Is Las Vegas Expensive To Visit In 2023?
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Are you trying to find an answer to “Is Las Vegas expensive?” You’re in the right place!
Las Vegas is on the bucket list of millions upon millions of people, and it grows more and more popular every single year.
Whether you want to visit Vegas for the casinos, the luxury lifestyle, or maybe even the Grand Canyon, you’re going to want to know how much things are going to cost.
Luckily for you, I’m a full-time traveller and I’ve developed a good judgement of whether places are expensive or not, and I’ve also visited Las Vegas too.
So I’ve created this ultimate guide as to whether Vegas is expensive or not to help you plan your budget for a trip to Sin City.
Let’s get right into it, shall we?
🇺🇸 When planning a trip to Las Vegas, I recommend using:
✈️ Flights: Skyscanner
🏨 Hotels: Booking.com
💵 Hostels: Hostelworld
🗺 Tours & Activities: Viator and GetYourGuide
🚗 Car Rental: Discover Cars
🚌 Transport: Flixbus
🏥 Travel Insurance: Safetywing
📱E-SIM: Airalo
💻 VPN: Surfshark
Is Las Vegas Expensive?
To summarise this entire article into one sentence: Whether Vegas is expensive or not is up to you.
It sounds obvious, and it sounds unhelpful, but it’s true. Allow me to explain…
You can visit Vegas on a shoestring budget, without a doubt. There are some budget hotel rooms in Vegas, and there are food vans too where you can get cheap food.
But that’s not typically the experience people imagine when they picture Vegas.
And when it comes to casinos in gambling, the chances are, that it will make up a large portion of your Vegas budget. It goes without saying, that it’s entirely down to you how much you spend on gambling.
This is why I say that whether Las Vegas is expensive or not is down to you.
What I will say is that if you do choose to gamble in Vegas, as the saying goes, “when the fun stops stop”. If you need help with gambling addiction or problems, the Nevada Council have a Problem Gambling Helpline which you can reach by calling 1-800-GAMBLER or texting 800-GAM.
If you want a typical Las Vegas experience where you stay in a decent hotel on the Strip, you eat in nice restaurants and you gamble a bit here and there, then yeah, Vegas is pretty expensive.
It’s not the most expensive city in the world, but it’s definitely not the cheapest either. A trip to Vegas can get pretty pricey. That’s why it’s often a trip for weddings, honeymoons, 21st birthdays, and other special occasions.
Las Vegas is full of bucket list experiences.
Most people only stay in LV for a few days max, you rarely hear of people staying in Vegas for a week or two. Unless, like Elvis Presley, you’ve “got a whole lot of money that’s ready to burn“, then a few days is probably enough to get the Vegas experience without blowing the bank.
So to summarise, whether Vegas is expensive or not depends on how much you gamble pretty much. In terms of everything else, Vegas is moderately expensive compared to other cities throughout the US.
How expensive is Las Vegas?
Like anywhere in the world, your budget in Vegas depends on three factors: accommodation, food, and things to do. With Vegas though, “things to do” encompasses slots, which can quickly ramp up your budget.
As I said earlier in the article, whether Vegas is expensive or not is up to you. Las Vegas has an unusually wide spectrum of budgets.
Whether you stay in a 5-star hotel directly on the Las Vegas Strip, or a 3-star hotel a bit further away is going to have a huge impact on your budget, for example.
Or whether you choose to take a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon from Vegas, or drive there yourself, has a massive effect on your budget.
If you are wondering how much you should budget for a trip to Vegas, around $310 per person per day is recommended.
Of course, this is just a suggestion for the average visitor. How much you gamble, where you stay, where you eat, etc., will impact this massively. To give Vegas some credit, just over $300 per day isn’t too bad, considering how expensive Miami is, for example, which is nearly $600 per day.
Compared to the rest of America, Vegas is only around 10% more expensive for accommodation and housing. It actually works out cheaper in Vegas for groceries and utilities, but unless you are living in the city long-term, it’s unlikely you’ll ever need to pay for either.
So to summarise, Vegas is a bit expensive to visit, but it’s really down to you.
How much is Accommodation in Las Vegas?
As I said above, the quality of your accommodation will decide how expensive it is, but that’s common sense. The location of the accommodation will also have an influence on the price.
I think finding somewhere in the middle between budget and luxury is a nice balance. A nice mid-range hotel in Las Vegas is the Alexis Park All Suite Resort which is located just a block or two off the Strip, and offers the perfect stay which feels luxurious, but is very affordable. It works out costing less than $120 a night – depending on the time of the year – which is insane value for money.
There are actually lots of hostels in Las Vegas too, if you are interested in really keeping the budget down. You can find places to stay for less than $25 a night, a lot less than a $200 hotel room. Personally, I recommend the Sin City Hostel which is one of the best hostels you will find anywhere in the US.
➡️ Best mid-range hotel in Las Vegas: Alexis Park All Suite Resort
➡️ Best budget-friendly hostel in Las Vegas: Sin City Hostel
How Expensive is Food in Las Vegas?
If you aren’t from the US, you will probably find the price of food in Las Vegas extremely expensive. If you are from the US, you’ll probably find it about the same as home.
Like everything, it depends on where you eat. If you get a burger from a food van, it will cost you $6-7. If you opt for the Beef Wellington from Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen as shown below, it will cost you over $70 for this dish alone.
On average, a meal in Vegas will cost about $30 per person. Add a starter and dessert and the price goes up. Drinks too. The prices of meals in Vegas, just like accommodation prices, vary drastically.
Remember, in the US, it’s customary to add a 20% tip to your bill as well.
Having 2 meals out per day can quickly add up in Vegas, so it’s a good idea to book a hotel that includes lunch or dinner during your stay.
How much are Tourist Attractions in Las Vegas?
One of the best things to do in Las Vegas is to simply walk down the Strip, which costs absolutely nothing. You never know what you are going to see. Whether it’s a street performer putting on an incredible free performance, or the Fountains of Bellagio putting on a show, you can find all sorts of free things to see.
The Fremont Street Experience is another incredible thing to do which is completely free of charge. And of course, seeing all of the famous hotels and resorts in Vegas, like Caesars Palace, or the Venetian. Again, it costs nothing.
It begins to cost money to do things in Vegas when you either a) start to gamble or b) venture outside of the Strip.
If you choose to take a limo tour of Vegas or take a trip to the Hoover Dam, things are going to start getting pricey. It’s definitely worth doing though, the meaning of Las Vegas is “The Meadows” so you need to at least do something related to springs and bodies of water!
You can expect to pay around $60 for a trip to the Hoover Dam from Las Vegas, or $300+ if you choose to go by helicopter- which I recommend, it’s an unbelievable experience. Just look at that for a view!
Within Las Vegas itself, you may also be interested in visiting some attractions. Here are some costs for some of the top things to do in Vegas:
| Attraction | Cost per person |
|---|---|
| Neon Museum Las Vegas | $20 |
| High Roller | $24 |
| Mob Museum | $30 |
| The STRAT Skypod | $20 |
| Mandalay Bay Beach | $20 |
As you can see, things to do in Vegas don’t cost a huge amount, so if you did 1 thing per day during a trip, it wouldn’t be too bad.
How expensive are Casinos in Vegas?
There really is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. What I will say is that some casinos have a minimum bet of $5. So at a minimum, $5. Most casinos will be higher than this.
What I would recommend is that when you start to save money for your budget for a trip to Vegas, dedicate a certain amount to casinos and gambling. And then stick to it.
That way you aren’t getting caught up in the moment or spending money you don’t have, and it means you know in advance how much you are going to spend.
Because realistically, the chances of you winning a huge amount are quite low, you are basically paying for the experience. How much you are willing to pay is up to you, but I would recommend deciding in advance and not in the spur of the moment.
Is Las Vegas Expensive: FAQ
Below are some questions related to “Is Las Vegas expensive?” along with my answers.
It depends on what you plan to do in Vegas. If you are going to gamble a lot, then yes, it’s expensive. Otherwise, it’s not actually that expensive to visit Vegas. Hotels aren’t priced too badly, and things to do are quite cheap. What is quite expensive is meals, meals cost quite a bit in Vegas.
A pint of draft beer will cost $4-5 in Vegas, which is in line with the average across the US of $4.75. Remember to drink responsibly in Vegas and don’t gamble too much after drinking too much.
It depends on where you eat, but for the most part, yes. An average meal per person costs $20-30 for a main course. If you want a starter or dessert and drinks, then add more to your budget.
Final Thoughts: Is Las Vegas Expensive?
And there you have it, a complete guide to “Is Las Vegas expensive?”
The answer depends on how much you gamble. But generally speaking, it’s kind of expensive.
It’s not the most expensive place you will ever visit, but it’s not the cheapest either. Hotels aren’t hugely overpriced unlike other places, and there are lots of free things to do too.
All in all, you can definitely keep the budget down on a trip to Vegas, as long as you are sensible about it. Enjoy your trip, it’s a special place! 🙂
