Should you visit New Orleans or Baltimore?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between New Orleans and Baltimore can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
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.
Baltimore
Baltimore is a large, industrial city and popular tourist destination in the state of Maryland. It is about an hour outside of Washington, D.C. and is a hub of tourism and entertainment for the area. It has a vibrant nightlife, comfortable climate, and is a great place to visit when you're in the area. The city proper has a population of about 600,000 and the metropolitan area has 2.7 million. Its economy is centered around science, technology, engineering and math and it has many undergraduate and graduate schools including the world renowned Johns Hopkins University.
Which city is cheaper, Baltimore or New Orleans?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in New Orleans is $191, while the average daily cost in Baltimore is $145. 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 New Orleans and Baltimore 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.
Baltimore's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $150. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $75.
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.
The average traveler spends about $37 per day in Baltimore 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.
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Food
Meals for one day
New Orleans $36
Baltimore $37
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:
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New Orleans Lunch & Lesson: Cajun & Creole Cooking Class:
$33
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New Orleans Cooking Class:
$34
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French Quarter Food Tour:
$42
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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
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Dinner at Tujague's Restaurant in New Orleans:
$68
-
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
Typical Food prices in Baltimore
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Baltimore:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Baltimore
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Baltimore.
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Federal Hill Food Tour:
$71
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Little Italy and Jonestown Food Tour:
$71
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Fells Point Food Tour in Baltimore:
$73
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Spirit of Baltimore Dinner Cruise with Buffet:
$100
-
Baltimore Helicopter Sightseeing Tour Plus Dinner:
$288
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Platinum Package - Helicopter Tour with Dinner at Ruth's Chris or Capital Grille:
$315
-
Baltimore Helicopter Tour plus Lunch or Dinner Cruise:
$321
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.
The average price of local transportation around Baltimore is $17 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
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
-
14 Passenger New Orleans Airport or Hotel Transfer:
$203
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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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Baltimore
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Baltimore:
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Transfer from Baltimore–Washington Airport to Baltimore:
$100
-
Private transfer from or to BWI , PHL , MDT airports and PA:
$350
-
Private Transfer: Baltimore to Baltimore Airport (BWI):
$622
-
Private Transfer from Downtown Baltimore to BWI Airport:
$120
-
Private Transfer Washington Airport BWI to Washington DC in a Business Car:
$96
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Private Baltimore Transfer: Hotel to Airport or Cruise Port:
$143
-
Private Baltimore Transfer: Cruise Port to Airport or Hotel:
$143
-
Private Baltimore Transfer: Airport to Hotel or Cruise Port:
$143
-
Private Arrival Transfer from Baltimore Washington Airport BWI:
$54
-
Private Airport Transfer: Baltimore to Baltimore–Washington Int. Airport (BWI):
$56
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Private Airport Transfer to Washington DC from Baltimore:
$280
-
Departure Private Transfer Baltimore to Baltimore Airport BWI - Business Vehicle:
$74
Is it cheaper to fly into New Orleans or Baltimore?
Prices for flights to both Baltimore and New Orleans 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.
Baltimore's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $14 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
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
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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
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Metairie Cemetery Stories Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.34
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A Walk in the Park: City Park New Orleans Audio Tour:
$5.34
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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
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New Orleans Virtual Self-Paced Guided City Tour:
$5.99
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One Hour Saint Louis Cemetery Number One Walking Tour:
$10
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Skip the Line: Historic House Tour Ticket:
$10
Tours and Activities in Baltimore
Here are a few actual costs in Baltimore for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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2 Hour Chesapeake Signature Cruise:
$15
-
Baltimore City Historical Tours with a local private tour guide.:
$250
-
Baltimore Helicopter Sightseeing Tour:
$151
-
Baltimore Inner Harbor Sailing Experience:
$49
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Baltimore Inner Harbor Sightseeing Tour:
$23
-
Baltimore Monuments Walking Tour:
$12
-
Baltimore Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
-
Baltimore Tour-shuttle service:
$190
-
Bay of a hundred islands cruise. West Cork. Private guided. 50 mins.:
$432
-
Christmas in Baltimore tour:
$250
-
From Inner Harbor to Happy Hour Small Group Tour with Local:
$139
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Highlights of Baltimore - Food and History Tour:
$199
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting New Orleans spend on average $48 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Baltimore may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $14 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Sample the Local Flavors in New Orleans
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in New Orleans:
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New Orleans Bar Hunt: New Orleans Ballin' Bar Crawl:
$12
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Bourbon Street VIP Pub Crawl:
$20
-
Big Easy Ghost and Vampire Pub Crawl:
$20
-
Haunted Pub Crawl in New Orleans:
$22
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New Orleans Haunted Pub Crawl:
$25
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Haunted New Orleans Ghost and Pub Walking Tour:
$27
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Haunted Pub Crawl:
$27
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NOLA Distillery Tour:
$28
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Haunted Pub Tour:
$35
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Frenchmen Street Live Music Pub Crawl:
$48
Sample the Local Flavors in Baltimore
Also in Baltimore, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Sip of Baltimore Brewery Tour:
$90
-
Westminster Region Wine Tour:
$97
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Chesapeake Region Wine Tour:
$97
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Heritage Region Wine Tour:
$97
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Chocolate and Wine Tour:
$106
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between New Orleans and Baltimore, we can see that New Orleans is more expensive. And not only is Baltimore much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Baltimore would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Baltimore 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 Baltimore.
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