NYC Taxi Fare Calculator
Estimate what a New York City yellow cab costs before you ride: the meter, every TLC surcharge, tolls, and tip, plus the flat fare between Manhattan and JFK and the LaGuardia and Newark airport rules.
$0.70 per 1/5 mile ($3.50/mile)
$0.70 per 60 seconds (under 12 mph or stopped)
Trips starting, ending, or passing south of 96th St
Trips to, from, or within Manhattan at or below 60th St
| Base Fare (Flag Drop) | $3.00 |
| Mileage (4.5 mi @ $3.50/mi) | $15.75 |
| Slow/Stopped Traffic (8 min @ $0.70/min) | $5.60 |
| TLC Improvement Surcharge | $1.00 |
| MTA State Surcharge | $0.50 |
| NYS Congestion Surcharge (S. of 96th) | $2.50 |
| MTA Congestion Pricing Charge (S. of 60th) | $0.75 |
| Subtotal Before Tip | $29.10 |
| Tip (20%) | +$5.82 |
NYC Yellow Cab Rates
Taxi & Limousine Commission fares and surcharges, checked September 27, 2026
The TLC sets every charge on a metered yellow cab ride; the calculator applies them the way the meter does.
| Charge | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Initial charge | $3.00 | Every metered trip |
| Distance | $0.70 per 1/5 mile ($3.50/mile) | Moving above 12 mph |
| Time | $0.70 per minute | Slow traffic or stopped |
| Improvement surcharge | $1.00 | Every trip |
| MTA State surcharge | $0.50 | Trips ending in NYC or in Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Dutchess, Orange, or Putnam County |
| NYS congestion surcharge | $2.50 | Trips that begin, end, or pass through Manhattan south of 96th Street |
| Congestion zone charge | $0.75 | Trips to, from, within, or through Manhattan at or below 60th Street |
| Rush hour | $2.50 | Weekdays 4–8 PM, excluding holidays |
| Overnight | $1.00 | 8 PM–6 AM |
| Airport access fee | $2.00 | Pickups at JFK and LaGuardia |
No extra charge for additional passengers, luggage or bags, or paying by credit card. Tolls and tip are added on top.
How Much a NYC Taxi Costs
The meter formula and three worked trips at today’s rates
A 5-mile ride in Manhattan
Five miles in daytime traffic with 6 minutes stopped or crawling, starting and ending in Midtown: the meter shows $24.70, and the surcharges bring the fare to $29.45 before tip.
JFK to Midtown on a weekday at 5 PM
The $70.00 flat fare, the $5.00 rush-hour surcharge, the $2.00 JFK pickup fee, and the surcharges for ending in Midtown come to $81.75 before tolls and tip. Outside the weekday rush it is $76.75.
LaGuardia to Midtown over the RFK Bridge
An 8-mile metered ride with 15 minutes in slow traffic, the $5.00 LaGuardia surcharge, the $2.00 pickup fee, and the $7.46 E-ZPass bridge toll come to $59.96 before tip.
Airport Taxi Rules: JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark
What changes when a ride starts or ends at an airport
JFK
Rides between JFK and anywhere in Manhattan pay the $70.00 flat fare in either direction, plus the surcharges for the trip and, on weekdays from 4 to 8 PM, $5.00. Rides between JFK and the other boroughs use the meter.
LaGuardia
LaGuardia rides use the meter plus a $5.00 surcharge. Pickups at LaGuardia and JFK also pay a $2.00 airport access fee.
Newark (EWR)
Newark rides use the meter plus a $20.00 surcharge, and you pay the tolls both ways, including the driver's return toll into New York ($14.79–$16.79 with E-ZPass at the Port Authority crossings).
Booking with an app
E-hail apps can quote a binding upfront price instead of running the meter, but taxis cannot be e-hailed at the airports. You can still be dropped off there.
Traveling light? AirTrain JFK plus a subway ride costs $11.75 per person; the MTA fare calculator covers weekly and airport trip costs.
NYC Taxi Fare Questions
Yellow cabs charge a flat $70.00 between JFK and Manhattan in either direction. With the surcharges for a ride into Midtown and the $2.00 JFK pickup fee, the fare is $76.75, or $81.75 on weekdays from 4 to 8 PM, before tolls and tip.
The meter charges $0.70 for every 1/5 mile above 12 mph, which is $3.50 a mile, and $0.70 a minute in slow or stopped traffic, on top of the $3.00 initial charge and the surcharges for your route.
LaGuardia rides use the meter plus a $5.00 LaGuardia surcharge and the usual surcharges; pickups at LaGuardia add a $2.00 airport access fee. Tolls are added if the route uses a toll crossing.
Newark rides use the meter plus a $20.00 Newark surcharge. You also pay the tolls to and from the airport, including the driver's return toll into New York.
Yes. Metered rides add $1.00 from 8 PM to 6 AM and $2.50 from 4 to 8 PM on weekdays, excluding holidays. The JFK flat fare adds $5.00 in the weekday rush instead.
No. There is no charge for extra passengers, luggage or bags, or paying by credit card. Tips are not part of the fare; add one in the calculator if you plan to tip.