The city of Boston is renting out historical Faneuil Hall at bargain-basement rates of $250 to $500 a day, a fraction of what function halls elsewhere around town charge.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton took advantage of the low rates last November when she held a rally at Faneuil Hall, where she was endorsed by Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. Clinton rented the 2,000-square-foot space for six hours on Nov. 28 and another eight hours on Nov. 29, the day of the rally.  She was charged a total rent of $700 plus an average of $35 an hour in actual salaries of civilian and security personnel, according to records.

The low rent is by design, with the goal of making Faneuil Hall, where Samuel Adams and his fellow Sons of Liberty first ruminated about an American Revolution, available to almost anyone. The charge is governed by a city ordinance updated in 2008 that raised the rent from $150 a day to $250 to $500 a day.

Provisions in the ordinance allow the city to charge extra for security, planning, and maintenance, but only at the actual cost. If a potential renter has an “economic hardship,” an unspecified discount can be given on the rent.

The rental costs are not publicized on the city’s website, nor is any information provided about what services are included or not included in the price. Sales brochures are not available on the website or at Faneuil Hall. All questions funnel through an office at City Hall.

Rental charges are much higher at other Boston venues. To rent the 2,145-square-foot Abbey Room at the Boston Public Library, for example, the price is $6,500 for four hours. The 3,120 square-foot Gustavo Room at the library goes for $4,600, also for four hours.

Rentals at Symphony Hall run from $1,200 for the 825-square-foot Miller Room all the way up to $9,000 for the Higginson Wing, which has two lounges totaling 7,413 square feet. The basic charge to rent an event space down the street at the Museum of Fine Arts ranges from $4,000 to $14,000, depending in the gallery chosen, with a laundry list of add-on charges.

Over at the Kennedy Library in Dorchester, the 5,600-square-foot Smith Hall goes for $5,100 for a night event with 151 to 300 guests, while the 5,800-square-foot Museum Pavilion goes for $6,100.

Walsh thinks the rent for the city facility is right where it should be.  “Faneuil Hall is one of the most historic meeting halls in America,” he said in a written statement. “A reasonable rent allows a wide range of different groups and organizations to access the building while providing the city with the necessary funding to support upkeep and care.”

Sam Tyler, the president of the Boston Municipal Research Bureau, a business-backed watchdog that monitors city finances, sees it differently. He called the building an “historical jewel” that with better marketing could be rented out more often (“within reason”) at higher prices to cover the cost of maintaining the building.

“The rental amounts are very low, no question about it,” Tyler said. “The fees for the use of Faneuil Hall should be increased to more realistically reflect the expenses of operating the building, while maintaining the discount for those with an economic hardship.”