Summary

• Budget Las Vegas effectively by using cheap accommodations, avoiding weekends, cooking some meals, and limiting gambling.
• Get affordable accommodations, transportation, and food in Las Vegas to enjoy your trip without breaking the bank.
• Consider getting last-minute show tickets at Tix 4 Tonight for discounted entertainment options in Las Vegas.

While Las Vegas is generally not considered a cheap destination, it can be if you budget it right. You can easily overspend in Sin City, but there are ways to enjoy yourself and pinch a few pennies in the process.

Here's how you can budget for Las Vegas and figure out ahead of time how much money to bring.

UPDATE: 2024/04/17 23:00 EST BY ERYNN R

Budget Las Vegas: How To Determine The Amount Of Money To Bring

This feature has been updated with current prices, transportation and food information, insights on what to eat and how to do it cheaply, plus ideas on entertainment that won't break the bank.

Budget-Friendly Accommodation For Shoestring Budget Backpackers (And Everyone Else)

From hostels to resorts, Las Vegas has accommodations for every budget

If you're a shoestring budget backpacker, consider staying in a hostel in Las Vegas.

Many hotels in Vegas are relatively affordable; accommodations start at around $35 per night at hotels like the D Las Vegas and Silver Sevens Hotel & Casino. You can even book accommodation along The Strip for as little as $66 per night.

It is also worth checking the major casinos; often, they have good and cheap deals on hotel accommodation as they assume one will spend much more money in their casino and shops while staying there.

For example, Caesars Palace has some deals for around $44 per night, while Mardi Gras Hotel & Casino has offers at $51 per night. There are also Las Vegas resorts that skip the resort fees, if you're looking for posher accommodation.

Rates will, of course, vary by the season, but the cheapest time to visit Las Vegas is usually in January.

How To Enjoy A Cheap Trip To Las Vegas

Sticking to a budget takes some preparation, but it's possible

Prep food in your accommodation's kitchen

Besides accommodation, eating is one of the greatest expenses. Most hostels and self-contained Airbnbs have kitchens, and even standard hotel rooms have mini-fridges and microwaves. Prepping some food ahead of time can help you save on dining costs, but it's also cheaper to shop locally versus eating out.

• If you're okay with eating corn dogs, pizza slices, and hot dogs for every meal, you could get by on a food budget of around $13 per day with zero frills.

One of the drawbacks for those on a shoestring budget is that there normally are no self-catering kitchens in hotels and hotel casinos. Stay at a hotel-casino for a great deal, but you might end up shelling out for room service or other on-site dining if the in-room facilities aren't sufficient.

If you do eat out, look for flat-rate buffets or off-the-beaten-path eateries with lower costs; celebrity chef-run restaurants and big-ticket dining spots along The Strip will always cost more.

Don't gamble (or at least set a budget)

Las Vegas, or Sin City, is world-famous for gambling. Gambling can be extremely expensive or not at all. Gambling in Las Vegas is all up to the person and their budget. One can choose not to gamble at all while there or have a strict budget of only $10-20 per day.

Knowing how much you'll gamble and preparing ahead of time (only bring that much cash) will help you stick to a budget.

Skip the paid shows

For many, skipping the Las Vegas shows and not gambling equals; there's no point in visiting Las Vegas at all. But for those who just want to see the Strip, gaze at the many neon lights, and see all the famous casino hotels at night, then it may be a trade-off worth it.

There are still a number of free attractions in Vegas for free, like the daily Fountains of Bellagio display. The display is shown every day.

Fountains Of Bellagio:

• Cost: Free
• Shows as often as every 15 minutes (up to every 30 minutes)

The most convenient way to get around Las Vegas is via Uber, but it can become expensive. If you plan to stick around The Strip, then walking is an option, and you can take city buses when necessary.

The Strip & Downtown Bus Routes

For visitors, bus rates start at $4 for a single ride and range up to $20 for a 3-day pass.

How Much Money To Bring To Las Vegas

Budget at least $75 per day for an affordable Las Vegas trip

Budgeting around $75 per day can get you a decent Las Vegas trip if you stick to cheap accommodations, eat out sparsely or go bare-bones and grocery shop for your hotel mini fridge, take public transportation, and limit your gambling.

There are, of course, ways to save even more — including splitting accommodation costs with a friend, prepping food ahead of time, or skipping gambling altogether.

Avoid Las Vegas On The Weekends To Save

Weekend costs are inflated in Las Vegas, so steer clear

Unless you have a specific reason for visiting Sin City on the weekend, like visiting a specific event or looking for a weekend getaway, they are best avoided. If one is going to Las Vegas to gamble - then it really doesn't matter if it's Tuesday or Friday.

During the weekends (particularly Fridays and Saturdays), the prices shoot up. Accommodation is much more expensive, and shows tend to be more expensive, as do many other things. It is best to plan a trip to Las Vegas from Sunday to Thursday, and the savings can be very significant.

For example, Caesar's Palace, for the month of December, has room prices varying massively during the week (as per checking in mid-November). Their room prices midweek for December start at around $91 while weekends go for $163 per night.

Las Vegas is one of America's favorite weekend getaways, so folks on a budget should avoid those weekly surges.

Get Last Minute Show Tickets From Tix 4 Tonight

Sometimes, winging it is the cheapest way to enjoy Las Vegas

While you could skip the Las Vegas shows, it would be a pity to visit Sin City and not gamble or take in show. One of the ways to keep the budget down in Las Vegas is to get last-minute tickets for the shows as they go on fire sale.

Of course, there is no guarantee that you will be able to get good seats or get to see the show you'd prefer to see. But it is a great way to see some of the best shows in Sin City at the lowest price.

Tix 4 Tonight has four locations in Las Vegas that offer cheap last-minute ticket sales. It is not possible to buy these tickets online, so you will have to be flexible!

The three locations for Tix 4 Tonight are:

• Bally's Grand Bazaar Shops
• Showcase Mall
• Casino Royale

These locations are open 10 am – 7 pm daily, although their hours can vary seasonally. Note that these tickets are quite popular, and there is normally a queue for those arriving midmorning. So, visitors need to assess if the queue is worth their time or not.

Tickets for the more popular Las Vegas shows are often not available at Tix 4 Tonight (perhaps they tend to sell out and so there's no opportunity for last-minute fire sales).

Not all the seating categories have discounts (the prices could be similar to those at the ticket office but with a $5 commission). But often you can get tickets at half price.