By: David Chang | From: The Ascent
Americans are spending big on travel these days. With pent-up demand from the pandemic, some of the big personal spending increases this year have been for travel and recreation. But you don't have to shell out all your hard-earned savings to enjoy your next vacation. To find the best places to travel on a budget, we used Numbeo's Cost of Living Index, Restaurants Index, and Local Purchasing Power Index for each city on our list below.
These ratings are relative to New York City, which means that for New York City, each index is 100%. For example, if a given city has a Restaurants Index of 120, it means that on average the costs in that city are 20% more expensive than in New York.
1. San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is a major city in south-central Texas with a rich heritage. The city is known for the Alamo, the miles-long River Walk with a promenade of cafes and shops, a Japanese tea garden, and much more. Plus, San Antonio has plenty of other museums, places to eat, and sightseeing activities.
Cost of living index: 61.33
Restaurant price index: 62.69
Local purchasing power index: 180.99
Average hotel room (October 2022, per Priceline): $123