When I arrived in Florida, I had roughly $500 to my name.
It was the summer after I finished college, and I’d impulsively relocated to Miami. I had a job lined up in the Magic City, but it would be two weeks before I saw my first paycheck.
With not nearly enough cash to cover first month’s rent, much less a deposit and last month’s rent — a common requirement for signing a lease in Miami — I opted to rent a bed in an eight-person hostel room on South Beach.
What I sacrificed in solitude, I recouped in savings. Living in a hostel allowed me to conserve money far faster than any other housing choice I considered, and there were several unexpected benefits that reduced my monthly expenses without dampening my social life.
Complimentary Breakfasts to Kick Off Your Morning
Free breakfasts are increasingly a standard amenity in hostels, and these meals are typically included in the room price — I found the added value was almost always cheaper than buying groceries to prepare my own morning meal.
The variety and quality of offerings differ by location, but fresh fruit, coffee, and a granola bar or oatmeal are commonly provided. Once you build rapport with the staff, they’ll often accommodate your schedule by packing your breakfast to-go or serving it a bit earlier when needed.
Shared Kitchens That Shape What You Eat
Hostel kitchens usually lack a full stove or oven, so the kinds of dishes you can prepare while staying there are inherently limited.
Soups and sandwiches are easy staples, and they’re frequently cheaper than most things you could make without a proper kitchen. The communal fridge can also be challenging because space is limited and you never know who might help themselves to your leftovers while you’re out. There’s no assigned shelving, so it’s essentially first-come, first-served when trying to secure a prized spot in the refrigerator.
Heads-up: When living in a hostel you’ll constantly encounter tourists who include dining out and pricey cocktails in their budgets. Remember you’re on a tighter plan, and stick to meals you prepare yourself.
Free or Reduced-Cost Events
Want VIP entry to that club you’ve been checking out? Or a late-night screening of that film you missed at the theater? Hostels frequently advertise packed activity calendars, and the more established ones provide complimentary events every evening to attract visitors.
Make the most of these offerings! I never imagined walking into Mango’s Tropical Cafe on South Beach with a lively group speaking Spanish, Portuguese, French and German, and living with hostel-mates saved me money because our hostel secured discounted tickets for us.
Insider Local Tips
Your hostel staff most likely lives nearby, and they’re generally expected to know the city well.
Use this resource to ask what you really want to learn about the area — best spots to eat in the lesser-known neighborhoods, cheapest transit options and where to meet local residents.
From my experience, they appreciate these questions because it breaks up the routine of repetitive queries. Leveraging their local insight can help you make smarter long-term financial decisions in your new city.
Common Areas to Meet People for Free
If you’re trying to maximize savings, spending time in your hostel’s communal spaces is an excellent way to socialize without buying a drink or paying a cover fee.
Bring a craft or a journal to pass the time, and you’re likely to have another guest strike up a conversation — and you’ll save whatever money you might have spent on a night out.
Free Language Practice
The best part about staying in a hostel, to me, is the range of people you encounter in an hour and the many languages you hear in a single day. Hostel guests are generally open to talking with strangers, and most are thrilled when someone shows interest in their culture.
Use your hostel’s multicultural crowd to
While hostel living isn’t the most glamorous option, the cash I managed to save made communal living well worth it. I could spend my paychecks on experiences that matter to me, like international travel and events around Miami. Staying in a hostel is a solid choice for anyone relocating to a city for the first time, and I endorse it for people of all ages.
Alex Rivera is a budget-conscious travel writer based in Miami, Florida. He’s lived in West Virginia and Argentina and is on a hunt for the world’s most delicious empanada.
