How to Survive in New York Without Losing Your Mind or Wallet?

Why Is New York a Special City?

New York – a city that half the world dreams about. A city that never sleeps, where all dreams seem possible, where every corner reminds you of a movie. But what does it really mean to get there?

After several weeks of meticulous planning, hunting for tickets like a “Top Gun” pilot and strict saving, I finally took off – I flew to New York. This city is truly alive – it pulsates, buzzes, shines… and at the same time quietly sucks your wallet dry. In a week, my account became so empty that even the ATM offered me psychological help.

Flight Tickets to New York

Flying to New York – this is no simple matter. More than 10 hours in the air, layovers, security checks that resemble a spy movie. American checks start even before boarding the plane – they check everything possible, then check again, and then once more… They examine documents so long and carefully that it seems they’re looking for a hidden message or writing a review of your passport.

Choose flights through Helsinki, Frankfurt or other European hubs. This way the journey is shorter, and prices are often more favorable. And be sure to bring books, movies – on a long journey without entertainment you might start talking to the airplane seat.

Flight Ticket Prices

• Winter period (November-March): 400-500 euros
• Summer season (April-October): 700+ euros

Tip: If you don’t mind airport layovers, you can save hundreds of euros.

Sources for Ticket Search

• Skyscanner / Kiwi – compare prices
• Kayak – monitor price fluctuations

ESTA Authorization: Essential Step for Travel to USA

Before flying you need to obtain ESTA authorization. It’s a simple online application, which takes about 72 hours to approve (sometimes faster).

• Cost: 21 dollars
• Validity: 2 years
• Important: This is a tourist authorization – you cannot work or study
• Obtain at: esta.cbp.dhs.gov

Additional Information for Lithuanian Citizens

• US Embassy in Lithuania website
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs travel advice

Hotels in New York

This is where the real New York puzzle begins – hotel prices. They seem to have been created not by humans, but by some computer that accidentally chose rocket prices instead of dollars. 500–600 euros per night? That’s not accommodation, that’s a housing loan with breakfast.

But I managed – I found the legendary New Yorker Hotel for just 180 dollars per night. Yes, that one – built back in 1930, where Nikola Tesla spent the end of his life, where Fidel Castro and even Muhammad Ali dropped by. It’s more than a hotel – it’s a history museum with beds.

Advice from experience: search through different booking platforms and even different countries. Sometimes changing your location to, say, Canada or some Hungary, the price drops like during an economic crisis. Sounds absurd? Maybe. But it works – tested on my own card.

Hotel Reservations

• Booking.com
• Hotels.com
• Expedia
• Agoda
• Airbnb

Manhattan: New York’s Heart and Main Tourist District

You step out of the subway, raise your eyes upward… and suddenly – boom! Skyscrapers flash right in your face, as if you’ve stepped into a movie screen. All those familiar images from films and series – taxis in traffic jams, steam from street grates, people with coffee cups rushing somewhere – no longer an illusion. It’s now, it’s here.

Manhattan – the true heart of New York. Pulsating, relentless, breathing coffee, ideas and a bit of chaos. This is where all city life is concentrated – business, art, tastes and smells. If you’re flying for the first time, it’s definitely worth staying in Manhattan. Yes, prices bite, but in return you get the privilege – having everything just minutes away. And the real feeling that you’re at the center of action.

• NYC & Company – official NYC tourism page

Times Square: Light Chaos

Times Square – this is a place where upon stepping out you can lose your hearing, sight and, if you don’t close your eyes at the souvenir stand, your wallet – all at once. Here lights blink so intensely that even your shadow gets lost, and there are so many people that you feel like you’re standing in line… just to be.

Giant screens scream with colors, advertisements compete for your attention, and every corner breathes a huge show. And this is not just some light parade. Advertising prices here reach tens of thousands of dollars per day.

Warning About Costumed Characters

Times Square is full not only of lights and tourists, but also colorful characters – from Shiny Batmans to somewhat tired Elsas. They happily pose for photos, but for that “happily” you may have to shell out 5–20 dollars. And here the game begins: negotiate in advance! Because some “Supermans” here resemble debt collectors more than world saviors – they smile only until you pay up.

So if you want a selfie with Spider-Man, prepare not only your camera but also cash. And remember – in New York even Pikachu has a business plan.

New York Food: Bagels and Tips

A true New Yorker has breakfast with a bagel – traditional bread rings with cream cheese and salmon. A good bagel should be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Food Prices in New York

• Bagel with toppings: 3-8 dollars
• Lunch dish: 15-25 dollars
• With tips: +18-20% to the bill

Budget reality: Per day on food you can easily spend 50-80 dollars.

Tips in America – 18-20% is the standard amount. Even for takeaway coffee, tips are sometimes expected.

Restaurant Search Pages

• Yelp – review platform
• OpenTable – reservations
• Zomato – restaurant information

New York Subway

New York subway – it’s a separate world. 472 stations, 27 routes, operating 24/7.

Subway Ticket Prices in 2025

• Single ticket: 2.90 dollars
• Weekly pass: 34 dollars

If you plan to ride a lot, the weekly pass definitely pays off. But be prepared: the subway isn’t the cleanest. Rats, trash, strange smells – all this is the “charm”. However, it’s the fastest way to move around the city.

Download the subway app to your phone! Without it, the New York subway system looks like a labyrinth.

• MTA official page – schedules and information
• MTA app – mobile application

New York Trip Cost 2025

For seven days in New York (with flight tickets, hotel, food and entertainment) you realistically need 1500-2000 euros.

When Is the Best Time to Travel to New York?

Best time – autumn and winter (November-March):

• Fewer tourists
• Cheaper prices
• Shorter lines
• Christmas New York atmosphere

Spring and summer – more expensive, more people, but warmer and sunnier. The choice is yours.

Conclusions

New York – it’s not just a city, but an experience that engraves itself deeply. Here you feel the real American energy – dynamic, without brakes, sometimes exhausting, but extraordinarily inspiring. It’s a place where on one street you can hear ten different languages, meet people of all races, faiths and styles – and no one will even look at you strangely.

Yes, New York is expensive. Yes, it’s noisy, and morning steam from the sewers seems to purposely appear when you’re trying to look stylish. But it’s precisely that commotion, that city pulse and that crazy pace that create its irreplaceable charisma.

Links

Trip Planning

• ESTA authorization: esta.cbp.dhs.gov
• US Embassy in Lithuania: lt.usembassy.gov
• Lithuanian MFA travel advice: urm.lt

New York Information

• Official NYC tourism page: nycgo.com
• MTA (subway/buses): mta.info
• Central Park: centralparknyc.org

Practical Tools

• Restaurant reviews: yelp.com
• Ticket reservations: kiwi.com

Safety and Health

• CDC travel advice: cdc.gov/travel
• New York health department: nyc.gov/health