America's 100 Most Budget Friendly Cities for Christmas Celebrations

As the holiday season approaches, the quest for the most budget friendly cities for Christmas celebrations becomes a priority for many. With spending during the festive period expected to hit a staggering $957 billion, finding cheap Christmas trips is more important than ever.

To aid in this festive quest, WalletHub compared over 100 of the biggest U.S. cities on 28 key factors, including traditions, shopping, and costs, to reveal America’s most budget-friendly cities for Christmas celebrations.

100 Most Budget Friendly Cities for Christmas

Overall Rank	City	Total Score	Traditions & Fun Rank	Observance Rank	Generosity Rank	Shopping Rank	Costs Rank
1	Atlanta, GA	62.31	8	26	5	5	70
2	Pittsburgh, PA	62.07	23	3	7	9	28
3	Orlando, FL	60.67	4	10	68	2	81
4	Las Vegas, NV	60.59	3	44	63	1	38
5	San Francisco, CA	57.94	2	68	4	11	93
6	St. Louis, MO	57.80	21	5	22	14	47
7	Seattle, WA	57.77	9	80	1	13	97
8	Chicago, IL	56.16	5	93	10	17	40
9	Miami, FL	56.10	6	24	75	10	88
10	Birmingham, AL	55.97	55	1	32	33	20
11	Los Angeles, CA	53.66	7	95	28	4	75
12	New Orleans, LA	53.62	13	7	71	32	66
13	Cincinnati, OH	53.46	24	12	49	18	50
14	Denver, CO	53.24	11	70	24	22	68
15	New York, NY	52.93	1	98	3	3	100
16	Honolulu, HI	52.70	17	22	81	8	89
17	Buffalo, NY	52.37	40	2	57	29	69
18	Washington, DC	52.35	12	51	2	57	96
19	San Diego, CA	51.26	10	88	47	6	90
20	Minneapolis, MN	50.79	25	19	41	44	62
21	Portland, OR	50.59	15	71	18	12	92
22	Virginia Beach, VA	49.93	32	58	9	45	15
23	St. Paul, MN	49.52	45	8	43	30	60
24	Tulsa, OK	49.41	69	20	59	31	2
25	Colorado Springs, CO	49.37	56	45	29	34	3
26	San Antonio, TX	49.35	18	72	80	20	32
27	Cleveland, OH	49.21	33	11	50	56	42
28	Wichita, KS	49.14	79	6	94	58	1
29	Tampa, FL	49.14	26	13	40	26	95
30	Phoenix, AZ	49.03	14	87	39	7	91
31	Austin, TX	48.69	19	69	56	16	73
32	Nashville, TN	48.34	28	49	33	35	61
33	Louisville, KY	48.19	47	48	35	24	22
34	Dallas, TX	48.08	16	73	42	23	84
35	Raleigh, NC	47.98	42	31	21	36	78
36	Houston, TX	47.89	22	90	78	21	7
37	Durham, NC	47.84	65	17	34	74	31
38	Greensboro, NC	47.82	50	9	89	74	21
38	Scottsdale, AZ	47.82	51	74	11	15	51
40	Omaha, NE	47.38	43	33	54	38	44
41	Sacramento, CA	47.37	35	46	46	19	65
42	Anaheim, CA	47.32	29	40	72	41	23
43	Reno, NV	47.17	49	64	26	39	13
44	Indianapolis, IN	47.05	41	79	15	43	25
45	Oklahoma City, OK	46.82	64	38	60	37	10
46	Chesapeake, VA	46.64	48	41	17	91	34
47	Charlotte, NC	46.28	37	50	36	28	63
48	Tucson, AZ	46.21	34	47	73	25	45
49	Memphis, TN	46.20	58	29	44	67	36
50	Fort Worth, TX	46.07	60	54	30	63	14
51	Santa Ana, CA	46.04	31	55	64	78	8
52	Baltimore, MD	45.99	36	53	37	54	39
53	Oakland, CA	45.83	63	36	14	55	83
54	Irvine, CA	45.74	30	60	19	52	71
55	El Paso, TX	45.49	74	15	84	47	26
56	Philadelphia, PA	44.87	20	83	52	40	87
57	San Jose, CA	44.68	39	67	13	42	86
58	Newark, NJ	44.55	82	4	62	100	77
59	Fort Wayne, IN	44.49	84	27	82	76	11
60	Norfolk, VA	44.42	46	18	53	82	82
61	Albuquerque, NM	44.35	62	23	97	27	43
62	Milwaukee, WI	44.20	44	35	58	70	74
63	Plano, TX	44.12	67	75	16	53	29
64	Baton Rouge, LA	43.86	72	32	85	49	33
65	Kansas City, MO	43.73	54	39	77	72	37
66	Columbus, OH	43.68	38	86	51	46	30
67	Long Beach, CA	43.54	59	30	76	50	67
68	Madison, WI	43.45	61	82	6	68	56
69	Boston, MA	43.03	27	85	8	61	98
70	Bakersfield, CA	42.84	68	16	99	73	35
71	Lubbock, TX	42.77	76	42	79	65	27
72	Lincoln, NE	42.61	73	76	23	87	18
73	Fresno, CA	42.57	88	43	88	69	5
74	Jacksonville, FL	42.54	57	59	48	48	54
75	Corpus Christi, TX	42.34	95	28	98	85	6
76	Boise, ID	42.12	70	37	61	51	79
77	Jersey City, NJ	41.67	85	56	20	89	57
78	Toledo, OH	41.52	94	14	86	92	49
79	Riverside, CA	40.77	89	25	91	64	48
80	St. Petersburg, FL	40.74	53	34	69	77	94
81	Winston-Salem, NC	40.60	92	21	90	90	53
82	Anchorage, AK	39.91	66	77	55	60	64
83	Gilbert, AZ	39.50	78	94	27	88	12
84	Mesa, AZ	39.48	86	62	45	66	55
85	Lexington-Fayette, KY	39.43	71	63	67	59	72
86	Irving, TX	38.97	93	81	25	99	24
87	Garland, TX	38.91	97	78	38	97	19
88	Chandler, AZ	38.73	80	92	31	71	41
89	Fremont, CA	38.65	96	91	12	83	58
90	Glendale, AZ	38.54	81	84	83	62	16
91	Aurora, CO	37.95	91	89	66	81	9
92	Arlington, TX	37.87	87	66	65	84	59
93	Detroit, MI	37.59	52	52	93	95	80
94	Stockton, CA	37.46	83	57	96	79	46
95	Henderson, NV	35.98	90	97	74	80	4
96	Laredo, TX	34.44	99	61	100	86	17
97	Chula Vista, CA	33.37	77	96	70	93	76
98	San Bernardino, CA	32.11	100	65	95	96	85
99	North Las Vegas, NV	28.19	98	99	92	98	52
100	Hialeah, FL	26.66	75	100	87	94	99

Atlanta, GA: A Blend of Affordability and Festivity

Atlanta, GA, affectionately known as The Big Peach, tops our list. Renowned for its superb shopping and activity opportunities, Atlanta offers a wealth of festive experiences that don’t strain the wallet. From its largest outdoor ice rink at Centennial Olympic Park, adorned with twinkling lights and set against a backdrop of skyscrapers, to its numerous bakeries and holiday decoration shops, Atlanta exemplifies affordable Christmas cheer.

Pittsburgh, PA: Tradition Meets Budget-Conscious Celebration

Pittsburgh, PA, takes the second spot, merging tradition with cost-effectiveness. The Steel City is bustling with holiday markets like the Peoples Gas Holiday Market and the Handmade Arcade, offering unique gifts at reasonable prices. Additionally, Pittsburgh hosts several special events like the “Holiday Magic! Winter Flower Show and Light Garden,” and performances of “A Musical Christmas Carol,” catering to budget-conscious revelers.

Orlando, FL: Affordable Fun in the Sun

Orlando, FL, known for its theme parks, ranks third. While Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort might seem like pricey options, Orlando offers numerous budget-friendly alternatives. These include festive lights displays, parades, and ice sculptures, ensuring that families can soak in the holiday spirit without overspending.

Tips for Saving on Your Christmas Celebrations

To further assist with cost-effective holiday planning, consider these tips:

Create a Budget and Set Limits: Establish spending limits to control finances. Opt for a Secret Santa gift exchange to reduce gift expenses.
Be on the Lookout for Sales and Discounts: Utilize sales, promotions, coupons, and cashback programs for additional savings.
Consider DIY and Second-Hand Gifts: Embrace homemade crafts or thrift store finds for unique, budget-friendly gift ideas.
Be Flexible to Save on Travel: Look for less popular travel days and book flights and hotels together for better deals.
Make a Meal Plan: Plan holiday meals in advance, shop sales, and consider potluck-style gatherings to share costs.
Use Credit Cards Wisely: Select credit cards with rewards or 0% APR offers, and be cautious of deferred interest in retailer financing.

The full report is here: https://wallethub.com/edu/best-places-for-christmas/41924