Day charter rates · 2026
How much to rent a yacht for a day?
Renting a yacht costs $200 to $15,000 per day. Miami is the cheapest entry point at $200 for a full day. Cabo San Lucas tops the list at $15,000 for a large motor yacht. Day rates are all-in: no APA, just the rate plus local tax and a 10–18% crew tip.
Miami — estimated total
$854
Full day (8 h) · mid range
- Base $700 (82%)
- APA $0 (0%)
- Tax $49 (6%)
- Tip $105 (12%)
High season: Dec–Apr. Tax note: FL sales tax approx — verify.
Yacht rental cost per day, by destination
Full-day means 8 hours on the water. Half-day rates below are half the full-day rate — the floor most operators charge. Within each range, boat length sets your position: the low end is the smallest boat in the fleet, the high end is 80 ft and up.
| Destination | Half day (4 h) | Full day (8 h) | Week | Local tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami | $100–$600 | $200–$1,200 | $10,000–$80,000 | ~7% |
| New York City | $900–$5,000 | $1,800–$10,000 | — | 8.875% |
| Cabo San Lucas | $600–$7,500 | $1,200–$15,000 | — | 16% |
| Cancún | $125–$3,250 | $250–$6,500 | — | 16% |
| Dubai | $250–$2,500 | $500–$5,000 | $5,400–$68,500 | 5% |
| British Virgin Islands | $400–$3,000 | $800–$6,000 | $5,000–$60,000 | 0% |
| Bahamas | $500–$4,000 | $1,000–$8,000 | $8,000–$150,000 | 14% |
| Greece | €300–€2,500 | €600–€5,000 | €1,500–€100,000 | 12% |
Rates from published marketplace and broker listings. Weekly column spans the cheapest sailing yacht to the most expensive motor yacht where weekly charters operate.
What moves a day rate up or down
Four factors set the price inside each destination's range. Boat length is the big one: the jump from a 40 ft boat to an 80 ft yacht multiplies the rate, not adds to it. Miami's $200–$1,200 spread is exactly that jump.
Season is the second. High season — December to April in Florida, Mexico and the Caribbean, May to September in New York — books out first and prices at the top of the range. The same boat discounts in shoulder months.
Duration is the third: a 4-hour block costs about half an 8-hour day, so two half-days cost the same as one full day. If you want sunset hours specifically, expect full-rate pricing — those slots sell out.
The fourth is what the quote leaves out. US day rates usually include captain and fuel for a standard route, then add sales tax (~7% in Florida, 8.875% in New York City, 16% in Mexico) and tip (15–18% in the US, 10% in Dubai). A $700 Miami day quote lands at $854 once tax and tip are in. The calculator on this page runs that math per destination.
Frequently asked questions
How much is it to rent a yacht for a day?
A full-day yacht rental (8 hours) costs $200–$15,000 depending on destination and boat. Miami starts at $200. New York City runs $1,800–$10,000. Cabo San Lucas: $1,200–$15,000. Cancún: $250–$6,500. Dubai: $500–$5,000. Add local tax and a 10–18% tip.
How much does it cost to rent a yacht for half a day?
Half-day rentals (4 hours) run about half the full-day rate: $100–$600 in Miami, $600–$7,500 in Cabo San Lucas, $900–$5,000 in New York City. Operators price half days at half the full-day rate or slightly above, so treat these figures as the floor.
How much does a yacht rental cost per hour?
Divide the day rate by 8 for a rough hourly figure: $25–$150 per hour in Miami at the low end, up to $1,875 per hour for a top boat in Cabo San Lucas. Most operators sell 4-hour minimum blocks, not single hours.
Do day yacht rentals include a captain?
Rates for larger yachts are normally quoted with captain and crew. Small boats on marketplaces like Boatsetter and GetMyBoat list with or without captain — the listing states it. Tip the crew 10–18% of the rate either way.
Is it cheaper to rent a yacht for a week than by the day?
Per day, yes. A $1,200-per-day Miami boat costs $8,400 across 7 days, while weekly charters in Miami start at $10,000 for a sailing yacht — but the weekly boat is a different class. Where both formats exist, the weekly rate per day undercuts the day rate for comparable boats.