Cost per swipe: $2.90. You put a dollar value on the card and pay $2.90 at the beginning of each trip. The minimum balance for new cards is $5.80, the cost of two swipes. A new card costs $1. You can combine time and value on the same MetroCard.

Compared to other global transit systems and the high cost of living in Manhattan, the NYC Subway is relatively affordable and provides excellent value. As of 2026, a single ride costs $2.90, regardless of the distance traveled. This "flat-fare" system is a major advantage for long-distance commuters from the outer boroughs. The system also features the OMNY (One Metro New York) fare-capping system; once you tap your contactless card or phone for 12 rides in a week (Monday–Sunday), all subsequent rides for the rest of that week are free. This effectively limits your weekly spend to $34.00, which is much cheaper than owning a car, paying for parking (which can exceed $50/day in NYC), or taking frequent rideshares. While systems in cities like London or Tokyo might have "cleaner" trains, they often use distance-based pricing that can make long trips significantly more expensive than NYC's flat rate. For a tourist, the subway remains the fastest and most cost-effective way to navigate the city's gridlock and reach disparate landmarks like the Statue of Liberty and Central Park.