Budget · Nassau · Bahamas
Nassau on a budget
What a trip to Nassau really costs, and where the savings are.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Taugenichts80, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Nassau is very expensive for most international visitors. Budget roughly $120–$180 per person per day on a tight budget, $280–$500 mid-range and $700–$2,000 for luxury, excluding flights. Hotel prices are usually lowest in September.
Key facts
- Budget traveller
- $120–$180 a day
- Mid-range
- $280–$500 a day
- Luxury
- $700–$2,000 a day
- Local currency
- BSD
- Free sights
- 7
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 | $120–$180 | $360–$540 | $600–$900 | $840–$1,260 |
| Mid-range | $280–$500 | $840–$1,500 | $1,400–$2,500 | $1,960–$3,500 |
| Luxury | $700–$2,000 | $2,100–$6,000 | $3,500–$10,000 | $4,900–$14,000 |
Typical prices
Approximate prices in Nassau, October 2026. They change; use them for planning, not as quotes.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Jitney fare | about US$1.25–US$2 |
| Water taxi to Paradise Island, return | about US$8–US$12 |
| Conch salad at the Fish Fry | about US$15–US$25 |
| Kalik beer at a local bar | about US$5–US$8 |
| Dinner at a resort restaurant | about US$60–US$120 per person |
| Taxi from the airport to Cable Beach | about US$25–US$35 |
| Exuma Cays speedboat day tour | about US$300–US$500 per person |
Money-saving tips
- The Bahamian dollar is pegged one-to-one with the US dollar, and US dollars are accepted everywhere; change is often given in Bahamian dollars.
- Eat at Arawak Cay and Potter's Cay for local food at a fraction of resort prices.
- Use jitneys instead of taxis for trips along West Bay Street.
- Check whether gratuity and VAT are already on the bill before adding a tip.
- May, June, September and November offer the lowest hotel rates outside hurricane-peak weeks.
- Rentals with kitchens in Sandyport or Love Beach help cut food costs on longer stays.
Free things to do
- Parliament Square — Pink, colonnaded government buildings from the early 19th century surround a statue of a seated Queen Victoria on Bay Street.
- Cabbage Beach — A long stretch of white sand along Paradise Island's north shore, backed by sea grape and resorts.
- Junkanoo Beach — The closest beach to the cruise piers, a few minutes' walk west along Bay Street, with beach bars, music and loungers for rent.
- Queen's Staircase — Sixty-six limestone steps cut by hand into a narrow gorge in the late 18th century lead up to Fort Fincastle.
- Nassau Straw Market — A large covered market on Bay Street with hundreds of stalls selling straw bags, hats, wood carvings, T-shirts and jewellery.
- John Watling's Distillery — A rum distillery set in the 18th-century Buena Vista Estate on Delancy Street, with free tours of the grounds and production area and a tasting bar in the old house.
Where to stay on a budget
$$ · Best for first-timers, culture, budget and shopping
Downtown Nassau
Bay Street's colonial buildings, the Straw Market and the cruise piers
$$ · Best for quiet stays, couples and budget
Love Beach and the northwest coast
Low-key northwest shore with reef snorkelling and small guesthouses
$$ · Best for food lovers, budget and solo travellers
East Bay Street and Montagu
Waterfront strip of local restaurants, Potter's Cay and Fort Montagu
Eating well for less
- Conch fritters — Beach bars, the Fish Fry and resort pool bars.
- Boiled fish and johnnycake — Local cafés and restaurants serving Bahamian breakfast, especially at weekends.
Getting around for less
Downtown Nassau is walkable, and jitneys (minibuses) connect it with Cable Beach and other parts of New Providence for a low flat fare. Taxis charge government-set rates by zone, and water taxis cross the harbour to Paradise Island. Traffic drives on the left.
Questions travellers ask
+How much does a trip to Nassau cost?
About $1,400–$2,500 per person for five days mid-range, excluding flights (estimate), or $600–$900 on a tight budget.
+Is Nassau expensive?
It is very expensive for international visitors. The Bahamian dollar is pegged one-to-one with the US dollar, and US dollars are accepted everywhere; change is often given in Bahamian dollars.
+How much money do I need per day in Nassau?
Roughly $120–$180 on a budget and $280–$500 mid-range (estimates).
+When are hotel prices lowest in Nassau?
Usually in September.