Short answer: On the ground in the Bahamas, plan on roughly $135–185 per person per day on a tight budget, about $355–475 in a mid-range hotel shared by two, and from about $620 for resort or villa comfort. The Bahamian dollar is pegged one to one to the US dollar, so B$ and US$ prices are the same. A week on the islands therefore costs roughly $945–1,295, $2,485–3,325 or from $4,340 per person, before flights. For a reality check, stopover visitors spent an average of about $2,674 each in 2024, or about $438 a night, according to the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.
The Bahamas is not a cheap destination: most food and goods are imported, big resorts set the price level in Nassau and on Paradise Island, and taxes and service charges are often added on top of quoted prices. But the beaches are free, the local jitney buses cost a few dollars, and a smart choice of island, season and room can cut the bill a lot. This guide breaks the costs down with figures from official sources, so you can build a realistic budget for your trip to the Bahamas. All prices are in US dollars, which are accepted everywhere alongside Bahamian dollars at par; if you pay in another currency, use our Money exchange tool.
Bahamas daily costs at a glance
These example days are built from the sourced prices further down this page: one person, one day, based in Nassau or on Paradise Island. They leave out flights, boat excursions, diving, casino nights and shopping.
| Per person, per day | Budget | Mid-range | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed | Half of a hotel-style rental at about $178: about $90 | Half of a hotel room at the 2024 average of $405–432: $200–215 | Half of an entire villa or apartment at about $737: from about $370 |
| Food | Fast food plus one casual meal: $40–65 | Two casual meals plus half of a $140–250 dinner for two: $130–200 | Resort meals and half of a top dinner for two: $175–250 |
| Local transport | Two to four jitney rides at $1.25–3.50: $5–15 | Jitneys plus a shared taxi: $10–25 | Taxis: $40–60 |
| Sights | Free beaches, or a national park at $15: $0–15 | A park or the zoo: $15–35 | From $35 |
| Total | About $135–185 | About $355–475 | From about $620 |
The hotel figures are the Ministry of Tourism’s average daily rates for its sample of hotels; the rental figures are the short-term rental rates reported by the Central Bank of The Bahamas for May 2026; meal prices are typical October 2026 Nassau prices from the crowd-sourced Numbeo index. Treat them as typical ranges, not quotes. Room rates are per room, so a solo traveler pays roughly double the bed line.
What visitors actually spend in the Bahamas
The Ministry of Tourism publishes how much visitors spend, how many came and how long they stayed, which gives an official picture of real trip costs. In 2024, stopover visitors (people who stay at least one night, as opposed to cruise passengers) spent about $5.0 billion. Divided by the 1,869,133 stopover visitors that year and the average stay of 6.1 nights, that is about $2,674 per visitor, or about $438 per night. These totals do not include the flight to the Bahamas.
| Stopover visitors, 2024 | Per visitor (about) | Average stay | Per night (about) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nassau and Paradise Island | $2,805 | 5.7 nights | $492 |
| Out Islands | $2,598 | 7.2 nights | $361 |
| Grand Bahama | $1,482 | 7.4 nights | $200 |
| All the Bahamas | $2,674 | 6.1 nights | $438 |
In other words, a stay on New Providence and Paradise Island is the most expensive way to see the Bahamas, while Grand Bahama is the cheapest. On our Travel costs by country scale, the Bahamas scores 96 for travel prices (hotels, restaurants and transport) against 100 for the United States: in plain words, about as expensive as a vacation at home, and one of the pricier countries in the Caribbean.
Accommodation costs
Where you sleep is the biggest line in a Bahamas budget. The Ministry of Tourism’s sample of hotels averaged $405 a night across the country from January to August 2024, $432 on New Providence (Nassau, Cable Beach and Paradise Island), $392 in the Out Islands and just $78 on Grand Bahama. Rates have risen fast: the New Providence average was $266 in 2019. These are averages for the sampled hotels, which include the large resorts, so smaller guesthouses and apartments can cost much less.
Vacation rentals are the main budget alternative. The Central Bank of The Bahamas reported an average daily rate of $178 for hotel-style short-term rentals and $737 for entire homes and villas in May 2026, with hotel-style rentals about half full. Shared by two, a hotel-style rental is the cheapest realistic bed in Nassau.
Where you stay on New Providence changes the bill too. Paradise Island is home to the biggest resorts and the highest prices, Cable Beach has large resorts close to the airport, and downtown Nassau has smaller hotels within walking distance of the jitney routes, the cruise port and the restaurants. Staying downtown and taking day trips to the beaches is usually the cheapest pattern, while an all-inclusive package can make sense if you plan to eat and drink at the resort anyway, given restaurant prices.
Watch the extras. The Bahamas charges 10% VAT, and hotel rates are often quoted before VAT, resort fees and automatic gratuities, so ask for the all-in price before you book. Season matters too: prices peak at Christmas, New Year and US spring break in March, and fall in late spring and in the hurricane season months of September and October; see our best time to visit the Bahamas guide.
Food and drink costs
Eating out is priced close to US resort-town levels. Numbeo’s October 2026 figures for Nassau put a meal at an inexpensive restaurant at about $39 (range $8–50), a three-course dinner for two at a mid-range restaurant, without drinks, at about $200 (range $140–250), and a fast-food combo at about $12. A half-liter of local draft beer costs about $5, a cappuccino about $5.50 and a small bottle of water about $2.
The cheapest good meals are at local takeaways and the fish fry stalls, where conch salad and fried fish cost far less than resort dining. Groceries and alcohol cost more than in the US because nearly everything is imported, so a room with a kitchen saves most on longer stays. Restaurants often add a service charge to the bill, so check before you tip again.
Getting around: jitneys, taxis and island hops
On New Providence, the jitneys (local minibuses) are the bargain: the Ministry of Tourism puts fares at $1.25–3.50, running from early morning until about 7 p.m. Taxis from Lynden Pindling International Airport use fixed zone fares for two passengers, set by the airport operator:
| Taxi from the airport (2 passengers) | Fare |
|---|---|
| Cable Beach | $29 |
| Downtown Nassau | $36 |
| Prince George Dock (cruise port) | $39 |
| Paradise Island | $45 plus $2 bridge toll |
| Each extra passenger / extra bag | $5 / $2.20 |
To reach the Out Islands, such as Exuma, Eleuthera or Harbour Island, you fly with domestic airlines or take a ferry from Nassau; fares are set by the operators and change with the date, so price these legs early. Car hire is useful on the larger islands; traffic drives on the left, and the Ministry of Tourism says a valid foreign driver’s license can be used for up to three months. Budget for fuel on top of the rental: Numbeo puts gasoline at about $1.51 a liter (roughly $5.70 a US gallon) in Nassau. On small cays, golf carts and water taxis are the usual way around.
Sightseeing fees and free things to do
The best of the Bahamas is free: the beaches, the turquoise water and the colorful streets of old Nassau. Paid sights are few and modestly priced.
| Sight | Adult entry |
|---|---|
| Bahamas National Trust national parks, such as Primeval Forest (New Providence) | $15 (children 6–14 $8, seniors $10), VAT included |
| Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Centre, Nassau | $35 for non-residents (children 4–12 $25), VAT included |
| Fort Charlotte, Nassau | About $5 |
| Public beaches and the streets of downtown Nassau | Free |
Boat days are the big optional cost: snorkeling trips, the swimming pigs and cays of the Exumas, and resort water parks are priced by each operator and vary with the season, so budget for them separately. Our Bahamas itinerary and top places to visit in the Bahamas help you decide which ones are worth it.
Taxes and fees visitors pay
- VAT: the standard rate is 10%. Shop prices usually include it, but hotel and restaurant prices are often quoted before VAT and service charges.
- Departure tax: B$15 (US$15) for every person aged 6 and over leaving the Bahamas, according to the Government of The Bahamas. Air passengers normally pay it through their ticket price.
- Resort fees and gratuities: many large resorts add a daily resort fee and automatic gratuities to the room rate. Ask for the total before booking.
- Park fees: national park entry and marine park fees include VAT.
Tipping in the Bahamas
Tipping works much as in the US. According to the Ministry of Tourism, servers usually receive 15% and bellhops about $1 per bag, but many restaurants and hotels add a gratuity automatically, often 15% or more, so check your bill first. Taxi drivers, tour guides and boat crews also appreciate a tip for good service. Our tip calculator does the math for you.
Money-saving tips for the Bahamas
- Travel outside the peak weeks. Christmas, New Year and March spring break are the most expensive times; May and early June are often better value, and September and October are the cheapest but the peak of hurricane season.
- Compare a rental with a hotel. Hotel-style rentals averaged about $178 a night in May 2026, well under the average hotel rate.
- Ask for the all-in price. VAT, resort fees and gratuities can add a lot to a quoted rate.
- Ride the jitneys. At $1.25–3.50 a ride they cost a fraction of a taxi.
- Eat local. Fish fry stalls and takeaways cost far less than resort restaurants, and a kitchen helps on longer stays.
- Check the bill before tipping. Many places already add 15% or more.
- Look beyond Nassau. Grand Bahama’s hotels averaged about $78 a night in 2024, a fraction of New Providence rates.
To compare the Bahamas with other countries, see Travel costs by country.
Plan your trip: our free trip planner can build a day-by-day plan for the Bahamas from our guides to Nassau, Paradise Island and Exuma. Then use the tip calculator for restaurant bills and the Destination weather tool to pick your dates.
Frequently asked questions
How much money do I need for a week in the Bahamas?
Using the example days above, seven days on the ground cost roughly $945–1,295 per person on a tight budget, $2,485–3,325 mid-range, and from about $4,340 in resort or villa comfort, before flights, boat trips and shopping. The official average for 2024 stopover visitors was about $2,674 for a stay of 6.1 nights.
Is the Bahamas expensive?
Yes, by Caribbean standards. On our Travel costs by country scale it scores 96 against 100 for the United States, so expect US-level prices for hotels, restaurants and transport, and higher prices for groceries and imported goods. Hotels on New Providence averaged $432 a night in 2024.
Do I need cash in the Bahamas?
Some. Cards work in hotels, resorts and most restaurants on the main islands, and ATMs are found on the major islands, but jitneys, small takeaways and many businesses in the Out Islands are cash only. US dollars are accepted everywhere at par with Bahamian dollars, so there is no need to change money.
Is the departure tax included in my plane ticket?
Normally yes. The Bahamas charges a departure tax of B$15 (US$15) for every person aged 6 and over, and for air passengers it is collected with the ticket price, so you do not pay it at the airport.
What is the cheapest month to visit the Bahamas?
September and October are usually the cheapest and quietest months, but they are the height of the Atlantic hurricane season and some small Out Island hotels close for a few weeks. May and early June are a better balance: still mostly dry, with warm seas and lower prices than winter.
Is it cheaper to stay in Nassau or on another island?
Grand Bahama is the cheapest: its hotels averaged about $78 a night in 2024 and visitors there spent about $200 a night, against about $492 on Nassau and Paradise Island. The Out Islands have lower visitor spending per night than Nassau but expensive hotel rates and extra flights or ferries to reach them.