Many tourists simply cannot get enough of the bliss that New York has to offer. But the major challenge of living and visiting this city has to be the magnified cost of accommodation. Many tourists especially from Europe think it’s near impossible to find a decent yet affordable place to rest their heads if their budget is tight. However, New Yorkers will tell you that if you’ve willing to bargain and do a bit of legwork it’s not impossible to find a cheap place to stay.

Stay local

In New York subletting a furnished room for a night, or even a month if not longer is very popular and a whole lot cheaper than pricy hotels. Many New Yorkers pay astronomical rents and so subletting this their way of making up for the costs. Check Craigslist for rooms but you need to watch out for scammers. Rooms around West Village tend to cost a lot more than $50 a night but there are cheaper areas like the Bronx that are worth staying in.

Small hotels / motels

Union Square Inn will most likely attract people from Europe owing to its European style design and the fact that its location makes it easy to explore the city. The 46 rooms are very clean and no frills, rates start from around $125 a night but if you bargain and decide to stay longer getting a discount is easier.

East Village Bed & Coffee is for the most part a small nine room hotel. The rates start from around $100 a night which is tax inclusive. Making it a lot more affordable than most hotels.

Another one of my favorites which is something in between a hotel and apartment is Woogo Apartments. These are serviced apartments which are cheap and more people can share a room than most hotels allow. They are located in prime locations like Upper West Side, times Square and Midtown.

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