(Photo by Alexander Torrenegra)
It’s a Saturday night, you and your friends are ready to go out, and you need a ride. Which service is the best option in your city? More importantly, among Uber, Lyft, Sidecar or a traditional taxicab, which is the cheapest? Using a recent GOBankingRates analysis of ride pricing in the U.S., CNBC reports that “Uber is the best option in 16 out of 20 major cities.”
Uber and Lyft use identical fare formulas in New York, so they tie as the cheapest option for a 20-minute, 10-mile ride. In New York, that would cost you $32.50, about 56 percent more than the same trip in the second most expensive city, Seattle. That’s more than twice the cost of the cheapest cities — Jacksonville, Florida, and Dallas.
“I think it’s important to be aware of how the local pricing works in your city, because that has a significant impact on how much you’re going to pay,” GOBankingRates’ Casey Bond told CNBC. “People who tend to use ride shares use them a lot, and are often familiar with how they work and the nuances for their city.”
CNBC used the GoBankingRates report and stacked Uber, Lyft and Sidecar against traditional taxis too. Here’s a look at what they determined was the best deal in six cities. Find more cities and service pricing breakdown details here.
San Francisco: Sidecar
San Diego: Uber
Phoenix: Lyft
Dallas/Fort Worth: Uber
Chicago: Sidecar
Boston: Uber