Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Philadelphia Named Most Expensive Car Rental City

After comparing rental rates in 50 U.S. cities, CheapCarRental.net found that Philadelphia had the highest daily rate at $83 for August.

by Staff
August 9, 2016
Philadelphia Named Most Expensive Car Rental City

Philadelphia has been named the most expensive U.S. city for rental rates, according to a CheapCarRental.net survey. Photo via Wikimedia.

2 min to read


Philadelphia has been named the most expensive U.S. city for rental rates, according to a CheapCarRental.net survey. Photo via Wikimedia.

Philadelphia has been named the most expensive car rental city on the cheapest available car, according to a new survey from CheapCarRental.net.

In determining the rankings, the survey compared 50 main destinations in the U.S. based on their car rental rates during the month of August.

Ad Loading...

In the City of Brotherly Love, car renters will have to pay an average of $83 per rental day for the cheapest available rental car, according to the survey. Seattle finished in second with average rates of $81 while Boston finished third with an average of $81 per rental day.

On the opposite end, the least expensive U.S. car rental city is Orlando with an average rate of only $26 per day. Other Florida destinations, including Miami, Tampa and Fort Lauderdale, were at the bottom of the list with daily rates from $28 to $32.

The prices shown reflect the average daily rate for the cheapest available car during the period spanning August 1–31, 2016. For comparative purposes, each city's airport was chosen as the pick-up and drop-off location.

The following tables show the 10 most expensive U.S. car rental destinations and the 10 cheapest rental car destinations:

Top 10 Most Expensive Cities:

Ad Loading...

- Philadelphia: $83
- Seattle: $81
- Boston: $80
- Chicago: $73
- Detroit: $71
- Portland: $69
- Cincinnati: $67
- Indianapolis: $61
- Denver: $61
- Cleveland: $60

10 Cheapest Cities:

- Charlotte: $43
- Phoenix and Honolulu: $42
- Las Vegas and Los Angeles: $41
- San Diego: $40
- Fort Lauderdale: $32
- Tampa: $30
- Miami: $28
- Orlando: $26

More Rental Operations

display of Turo's FSD homepage
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 28, 2026

Turo and Tesla Take the Next Step Toward Autonomous Car Rentals

The partnership brings Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) technology into the rental experience, offering a glimpse of how increasingly automated vehicles could change car rental.

Read More →
Two identical rental cars, two different prices
Rental Operations•Cover Story•October 26, 2026

How Rental Operators Can Navigate Personalized Pricing Rules

As regulators scrutinize the use of customer data in pricing, rental operators need to know whether they can explain why one renter pays more than another.

Read More →
a laptop shows different connectivity paths for car rental supply
Rental Operations•October 23, 2026

Direct, Broker or Hybrid? How Travel Retailers Source Rental Cars

As travel retailers weigh direct supplier relationships against third-party distribution, rental operators need to understand how those decisions affect their business.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
thumbnail of title and photo of Joel Price and Chris Brown
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 20, 2026

How Did This Independent Rental Operator Grow to 170 Vehicles in 4 Years?

With 170 vehicles across three Kentucky locations, Joel Price relies on an overseas team to handle reservations, payments, and after-hours customer service. It's one part of an unconventional approach to growing an independent rental operation.

Read More →
thumbnail what does it take to succeed in b2b rentals
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 12, 2026

What Does It Take to Succeed in B2B Rentals?

The fundamentals may be familiar to daily car rental operators, but project-based truck rentals put different demands on the fleet and the business.

Read More →
Photo of Ana Laborde and world map
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 12, 2026

NPR Builds on International Partnerships to Grow Rental Bookings

With Ana Laborde supporting broker development, NPR Auto Group is tailoring distribution strategies, rate packages, and partnerships to grow international reservations across its three brands.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Rental car agent shows woman her choice of rental car
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 7, 2026

Advantage, Sixt Place Among Top Five in Annual Satisfaction Study

While Enterprise and National retain the top spots in JD Power’s 2026 rankings, the latest customer satisfaction results suggest renters can find competitive service beyond the biggest car rental names.

Read More →
an exotic car wrapped in an insurance policy
Rental Operations•October 1, 2026

The $100,000 Insurance Trap in Exotic Car Rentals

Exotic rental agencies often rely on customers’ personal auto policies to protect six-figure vehicles. But policy language can dramatically change the coverage for vehicles over $100,000 MSRP.

Read More →
globe of world and drivers license from UK
Rental Operations•September 28, 2026

The Booking Is Confirmed, But Is Your Customer Ready to Drive?

For international renters, a confirmed reservation doesn’t always mean they’re eligible to drive. Earlier checks can help operators catch documentation and payment issues before the customer reaches the counter.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Scenes from Car Rental Shows past
Rental Operations•by Staff•September 23, 2026

ICRS 2027 Opens Call for Papers

The International Car Rental Show seeks session proposals on the business, operational, and technology issues facing car rental operators. Submissions are due Jan. 15.

Read More →
Ad Loading...