This is how you visit Key West on a budget and stretch every last cent

18.07.2024 - 08:18 / lonelyplanet.com

Jul 17, 2024 • 7 min read

Year-round sunshine (even January sees highs of 77°C), a laidback vibe, open-air bars and endless sea views all add up to Key West being one of the most popular destinations for Americans during the winter season.

The downside to the sunshine and good vibes, however, is high prices. Even outside the peak winter season, Key West is not a cheap place to visit. But don't despair – with some insider tips, creative thinking and a dash of ingenuity, there are ways to visit without setting fire to your credit card.

Where you choose to stay, eat and how you get around will make a difference to your holiday fund and stretch it a little further. It may not be possible to have a truly cheap vacation in Key West, but this is how you do it on a reasonable budget.

The main reason for the high cost of living in the Florida Keys is the archipelago's distance from just about everything (the largest nearby major metropolitan area is Miami, still three hours away by road, even in good traffic). Because Key West is both a tourism hotspot and the last island in the chain, the already high costs of the Keys are exacerbated here. 

Unless you are totally set on winter sun, the easiest way to save is to visit Key West when the crowds aren't here. Low season is during the fall (September–November), and room rates can drop by 50 percent or more. The hot, storm-prone summer months also see lower prices, and you'll find decent discounts in April and May after the winter crowds thin out.

With fewer people, cheaper hotel rooms and plenty of sun, what's not to love about the low season in the Florida Keys? Hurricanes. Tropical storms in the Gulf of Mexico blow through regularly from June to the end of October; they don't always make landfall, but Hurricane Irma scored a direct hit on Key West in September 2017, causing widespread devastation.

Dining out can be a pricey business in Key West. Entrées at a mid-range restaurant run in the $19-28 range, but you can skirt around this cost by self-catering and relying on local grocery stores. Grab a takeout Cuban sandwich and other similarly basic meals at local cafes and counter-service spots, which can be found throughout Old Town. Good picnic spots for self-caterers include Mallory Square, Fort Zachary Taylor State Park and Sonny McCoy Indigenous Park at 1801 White St.

One cost that is completely optional in Key West is a rental car. Flights run directly to Key West International Airport, a $9–20 taxi ride from the center, and once you're in Old Town, you can easily get about on foot, on a bicycle or by bus. It's even cheaper to take the bus from Miami – a ticket on a Greyhound or Flix will cost around $24-30.

For easy exploring, bikes can be rented from companies such