How Much Is Parking in Manhattan? Garage and Street Rates

Eric DawsonByEric Dawson Parking

Parking in Manhattan costs anywhere from a quiet uptown meter to more than $35 an hour at a garage near Times Square during peak hours. Street meters run $3.00 to $5.50 for the first hour depending on the zone, according to the New York City Department of Transportation. Garage rates average $12 to $25 an hour, with Midtown and Lower Manhattan carrying the highest prices in the borough. How much you end up paying depends heavily on the neighborhood, the time of day, and whether you book a spot ahead or drive up and take whatever is open. A short errand near a metered spot might cost just a few dollars, while an eight-hour workday in a Midtown garage can cost substantially more before any discount.

Understanding Manhattan Street Parking Meter Zones

Meter rates vary by zone. The New York City Department of Transportation divides the borough into three metered zones, each priced on its own schedule rather than one flat citywide rate. That zone-based structure means the same length of stay can cost noticeably different amounts a few blocks apart, so confirming which zone you are in matters as much as knowing the general citywide range.

Zone M1, covering the Midtown Core and Lower Manhattan, charges $5.50 for the first hour and $9.00 for the second hour. Rates drop slightly in Zone M2, the rest of Manhattan south of 96th Street, to $5.00 for the first hour and $8.25 for the second.

Beyond that, zone M3, running from 96th Street to 110th Street, charges $5.00 for the second hour. Each zone’s second hour costs noticeably more than its first, a structure meant to discourage drivers from holding a metered spot all day.

A driver splitting a single trip between zones, say a Midtown lunch meeting followed by an uptown errand that evening, sees the per-hour price shift by more than $2 between the two stops.

How Much Do Commercial Vehicles Pay to Park on Manhattan Streets?

Commercial-only meters in Zone M2 charge $6.00 for the first hour, $9.00 for the second, and $12.00 for the third. A delivery van parked in Zone M1 during a busy midday stretch pays close to double what a personal car would pay in Zone M3 at the same length of stay.

Checking the posted sign at each meter is worth doing before parking, since rates shift with neighborhood demand, land use, and how dense the parking supply already is on that particular block.

Delivery companies and contractors who park in Manhattan on a regular basis often build these higher commercial rates directly into route planning, favoring loading zones or off-street lots where the schedule allows it.

How Much Does Garage Parking Cost in Manhattan?

Garage parking in Manhattan costs $12 to $25 an hour, $40 to $100 a day, and $250 to $1,200 a month on average, with the exact price swinging hard by location and time of day.

A garage two blocks from a subway entrance in a busy district charges far more than one tucked into a quieter side street a few minutes’ walk away. Two garages a short walk apart can post rates that differ by $10 an hour or more, so comparing more than one option before committing is worth the extra few minutes.

Hourly Garage Rates in Manhattan

Hourly garage rates climb the closer you get to Midtown or a major attraction. Rates rise in Midtown and near major attractions.

Financial District and Midtown East garages fall in between at $15 to $28 an hour. Booking a spot in advance through a parking app typically costs 30 to 40 percent less than driving up and paying the posted rate at the gate.

Drivers who only need an hour or two should compare that hourly rate directly against a nearby meter, since a short stay at a mid-range garage can still cost less than circling several blocks looking for open curb space.

Daily Garage Rates in Manhattan

Daily rates vary across the borough and rise in the urban core. Locations near Times Square and the World Trade Center often push past $50 even at the lower end of their range, and a full-day stay during a busy weekday can cost noticeably more than the same stay on a slower day.

Someone parking for a single museum visit or a full workday should expect the daily rate rather than the hourly one to apply once the stay passes a few hours.

Weekday visitors with a full day of meetings should budget toward the higher end of that Midtown range, while a weekend outing farther uptown is more likely to land near the lower end.

How Do Parking Rates Vary by Manhattan Neighborhood?

Manhattan parking prices fall the farther you move from the core, with uptown areas above 110th Street costing 20 to 40 percent less than Midtown or the Financial District for the same type of spot. Distance from major attractions and subway hubs explains most of that gap, and that difference adds up quickly for anyone parking in the city on a regular basis rather than for a single visit.

Street meter rates reflect this neighborhood pattern. Downtown and Lower Manhattan street rates in Zone M1 are $5.50 for the first hour. Hourly garage rates in the premium core areas run two to three times higher than the same service in outer neighborhoods, a gap that widens further during evenings and major events.

Parking Type Uptown (Above 110th St) Midtown Downtown/Lower Manhattan Premium Locations
Street meter, first hour About $1.00 $5.00 to $5.50 $2.00 to $5.00 $5.50 (Zone M1)
Garage, hourly Lower end of the range $15 to $25 Mid-range $20 to $35 at peak
Garage, daily About $40 to $60 $50 to $100 About $50 to $80 $60 to $100 or more
Garage, monthly $300 to $600 $400 to $900 or more $300 to $700 $900 to $1,200

The pattern holds across every parking type: the closer a block sits to Midtown or a major tourist draw, the higher the price, and the gap between uptown and premium locations can run several times over for the same hour of parking.

How Much Is Monthly Parking in Manhattan?

Monthly parking in Manhattan runs from about $250 to $1,200 depending on neighborhood, with Midtown spots near Grand Central Terminal typically topping $900 as of September 2026. That wide spread reflects everything from a building’s age and amenities to how close it sits to a subway line or a major office corridor.

Sample Manhattan Monthly Parking Listings

Specific listings show the range in practice. A University Garage spot near 122nd Street lists for $535 a month, while a Park Avenue location runs $510 a month. Midtown neighborhoods more broadly show monthly listings between $365 and $590.

Upper West Side garages span a wider range, from $400 to $1,400 a month, reflecting the mix of budget and luxury buildings along that stretch of the borough. Shopping around within a single neighborhood, rather than booking the first available listing, is often enough to find a monthly rate several hundred dollars below the top of that range.

Daily Rate vs Monthly Pass: A Worked Example

The math favors a monthly pass for anyone driving into Manhattan five days a week. Over a 20-day work month, the cost is roughly $1,200 before tips or tax.

That same commuter cuts the bill by roughly half with a Midtown monthly spot.

Anyone who only needs a car in the city a few days a week, though, still comes out ahead on the daily rate rather than paying for a reserved month spot that sits empty most days. Even a three-day-a-week commuter can come out ahead on a monthly pass once the per-day cost of the reserved spot drops below what three separate drive-up visits would cost.

What Does Parking Cost Beyond the Meter or Garage Rate?

Beyond the posted hourly, daily, or monthly rate, Manhattan drivers run into a handful of add-on costs that can change the final bill by a wide margin.

Valet and Premium Garage Fees

Valet service and premium garage features, such as covered parking or an assigned spot, add $5 to $40 on top of the base rate. Evening and weekend surcharges are common at garages across the borough, though the exact schedule varies by operator, so confirming the current fee at the counter or on an app avoids a surprise at checkout. Drivers who do not need the extra convenience can often self-park at the same garage for the standard posted rate instead.

Residential Parking Permits

Annual residential street parking permits, where a district offers them, cost $120 to $900 a year depending on the district and how much availability it has left. Permit costs at the low end tend to sit in less competitive districts, while districts with heavy demand and little turnover push toward the top of that range. Applying early in a cycle, where the district allows it, tends to improve the odds of securing a permit before that year’s availability runs out.

How Can You Pay Less for Parking in Manhattan?

Booking ahead remains the single biggest lever for cutting the cost.

Book Ahead with a Parking App

Apps such as SpotAngels and ParkNYC show real-time rates across nearby garages and let a driver reserve a spot before arriving, which avoids both the drive-up markup and the risk of circling a full block looking for an open meter. Comparing two or three nearby garages before committing often uncovers a meaningful price gap even within the same neighborhood. Confirming the cancellation policy before paying matters too, since plans change and not every prepaid reservation refunds cleanly.

Park Outside the Core

Choosing a garage outside the Midtown or Lower Manhattan core saves 20 to 40 percent or more compared with the same service near Times Square or Rockefeller Center. Walking a few extra blocks from an uptown or outer-neighborhood garage often costs far less than parking directly at the destination. Public transit or a short rideshare trip from the cheaper garage to the final destination often still costs less than the price difference saved on parking alone.

Time Your Arrival

Avoiding peak hours helps too, as noted earlier. Arriving before the morning rush or after the evening peak can mean the difference between the top and bottom of a garage’s posted range. Checking a garage’s posted schedule for exactly when peak pricing starts and ends can turn a same-day errand into a noticeably cheaper trip.

I like the longer route home, which makes me sympathetic to the advice on paying less for parking in Manhattan: use a cheaper outer-neighborhood garage and finish by transit or rideshare. It is not romance, exactly, but a practical admission that a slightly less direct route can spare both the parking bill and the irritation of hunting for a space at the destination.

This guide does not track live rate changes or peak-time surcharges.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Weekend Parking Rates Differ from Weekday Rates in Manhattan?

Evening and weekend surcharges are common at Manhattan garages, though sources do not point to one standard schedule since each operator sets its own. Checking the posted rate board or an app like SpotAngels before arriving is the most reliable way to confirm the current weekend price at a specific garage.

Do Commercial Vehicles Pay More to Park on Manhattan Streets?

Yes, the New York City Department of Transportation sets separate, higher meter rates for commercial vehicles, starting around $7.00 for the first hour and climbing past $10.00 in the most expensive zones. The exact rate still depends on which of the three metered zones the vehicle is parked in.

How Much Does Valet Parking Add to a Manhattan Garage Rate?

Valet service and other premium garage features typically add $5 to $40 on top of the standard hourly, daily, or monthly rate. The final add-on depends on the garage and which extras, such as a covered space or an assigned spot, come with it.

Is There an App to Check Manhattan Parking Rates Before Driving?

Yes, SpotAngels and ParkNYC both show real-time rates at nearby garages and let a driver book ahead of arrival. Pre-booking through either app typically costs 30 to 40 percent less than paying the drive-up rate at the same location.

Why Is Parking Near Times Square so Expensive?

Times Square and Rockefeller Center sit inside Manhattan’s premium parking tier, where garages charge $20 to $35 an hour at peak times and daily rates often exceed $50. High foot traffic, limited garage supply, and steady tourist demand keep prices in that tier well above the Manhattan average.

Does Pre-Booking Always Guarantee the Lowest Manhattan Parking Price?

Not always, though it usually helps. Pre-booking runs 30 to 40 percent below the drive-up rate at the same garage, but it will not automatically beat every nearby option, since a different, non-discounted garage can still post a lower base rate than the discounted one. Comparing two or three garages on an app such as SpotAngels before paying catches those cases.

Expect to pay a premium for convenience anywhere in Manhattan, and expect that premium to shrink the farther a spot sits from Midtown or a tourist landmark. Compare the meter zone, the garage’s location tier, and the pre-booking discount before committing, since those three factors account for most of the difference between a $1 uptown meter and a $35 hour near Times Square.

References

Sources read in September 2026.

Eric Dawson

I'm Eric Dawson, and I write The Money Watch from north Columbus, Ohio. Most of what I cover comes from my own life: renting, a 2014 Honda Fit, parking, computers, food and the bills behind all of it. I spent four years in an apartment-property office and eleven on a distributor's operations desk, reading leases and invoices. Where you need real information, I research the maker's or agency's own page and independent sources and report what they publish. I don't give tax, investment, legal or medical advice.