Should you visit Miami or New Orleans?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Miami and New Orleans can help you decide which place is right for you.
Miami
Miami is a popular tourist destination and a modern city in South Florida. It has beautiful white beaches, crystal blue waters, cosmopolitan neighborhoods, impressive shopping, and excellent dining opportunities. It is also a gateway to the Florida Keys, which is another popular destination in South Florida.
Miami is the second most populated city in Florida and the metropolitan area is the most populated in the state with more than 5.4 million people. It's also the 7th largest metro area in the country. The city sits between the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Everglades to the west. It covers 110 miles north to south but is a narrow 20 miles east to west.
Miami sits at a low latitude, giving it a subtropical savannah climate. There are two seasons; the warm and dry season between November and April and the hot and wet season between May and October. The coldest months are between December and March when highs are in the upper 70 or low 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The summer months have highs in the upper 80s or 90s and lows in the mid 70s with high humidity.
New Orleans
New Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, and it is a cultural city that is the home of jazz, unique cuisine, and Mardi Gras in the U.S. It was established in 1718 and is one of the oldest cities in the country. The culture of the city has a mix of French, Creole, African American, Caribbean, Irish, Haitian, German and Vietnamese. There's an energy and atmosphere that is unlike any place else.
Which city is cheaper, New Orleans or Miami?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Miami is $0.00, while the average daily cost in New Orleans is $191. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Miami and New Orleans in more detail.
Accommodation
Travelers usually pay around $200 for a double occupancy room in New Orleans If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
The average traveler spends about $36 per day in New Orleans for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Miami
-
New Orleans $36
Typical Food prices in Miami
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Miami:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Miami
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Miami.
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Little Havana 2-Hour Food Tour:
$59
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South Beach Miami Culinary Walking Tour Lunch or Dinner:
$59
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Little Havana Street Food Tours:
$61
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Taste of Little Havana Food Tour by Bicycle:
$69
-
Haitian Cooking Experience:
$85
-
Private Little Havana Cuban Food Tour:
$99
-
4th of July Fireworks Cruise & Hard Rock Dinner:
$159
-
4th of July Fireworks from Catamaran & Hard Rock Café Dinner:
$159
-
Private VIP Historical Citywide Food Tour:
$159
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in New Orleans
For New Orleans, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
New Orleans Lunch & Lesson: Cajun & Creole Cooking Class:
$33
-
New Orleans Cooking Class:
$34
-
French Quarter Food Tour:
$42
-
New Orleans Food Tour:
$44
-
Steamboat Natchez Evening Jazz Cruise with Dinner Option:
$50
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Evening Jazz Boat Cruise with Optional Dinner:
$52
-
Paddlewheeler Creole Queen Jazz Cruise with Optional Dinner:
$52
-
Dinner at Tujague's Restaurant in New Orleans:
$68
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New Orleans French Quarter Food Tour:
$69
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French Quarter Food Tour:
$75
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Lower Garden District Food Tour:
$75
-
New Orleans Small-Group French Quarter Food Tour:
$75
Local Transportation
To get around in New Orleans, the average visitor spends $41 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Miami
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Miami are as follows:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Miami
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Miami:
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Universal Studios Ticket & Transfer from Miami:
$249
-
Transfers to Port of Miami:
$28
-
Transfer: Miami Beach to Airport, Port or Palm Beach:
$25
-
Transfer in Private Vehicle from Miami Downtown to Miami Airport:
$46
-
Transfer in Private Vehicle from Miami Airport to Miami Downtown:
$46
-
Transfer in Private Vehicle from Miami Airport to Miami Beach:
$46
-
Transfer in Private Minivan from Miami Downtown to Miami Airport:
$70
-
Transfer in Private Minivan from Miami Airport to Miami Downtown:
$70
-
Transfer in Private Minivan from Miami Airport to Miami Beach:
$70
-
Transfer in Executive Private Vehicle from Miami Downtown to Miami Airport:
$53
-
Transfer in Executive Private Vehicle from Miami Airport to Miami Downtown:
$53
-
Transfer in Executive Private Vehicle from Miami Airport to Miami Beach:
$53
Typical Local Transportation prices in New Orleans
Some typical examples of transportation costs in New Orleans are as follows:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in New Orleans
Also for New Orleans, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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11 Passenger Executive Van: New Orleans Airport or Hotel Transfer:
$197
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14 Passenger New Orleans Airport or Hotel Transfer:
$203
-
20 Passenger New Orleans Airport or Hotel Transfer:
$227
-
25 Passenger New Orleans Airport or Hotel Transfer:
$237
-
28 Passenger New Orleans Airport or Hotel Transfer:
$267
-
Airport Transfer in New Orleans:
$114
-
Cruise Port to New Orleans L.Armstrong Airport(MSY) - Departure Private Transfer:
$105
-
Departure Private Transfer New Orleans to New Orleans MSY or Port - Business Car:
$67
-
Departure Private Transfer New Orleans to New Orleans MSY or Port by SUV:
$76
-
Handicap New Orleans Airport or Hotel Transfer:
$139
-
LimoBus New Orleans Airport or Hotel Transfer:
$400
-
Luxury Transfer from New Orleans International Airport to Downtown Hotels:
$59
Is it cheaper to fly into Miami or New Orleans?
Prices for flights to both New Orleans and Miami change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
In New Orleans, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $44 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Miami
Here are a few actual costs in Miami for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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"Cigar Factory Tour":
$35
-
1 Hour Private Helicopter Tour of Miami and South Florida:
$518
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1-Day Key West Tour ( Miami Departure ) ( MIA1-B ):
$138
-
1-Day Miami+Everglades Naitonal Park Tour ( Miami Departure )( MIA1-A ):
$80
-
1/2 Hour Jet Ski Island Adventure:
$5.00
-
10-Day Surf Adventure from Brisbane to Sydney Including Coffs Harbour, Byron Bay and Gold Coast:
$2,371
-
2 Hour Cycle Boat Tour:
$50
-
2-hour boat tour with Aquarius Boat Rental:
$195
-
3 Hour Private Sunset Sailboat Tour for up to 6 Complimentary beverages, snacks:
$550
-
3-hour tour with Aquarius Boat Rental:
$248
-
3.5-Hour Ultimate Learn to Surf Adventure:
$35
-
30 Minute Private Luxury Helicopter Sightseeing Tour of Miami:
$299
Typical Entertainment prices in New Orleans
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for New Orleans's activities, tours, and tickets:
Tours and Activities in New Orleans
For New Orleans, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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New Orleans City Park Private Tour and Exploration Game:
$3.72
-
Your new addiction! The best women’s shoe shopping experience in NOLA!:
$5.00
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Walking the Tremé: A Self-guided Audio Tour of New Orleans:
$5.34
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New Orleans Esplanade Ridge: A Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$5.34
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Struttin' Down Royal Street Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.34
-
Metairie Cemetery Stories Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.34
-
A Walk in the Park: City Park New Orleans Audio Tour:
$5.34
-
Bywater Stroll: Explore the Evolving Neighbourhood on an Audio Walking Tour:
$5.40
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Beyond the French Quarter: New Orleans Off the Beaten Path Audio Tour:
$5.40
-
New Orleans Virtual Self-Paced Guided City Tour:
$5.99
-
One Hour Saint Louis Cemetery Number One Walking Tour:
$10
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Skip the Line: Historic House Tour Ticket:
$10
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting New Orleans spend on average $48 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typical Alcohol prices in Miami
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Miami are as follows:
Sample the Local Flavors in Miami
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Miami:
-
Pub Crawl South Beach 3-Hour Tour:
$30
-
Miami Beach Rockstar Bar Crawl:
$69
-
Making Your Own Gin Distillery Tour and Tasting Experience:
$190
Sample the Local Flavors in New Orleans
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in New Orleans:
-
New Orleans Bar Hunt: New Orleans Ballin' Bar Crawl:
$12
-
Bourbon Street VIP Pub Crawl:
$20
-
Big Easy Ghost and Vampire Pub Crawl:
$20
-
Haunted Pub Crawl in New Orleans:
$22
-
New Orleans Haunted Pub Crawl:
$25
-
Haunted New Orleans Ghost and Pub Walking Tour:
$27
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Haunted Pub Crawl:
$27
-
NOLA Distillery Tour:
$28
-
Haunted Pub Tour:
$35
-
Frenchmen Street Live Music Pub Crawl:
$48
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Miami and New Orleans, we can see that New Orleans is more expensive. And not only is Miami much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Miami would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Miami and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in New Orleans would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in New Orleans than you might in Miami.
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