The convenience of ordering a car ride with just a few taps on your smartphone offers numerous benefits, including greater comfort, speed, and availability during less conventional hours. However, despite its comfort, this option might not always be the most economical, particularly depending on the city where you use the service.
For instance, the cost of a ride-sharing trip can vary significantly between cities, even for the same distance. Local demand, traffic conditions, and pricing regulations can influence the fare. In some cities, a 6.5-mile trip might be relatively affordable, while in others, it could be considerably more expensive due to higher base fares, surge pricing, or additional fees. Therefore, it’s important to consider these variables when planning your travel budget with ride-hailing services.
With this in mind, Scholaroo’s data team analyzed the average cost of a 6.5-mile ride-sharing trip in some of the most popular cities in the US to rank them and determine where it’s cheapest to take advantage of the service’s comfort and convenience.
- Despite being one of the most populated cities in the world and having one of the highest costs of living, New York did not lead the ranking for the most expensive Uber trip, falling behind Phoenix, AZ;
- The cost of a ride-sharing trip in Houston, TX, the cheapest location in the study, can be approximately 76% less than in Phoenix, AZ, the most expensive location;
- Although within the same state, a car trip in San Diego can cost 5 dollars less than in San Francisco;
- While in Florida, ordering a ride through a ride-sharing app can cost 7 dollars more in Jacksonville than in Miami.
Overall Rank
Methodology
Scholaroo's data team analyzed the average cost of a 6.5-mile trip on the three most popular ride-sharing apps (Uber, Lyft and Go Jack) during off-peak hours in some of the most important and popular cities in the US, using the city center as the starting point.