One Vegas Weekend, 10 Years Apart: An 82% Price Surge

A weekend in Las Vegas wasn't exactly cheap in 2016, but $1,172 could buy a comfortable getaway without too many compromises. A decade later, inflation has pushed that budget's equivalent to roughly $1,630. But has Vegas gotten even more expensive?

To find out, I priced the same weekend using 2026 rates for hotels, meals, airfare and entertainment. The result was a staggering 82% increase, far outpacing inflation and raising questions about whether Vegas is pricing out its visitors.

The $1,100 2016 Las Vegas weekend vs the same one in 2026

To make the exercise manageable, I chose two nights (weekend) at Bellagio and six food orders from restaurants still around today. Morning starts with Eggslut, lunch is tacos, and by evening it’s a steak from Andiamo. Then the whole thing again the next day. This is by no means a scientific study, but the results are compelling.

Here's what ten years did to the bill.

All numbers are approximate. The hotel figures use published group rates for different dates and conferences, plus standard resort fees and room tax. Food prices are before tax, tips, drinks, and extra sides. These are illustrative prices from different dates, not evidence that Bellagio's average room rates doubled

Two nights, six meals

The trip I put together sets aside $539.84 for two nights at Bellagio in 2016, compared with $1,074.84 using the 2026 prices, based on published weekend conference rates of $209 and $419 a night for different dates. Factored in are the standard resort fees of $32 back then and $55 today, along with the 12% hotel tax in 2016 and the current 13.38% rate.

A bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich at Eggslut, before tax or tip, set diners back $8 ten years ago. Today, that same plate comes to $12. Therefore, two breakfasts cost $16 then and $24 now, a 50% increase. 

For lunch, something quicker, tacos for example, ran about $2 apiece in 2016, while an adobada taco was $4.12 in June 2026. Tacos El Gordo reviewers said three made a filling meal, putting a pair of lunches at roughly $12 in 2016 versus $24.72 a decade later. 

Then, come evening, Andiamo Italian Steakhouse at The D had its 32-ounce tomahawk rise from $79 as of December 2016 to $175 on its 2026 menu (121.5%) before tax and tips. That's obviously a tremendous amount of food, but it highlights just how sharply beef prices have risen over the past decade. Also, sharing one would also mean a $25 split entrée fee under Andiamo’s current menu.

Arriving in Vegas, then moving around

Getting to Las Vegas in the first place varied with distance and mode of travel, whether you drove or flew. Back in 2016, it was nearly an even split, 54% ground to 46% air. 

For the sake of keeping the math simple, I went with flying, since ground travel can vary a lot depending on distance, fuel, tolls, and whether you’re driving yourself or taking a bus. That left me with the $223 average domestic itinerary fare reported for Las Vegas during the fourth quarter of 2016. Those living closer, like Los Angeles, with a little airfare bargain hunting, were looking at round trips as low as $57.

The latest available BTS data (Q2 2026) lists Las Vegas at $347.68, based on domestic itineraries, usually round trips, and includes taxes and mandatory fees charged at purchase.

The price of taxis -- perhaps kept in check by competing ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft -- was relatively flat with two five-mile rides just 22.84% more expensive, from $17.82 to $21.89, over ten years, before a tip. 

Assuming I drove, $40 of my $1,000 budget in 2026 goes toward two days of Bellagio self-parking. Prior to 2016 that would have been 100% free. MGM introduced charges on June 6, 2016, back then at $10 a day for stays over four hours.

What’s left for Vegas

For everything else getting more expensive, the LVCVA’s 2025 figures show barely any change in average spending on shows and entertainment. At $68.48 per trip, that’s just 93 cents higher than in 2016, across a 3.2-night stay.

If you were hoping to catch a show, say Mystère by Cirque du Soleil at Treasure Island, $70 plus taxes and fees was enough to get through the door. I even found summer promotions advertising tickets for as little as $49.50. Category 3 tickets today can go anywhere from $81 to $150. There are also Category 4 tickets from $59, although some of those seats have partially obstructed views.

Then there are slots and roulette. The 2016 study found casino budgets averaged $619.01, but on a $1,000 weekend, gambling responsibly means drawing that line considerably lower, $75 in my case.

Can $1,000 Still Do Vegas in 2026?

Truth is, you can’t exactly expect a Vegas weekend to cost the same ten years down the road. Keeping the buying power of $1,100 from August 2016 would take about $1,630 today (39.1%). Even taking that into account, it’s clear that Vegas prices far exceed inflation, with accommodations and restaurants among the worst offenders.

Can you still do Vegas for $1,630, though? My answer is yes, just with a lot less room for error than there was a decade ago. 

I wouldn’t waste time shaving a dollar off tacos. The money is in the hotel and flights. And maybe going for something cheaper than Andiamo’s tomahawk on one of the nights. 

Aim for Vegas’ softer periods and stay midweek, away from major events, when room rates are easier to work with. You could also trade Bellagio for a cheaper hotel on the Strip, or move a few blocks off-Strip if it’s a walk you’d actually make. Any extra cab fares would have to come off the room savings. 

I’d aim to keep accommodation around $350 to $400 for two nights, taxes and resort fees included. Given the sale fares that pop up on routes like L.A. to Vegas, getting airfare down to around $250 return looks doable with flexible dates, counting any baggage fees in that budget too.

Of course, you could also consider some non-Vegas options to potentially get even better bang for your buck.