Arizona is a southwestern US state renowned for its dramatic desert landscapes, ancient Native American cultures, and iconic natural wonders. Home to the Grand Canyon, one of the world's most visited natural sites, Arizona offers visitors a stunning contrast of red rock formations in Sedona, towering saguaro cacti in the Sonoran Desert, forested mountains around Flagstaff, and the otherworldly mesas of Monument Valley.
Local currency: US Dollar.
Daily budget by traveller style
Typical per-person daily spend in Arizona.
Cost breakdown
Typical price ranges across major spending categories.
Accommodation
- Hostel Dorm
- $25-45 per night
- Budget Hotel
- $65-100 per night
- Mid Range Hotel
- $120-200 per night
- Resort Luxury
- $250-800 per night
- Grand Canyon Rim Hotel
- $200-450 per night (El Tovar)
Food
- Taco Truck Taco
- $3-5 per taco
- Sonoran Hot Dog
- $5-8
- Casual Restaurant Meal
- $12-25 per person
- Mid Range Dinner
- $30-55 per person
- Fine Dining
- $80-200 per person
- Coffee
- $3-6
- Grocery Store Meal Prep
- $8-15 per day
Transport
- Phoenix Valley Metro Bus
- $2 per ride
- Phoenix Valley Metro Rail
- $2 per ride
- Phoenix Day Pass
- $4
- Tucson Sun Tran Bus
- $1.75 per ride
- Uber Lyft Short Trip
- $10-20
- Taxi Airport To Downtown Phoenix
- $25-45
- Car Rental Economy
- $45-75 per day
- Car Rental Suv
- $65-120 per day
- Gas Per Gallon
- $3.50-4.50
Activities
- Grand Canyon Entry
- $35 per vehicle (7 days)
- Saguaro National Park
- $25 per vehicle (7 days)
- Petrified Forest
- $25 per vehicle (7 days)
- America Beautiful Pass
- $80 (covers all national parks/monuments)
- Antelope Canyon Tour
- $80-120 per person
- Horseshoe Bend
- $10 per vehicle
- Monument Valley
- $20 per person
- Sedona Jeep Tour
- $60-100 per person
- Hot Air Balloon Ride
- $175-250 per person
- Grand Canyon Helicopter
- $200-350 per person
- Kartchner Caverns Tour
- $23 per adult
- Desert Botanical Garden
- $30 adult
- Heard Museum
- $20 adult
- Arizona Sonora Desert Museum
- $25.95 adult
Trip budgets by length
What a typical trip to Arizona costs end-to-end.
3 Day Budget traveller
Estimate $200-260 total, Breakdown 2 nights hostel ($80), meals ($60), transport ($30), 1 national park entry ($25), free hiking
7 Day Mid Range traveller
Estimate $1200-1800 total per person, Breakdown 6 nights mid-range hotel ($800), meals ($350), car rental ($350), activities/parks ($150), gas ($100)
7 Day Luxury traveller
Estimate $4000-7000+ per person, Breakdown 6 nights resort ($2500+), fine dining ($700), private tours ($800), car/helicopter ($600), spa ($400)
Money-saving tips
Practical ways to stretch your budget further.
Buy the America the Beautiful Annual Pass ($80) — it covers Grand Canyon, Saguaro, Petrified Forest, Chiricahua, and many more parks; pays for itself in 2-3 park visits
Phoenix Sky Harbor has a free light rail connection from the airport — saves $15-20 vs. rideshare
Visit Sedona and Grand Canyon in shoulder season (May, September-October) for lower accommodation rates
Cook breakfast and lunch from grocery stores; save dining budget for dinners at local restaurants
Many Phoenix and Tucson museums are free the first Sunday or Tuesday of each month
Book car rentals through aggregators (Kayak, AutoSlash) — prices vary wildly; book in advance
Antelope Canyon requires a Navajo-guided tour — book Upper Canyon for better light beams but book well in advance to avoid paying premium last-minute
Stay in Flagstaff or Williams for affordable Grand Canyon base options — 1-1.5 hours from the South Rim
Eat at Sonoran hot dog carts and taco trucks for authentic Arizona food at $5-8 per meal
Happy hour at Phoenix and Scottsdale restaurants typically runs 3-6pm with 25-50% off drinks and food
Free things to do
Memorable experiences that cost nothing.
Hiking Papago Park trails (Phoenix) — free
South Mountain Park — largest municipal park in the US, free
Tempe Town Lake waterfront walk and recreation
Camelback Mountain hike (Echo Canyon/Cholla trailheads) — free
Piestewa Peak trail, Phoenix Mountain Preserve — free
First Fridays Phoenix arts walk on Roosevelt Row — free
Scottsdale ArtWalk every Thursday evening — free
Civic Space Park art installations, Phoenix — free
Sedona vortex hikes (Airport Mesa, Bell Rock area) — free or $5 Red Rock Pass
Canyon de Chelly National Monument overlooks — free
Wupatki National Monument scenic drive — free with America the Beautiful Pass
Monument Valley roadside viewpoint — free (inside tribal park costs $20)
Barrio Historic District walking tour, Tucson — free
University of Arizona campus exploration, Tucson — free
Tucson Botanical Gardens free day (first Tuesday each month)