphis	$124
New Orleans	$123
Chicago	$124
Baltimore	$120
Tulsa	$117
Oklahoma City	$115
Mesa	$114
Philadelphia	$114
San Diego	$114
San Francisco	$112
Atlanta	$112
New York City	$112
Houston	$110
Tucson	$109
Omaha	$109
San Antonio	$108
Luisville	$107
St. Louis	$104
Honolulu	$95
Minneapolis	$91
Fresno	$85
Las Vegas	$52

About the Methodology

The survey considered all 36 destinations in the USA with populations of more than 500,000, as well as 14 selected destinations with a population of more than 250,000. For each destination, the average price for the cheapest available double room was established for the time period 1–31 October 2021. Rates were compiled during late September using a hotel comparison website. Only centrally located hotels (downtown or close to downtown) rated at least 3 stars were considered.

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Charlotte Smith