NYC Could Be More Fun If It Didn't Bleed Wallets Dry, Study Shows

NEW YORK — Fun comes at a cost. New York City's high prices for everything from beer to bowling hold it back from being America's "most fun" city, according to a new ranking.

The Big Apple maintained its third-place spot on WalletHub's list of the U.S. cities where one can let loose at a reasonable price. The personal finance website's annual study, published Monday, ranks 182 cities based on 66 measures of what makes a city fun — and affordable.

New York City is No. 1 when it comes to entertainment and recreation and has the second-best nightlife in the nation — but those come with the highest costs of any city on the list, according to WalletHub.

Beer costs more here than anywhere else in the U.S., with a six-pack of Heineken going for $11.78 on average, WalletHub says. New York is also the fourth-most expensive city for bowling and ranks 170th in the nation for average restaurant meal costs, according to the study.

Just existing in the city is expensive as it has the nation's 10th-highest cost of living, WalletHub found.

The same two cities that outranked New York for fun-ness in 2018 topped the list again this year. Las Vegas ranked first overall with its top-flight nightlife, while Orlando, Florida — the home of the Walt Disney World Resort — took second place.

Here are the 10 most fun cities in America, according to WalletHub. Read the full report here.

1. Las Vegas
2. Orlando, Florida
3. New York City
4. Miami
5. Chicago
6. Atlanta
7. San Francisco
8. Portland, Oregon
9. San Diego
10. Los Angeles