AIBU to think £10k is enough for 10 days in Boston?

[1ladybird]

Family of 5. 2adults 3 kids. Is £10k enough for flights and meals out for 10 days in US summer 2027?

Staying with friends who like to eat out- Boston. Possibly need car hire.

I thought this would be plenty as flights available £3k and we can stay with our friends.

However, we visited NYC (just me and DH). SO SO expensive!!!

US vs Uk economy reminds me of how rich British ppl felt visiting Eastern Europe 20+ years ago..! Now we’re on the receiving end!! Our economy is so poo and London seemed so cheap after visiting NYC Nov ‘25 😬.

After advice from families who travel to US regularly/ recently. TIA xxx

Sorry, Boston isn't cheaper (I wish it was).

I was in NYC three weeks ago and Broadway shows (unless I'm missing something, and I've lived here for ten years and go to NYC to the theater twice a year) are way more expensive than London.

But yes, you can do your trip for your money if you're super careful and don't eat out every day (and it won't ruin the trip). But be prepared, and please do tip properly!

I'm surprised to find so many people saying a week in Boston for £10k is unrealistic. I picked a random week in the middle of August and can get direct flights from London Heathrow to Boston Logan for a family of five for around £2500 to £2800.*

In terms of accommodation, a suite at the Marriot Residence Inn with two queen-size beds and a sofa bed can be had for £3300 including breakfast. Alternatively there's a private apartment with two proper bedrooms (doubles) and a futon in the living room for £3000 without breakfast, right in the centre on Harrison Avenue.

That leaves £4000 for spending money, or £500 per day, which should cover food and some sightseeing without too much difficulty, especially if you're willing to forego a full-on restaurant meal on some days and eat in the apartment, maybe get pizzas and have a film night, etc.

Seems perfectly ok to me.

*I guessed at the children's ages, and put them down as 14, 10 and 6.

That’s what I said, it’s appears it’s not cheaper. That’s been the general consensus that Boston is not cheaper.

So I’m glad I started the thread as I can expect/ budget based on the NYC prices familiar with.

Shows are very similar now. West end London shows have gone up loads since Covid. (Last went to a west end London show Sep 2025 and Broadway Nov 2025)

Thanks for advice x

If flights are £3k and they have no accommodation costs, what do you think they would possibly spend £17k on in 10 days?

The OP says there are no accommodation costs as they will stay with friends.

Yes, sorry, we're talking at cross purposes but saying the same thing!

Enjoy your trip. The sun is out now after a verrrrrrrry long snowy winter.

Thanks! Thanks for your advice. I’ve since messaged my friend and they are totally happy to eat in sometimes too (she suggested it). So I feel a bit better! It’s just last time they holidayed in UK with us we stayed in a city together (not where we lived) and they wanted to eat out all the time (lunch, tea and snacks!)

I think they were just super excited as it all seemed so so cheap to them! X

Get your friend to take you to the Neighborhood Reataurant in Somerville for brunch - you won't eat for tbe rest of the day!

Eat to fit your budget and you'll be fine. 7k for 10 days (so £700 a day) on food and trips is huge unless you're eating in very expensive restaurants constantly.

Just to get some ideas on prices, top rated pizza restaurant in Boston on TripAdvisor. Not because it's necessarily great, but just to get some idea. Pizzas were coming out at 15 to 20 dollars. £700 a day equates to $950 dollars. A big Mac was $6.72 a year ago (not sure now).

So do a mixture of decent restaurants, cheaper restaurants, the occasional bit of fast food and grabbing a few things for supermarket, and you'll be fine.

Spring special menu.

Not cheap, but it's not going to cost $500 for brunch either...

I'd missed that, but I've caught up now. With that in mind I'm even more surprised than people thought £10k was unrealistic. WTH is the OP going to spend £1000/day on that couldn't easily be swapped for a cheaper alternative?

Yes of course. I have travelled a lot on small budgets including to so-called expensive destinations. You just need to walk, take public transport, make packed lunches and research the best value for money museums etc.
I have been to Boston and it's not particularly a holiday destination though.

Good grief. I spent a week in NY with two children and we spent £1000 (almost exactly) on food, getting around once there, entrance fees and even some holiday shopping! We did lots of free/cheap things and a few more expensive thing and I was the only adult. Food was so expensive in restaurants (once you add tax and tip it was mind blowing for fairly average food!) so we ate in small cafes, got pizza slices and burritos, got picnics from whole food etc.

We had an AMAZING time and none of us felt that we skimped at all. Zero alcohol, lots of topping up on snacks from local stores etc.

If I gave you a list of where we visited you’d see that we made the absolute most of what was on offer. I understand it’s very hard to avoid eating out when you’re with friends though. But don’t stress too much - it’s possible to have an amazing time whatever your budget is!

@Babyboomtastic seriously the portions are HUGE and you get creamed wheat, fruit salad and cornbread in the price.

We didn't eat for the reat of the day and two of our party had run the Boston marathon the day before!

Interesting and someone above opened my eyes that if there is a NMW in one state then people recieving tips on top, are earning more than other people in NMW jobs who arent in jobs where they receive tips but are recieving them from the lower paid in the state. Thats not on.

I'll remember that menu for when people on here are whining about double carbs on some poor OP's dinner time suggestion

Cape Cod is really pricey!! We were there 8 years ago so it’s probably even more now (relative to inflation).
Boston v easy to get around but you’ll need a car for Cape Cod.

2 years ago we costed this for 2 adults, 2 teens, 2 weeks, car hire for 10 days. Came to £12k before we’d eaten or put fuel in the car. We went elsewhere!

I'm curious to know why you think it's not a holiday destination?

so after flights that’s £140 each a day for all your food drink and entertainment. That should be ok as long as you’re not going wild and you do some lunches at coffee shops rather than restaurants.
get kids to save up spending money for souvenirs.

Anywhere is a holiday destination if you...erm... go on holiday there.

I used to go to the states regularly. Went last year for the first time in about 5 years and prices have massively risen for food and portion sizes have reduced. It was entirely possible to take left overs in some places (Olive Garden comes to mind, where you get unlimited salad and bread sticks with your meal) but I found several places had cut out the free bread or salad before the meal so very little leftovers. Also grocery store prices had risen a great deal, especially fruit and vegetables.

We spent about £4k last summer over two weeks in Boston, Cape Cod and Connecticut (not including accommodation or flights).

Yes so that’s the thing in my original post. We’re holidaying with our friends who do eat out lots and are high earners and ‘live well’ shall we say!

So if it was just us we’d happily grab a Wendy’s and fruit from supermarket and do beach/ museums/ parks etc and just be there.

As we’re holidaying with friends at theirs we’ll have to meet in the middle so to speak.

Hence asking about budget for 5 people 10 days to include eating out and tourist attractions etc

We want our friends to have a good time too and we know they’ll have plans and be excited to take us places/ restaurants/ trips etc.

How many people please in your party?