Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
5 Money & Costs
Like other large American cities, Boston
can be an expensive destination. At the
high end, it's nearly as costly as New York.
The average hotel room rate is lower, but
still nearly $200—and that average
includes deep off-season discounts. At the
thrifty end, an abundance of reasonably
priced establishments cater to the area's
large student population. Dining
options, from hole-in-the-wall noodle
joints to internationally acclaimed spe-
cial-occasion restaurants, are particularly
diverse.
If you're visiting Boston from overseas,
exchange enough petty cash to cover air-
port incidentals, tipping, and transporta-
tion to your hotel before you leave home,
or withdraw money upon arrival at an
airport ATM. My favorite international
travelers swear by the universal currency
converter at
www.xe.com/ucc
.
ATMs
Don't worry about being caught without
cash in the Boston area: ATMs (also
known as “cash machines” or “cash-
points”) are everywhere, even in some
subway stations. Throughout eastern
Massachusetts, even the smallest towns
usually have at least one ATM. The
Cir-
rus
(
&
800/424-7787;
www.master
card.com) and
PLUS
(
&
800/843-7587;
www.visa.com) networks span the globe.
The
NYCE
network (www.nyce.net)
operates primarily in the eastern United
States. NYCE administers the
SUM
net-
work (www.sum-atm.com), which waives
fees for customers of member banks using
most ATMs belonging to other members.
Look at the back of your bank card to see
which network you're on, then call or
check online for ATM locations in the
Boston area.
Be sure you know your personal iden-
tification number (PIN) and your daily
withdrawal limit before you depart. If
you have a 5- or 6-digit PIN, ask whether
it will work; you may need to change it to
a 4-digit number. Also keep in mind that
most banks impose a fee every time you
use your card at a different bank's ATM.
Domestic fees are climbing—some insti-
tutions charge $3—and an international
transaction may cost you $5 or more. On
top of that, the bank from which you
What Things Cost in Boston
$
£
Taxi from airport to downtown or
20.00-45.00
10.00-22.50
Back Bay
Water shuttle from airport to downtown
10.00
5.00
MBTA subway fare
1.70-2.00
0.85-1.00
Double at moderately priced hotel
159.00-259.00
80.00-130.00
Lunch for one at inexpensive restaurant
7.00-13.00
3.50-6.50
Three-course dinner for one, without
17.00-26.00
8.50-13.00
wine, at moderately priced restaurant
Glass of beer
3.00-7.00
1.50-3.50
Cup of coffee
1.50 and up
0.75 and up
Adult admission to the Museum
17.00
8.50
of Fine Arts
Child (under 18) admission to the
free
free
Museum of Fine Arts
