Budget Las Vegas: How To Determine The Amount Of Money To Bring (2024)

While Las Vegas is generally not considered a cheap destination, it can be if one budgets it right. Las Vegas has the ability to swallow every penny anyone is ready to spend, or one can get by a humble budget. Here we will discuss the lowest possible budget for Vegas. But one should budget much more so that one can actually enjoy one's time there.

To spend as little as possible while in Vegas, plan on going to Las Vegas at the cheapest time. But Vegas is a city that is hard to appreciate on a strict budget. If one goes there on a tight budget, one may be left thinking that Las Vegas is overrated.

Budget-Friendly Las Vegas For The Cash-Strapped Backpacker

If one is backpacking to Las Vegas, then one can stay in hostels with dormitory accommodation. Dorm beds in hostels are normally the cheapest accommodation option. One of the benefits of hostels is that one can enjoy a like-minded group of travelers who are also traveling on shoestring budgets.

The cheapest Hostels listed on Hostelworld.com for the month of August start at $21.00 and quickly go up to $35.00 - the cheapest listed is Bposhtels on Hostelworld.com. There may be cheaper accommodation options on Booking.com.

Alternatively, hotels on Airbnb can be found for as little as $30.00 for one night for two.

For accommodation, if traveling on a budget to Las Vegas, one can budget as little as $20-25 for one person or $30-50 for two if one plans and books ahead.

Budget For Accommodation:

• For One: $20-25
• For Two: $30-50

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

• Tip: Check The Casino Room Deals

Related: Wondering How To Navigate The Vegas Strip? Here's A Guide

Doing It On The Cheap In Las Vegas

Prepare One's Own Food

Besides accommodation, eating is one of the greatest expenses. Most hostels and self-contained Airbnbs have kitchens so one can make one's own food. If one is prepared to cook for oneself, then eating needn't be any more expensive than back at home. One can easily eat for $10.00 a day if one would like to.

• Hostels: Normally Have Self-Catering Kitchens (as Do Many Airbnbs)

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 with a great deal, but one will end up spending more money on food.

Don't Gamble (Or At Least Too Much)

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.

Walk And 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 shows every day.

Fountains Of Bellagio:

• Cost: Free
• Monday-Friday: Every 30 minutes between 3.00 pm and 7.00 pm and Every 15 Minutes from 7.00 pm to Midnight
• Weekends: Every 30 Minutes from Noon to 7.00 pm and Every 15 Minutes from 7.00 pm to Midnight

The most convenient way to get around Las Vegas is by Uber, but if one is on a budget and is only seeing the Strip, then walking is an option, and city buses when necessary.

Related: 15 Harsh Truths Why Las Vegas Is Severely Overrated (5 Reasons To Visit Anyway)

How Much Money To Bring To Las Vegas

The minimum money one needs to bring to Las Vegas while on a shoestring budget is around $40.00 per day. That is $25.00 per day for accommodation and $10.00 a day for self-catered food. But that only leaves $5.00 for everything else (like a bus ride or coffee). So bring at least $40.00 for each day spent in Vegas just for basic living expenses but remember there are no frills or even beer in this budget.

• Minimum Budget: $40.00 Per Day

To enjoy Las Vegas at all, $100 or $150 a day would be much better. With a budget of $150.00, one can stay in a hotel for $50.00, eat out for $25.00 for dinner, and $15.00 for breakfast (maybe get a snack for lunch), and have some money left over for a little gambling, admission fees, coffee, a beer, the bus, and maybe a cheap ticket for a Las Vegas show.

$150-200 per day is likely the minimum needed to really start enjoying Las Vegas.

Related: You Can Dive To A B-29 Superfortress At The Bottom Of Lake Mead Out Of Las Vegas

Go On The Weekend And Save

Unless one has a specific reason for visiting Sin City on the weekend (e.g., 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 have a starting range from $85 to $94. Contrast that with starting prices for Fridays and Saturdays being mostly from $429 to $899.

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

While one could skip the Las Vegas shows, it would be a great pity to do so. 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 one will be able to get good seats or get to see the show one would 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 three locations in Las Vegas that offer cheap last-minute ticket sales. It is not possible to buy these tickets online, so one will have to be flexible and in Las Vegas.

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.

Las Vegas during new year's eve

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 people can get tickets at half price.