Budget · Fort Lauderdale · United States
Fort Lauderdale on a budget
What a trip to Fort Lauderdale really costs, and where the savings are.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale · Photo: Chaplin62, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Fort Lauderdale is expensive for most international visitors. Budget roughly US$100–160 per person per day on a tight budget, US$220–380 mid-range and US$500–1,200 for luxury, excluding flights. Hotel prices are usually lowest in August–September.
Key facts
- Budget traveller
- US$100–160 a day
- Mid-range
- US$220–380 a day
- Luxury
- US$500–1,200 a day
- Local currency
- USD
- Free sights
- 4
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Daily budget and trip cost
AMZBooking estimates per person in US dollars, excluding flights, reviewed October 2026. Accommodation is the biggest variable; prices rise in peak months.
| Style | Per day | 3 days | 5 days | 7 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | US$100–160 | US$300–480 | US$500–800 | US$700–1,120 |
| Mid-range | US$220–380 | US$660–1,140 | US$1,100–1,900 | US$1,540–2,660 |
| Luxury | US$500–1,200 | US$1,500–3,600 | US$2,500–6,000 | US$3,500–8,400 |
Typical prices
Approximate prices in Fort Lauderdale, October 2026. They change; use them for planning, not as quotes.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Cafecito at a Cuban bakery | about $2–$4 |
| Fish sandwich at a beach bar | about $18–$28 |
| Smoked fish dip starter | about $12–$18 |
| Beer at a beach bar | about $7–$10 |
| Water Taxi day pass | about $35–$45 |
| Beach chair and umbrella rental | about $30–$50 per day |
| Mid-range beach hotel in winter | about $220–$400 per night |
Money-saving tips
- Hotel prices drop sharply from May to October; summer is warm and quiet if you can live with storms.
- Hollywood Beach and Lauderdale-by-the-Sea often have better-value hotels than the central beach strip.
- The beach, the A1A promenade, Las Olas and the Riverwalk are free.
- Brightline can be cheaper than parking in Miami Beach for a day trip.
- If you are taking a cruise, compare park-and-cruise hotel packages near Port Everglades.
Free things to do
- Fort Lauderdale Beach and the A1A promenade — The city's main beach runs for several kilometres along A1A, with lifeguard towers, showers and a promenade behind a curving white wave wall.
- Las Olas Boulevard — Las Olas runs from downtown to the ocean.
- Hollywood Beach Broadwalk — A brick-paved promenade of about 4 km beside the beach in Hollywood, with a separate cycle lane and a line of cafés, bars and ice-cream shops.
- Sawgrass Mills — A very large outlet mall in Sunrise, about 25 km west of downtown, with hundreds of outlet and full-price stores plus an open-air section of restaurants, the Colonnade Outlets.
Where to stay on a budget
$$ · Best for solo travellers, food lovers and budget
Flagler Village
Murals, breweries and new apartment towers just north of downtown
$$ · Best for nightlife, couples and solo travellers
Wilton Manors
Small city on Wilton Drive, one of the best-known LGBTQ+ communities in the US
$$ · Best for quiet stays, families, beach and couples
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
Low-rise beach town with a fishing pier and a reef close to shore
Eating well for less
- Smoked fish dip — Waterfront fish shacks, marinas and seafood markets around the Intracoastal and in Dania Beach.
- Conch fritters — Seafood shacks and Caribbean restaurants across Broward County.
- Jamaican jerk chicken and beef patties — Family-run Caribbean restaurants and bakeries in Lauderhill and Lauderdale Lakes, west of downtown.
- Cafecito and pastelitos — Cuban bakeries and ventanitas (walk-up coffee windows) across the county.
Getting around for less
Water Taxi day pass
Unlimited hop-on, hop-off rides for a day on the Water Taxi network.
Questions travellers ask
+How much does a trip to Fort Lauderdale cost?
About US$1,100–1,900 per person for five days mid-range, excluding flights (estimate), or US$500–800 on a tight budget.
+Is Fort Lauderdale expensive?
It is expensive for international visitors. Hotel prices drop sharply from May to October; summer is warm and quiet if you can live with storms.
+How much money do I need per day in Fort Lauderdale?
Roughly US$100–160 on a budget and US$220–380 mid-range (estimates).
+When are hotel prices lowest in Fort Lauderdale?
Usually in August–September.