This City Is Where You Will Pay The Most For An Uber Ride
How much are you willing to shell out for an Uber trip? These days, hitching a ride with the popular ride-sharing app is not cheap — and judging by the current prices, it just might be cheaper for you to walk or drive yourself to your next destination, at least if you live in a big city. Uber rides are more expensive than ever, and that can be partly attributed to the massive increase in fuel prices that happened in early 2022. Another factor at play here is a lack of drivers operating on the company's network.
According to a report from CNBC, ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft experienced a severe shortage in drivers in the summer of 2021, and things still haven't returned to normal. To combat this situation, some of these companies are offering bonus incentives for drivers and raising base rates to lure them back to the app. The combination of decreased driver numbers combined with increased fuel prices has led to an increase in Uber trip costs, with the biggest cities in the U.S. exceeding $30 per ride for a relatively short trip.
The most expensive city in America for Uber users
If you want an Uber in New York City, be prepared to pay an arm and a leg to get a ride. According to a study from NetCredit, Uber users in New York City pay an average of $34.74 for a 6.2-mile ride. Though this figure gives the city the distinction of being the most expensive in the U.S. for Uber users, it's not the only city that exceeds the $30 per ride average. Nashville was a close second at $34.63 for the same travel distance, followed by Denver at $33.91 and Seattle at $32.63. By comparison, taking NYC's famed yellow taxis is 35% to 83% less expensive despite commuters and other riders thinking the contrary, at least according to a report from CBS News.
What makes NYC so expensive for ride-share users? The platform charges a congestion surcharge and implemented an increased minimum wage for drivers in March 2022 of $1.61 per mile and $0.529 per minute, according to data from the official NYC website. In a bid to retain drivers, Uber implemented temporary fuel surcharges to give extra money to drivers starting in March. Also, the company gives out incentives to drivers who want to switch to electric vehicles. By doing this, they stand to earn a $1 or more bonus per trip and up to $4000 annually (via Uber).