Should you visit New Orleans or Boston?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between New Orleans and Boston 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.
Boston
Boston is one of the oldest and most historic cities in New England. It is also the capital of the state of Massachusetts and the largest city in the region. The city proper covers 48 square miles and has a population of more than 600,000. The Greater Boston area has 4.5 million people and is the tenth largest metropolitan area in the country.
Which city is cheaper, Boston 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 Boston is $203. 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 Boston 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.
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $264 for a double occupancy room in Boston.
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.
In Boston travelers spend around $40 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
New Orleans $36
Boston $40
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
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Paddlewheeler Creole Queen Jazz Cruise with Optional Dinner:
$52
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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
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New Orleans Small-Group French Quarter Food Tour:
$75
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Boston
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Boston.
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Boston North End Pizza Tour:
$49
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Historic Taverns and Pizza Tour:
$49
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Boston's North End "Little Italy" Pizza, Cannoli, and Freedom Trail Walking Tour:
$49
-
Haunted Pizza Tour:
$66
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Italian Food Tour with Pizza, Meats, Cheese, & Bread:
$69
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Boston's North End Small-Group Walking Food Tour:
$71
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Fenway Neighborhood Food Tour (Boston):
$79
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Boston Buffet Dinner Cruise:
$99
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Private Tour: Secret Food Tours Boston North End:
$103
-
Spirit of Boston Sunset Dinner Cruise with Buffet:
$105
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Boston Dinner Cruise On The Odyssey:
$111
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Boston Odyssey Dinner Cruise:
$118
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 cost of a taxi ride in Boston is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $28 per person, per day, on local transportation in Boston.
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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Shared Departure Transfer: Hotel or Cruise Port to New Orleans Airport:
$20
-
New Orleans Shared Airport Transfers:
$24
-
Shared Departure Transfer: Hotel or Cruise Port to New Orleans Airport:
$26
-
Private Transfer from New Orleans Airport to Hotel or Port:
$32
-
Private Departure Transfer: Hotel or Cruise Port to MSY:
$40
-
Shared Roundtrip Transfer: Hotel or Cruise Port to New Orleans Airport:
$40
-
New Orleans Departure Chauffeur Driven Airport Transfer:
$48
-
Private Departure Transfer: Hotel or Cruise to MSY by Executive Sedan:
$48
-
Private Arrival Transfer: MSY to Hotel or Cruise Port by Executive SUV:
$50
-
Luxury Transfer from New Orleans International Airport to Downtown Hotels:
$59
-
Private Roundtrip Transfer: New Orleans Airport to Hotel or Cruise Port:
$64
-
Departure Private Transfer New Orleans to New Orleans MSY or Port - Business Car:
$67
Typical Local Transportation prices in Boston
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Boston are as follows:
-
Taxi
$35
-
Subway Daily Pass
$9.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Boston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Boston:
-
Transfer in private vehicle from Boston City Downtown to Boston Airport (BOS):
$69
-
Transfer in private vehicle from Boston Airport (BOS) to City Downtown:
$69
-
Transfer from Boston Logan International Airport to Boston:
$85
-
Shared Departure Transfer: Hotel to Boston Airport:
$30
-
Shared Arrival Transfer: Boston Airport to Hotel:
$30
-
Round trip transfer in private vehicle from Boston city -to Boston Airport (BOS):
$138
-
Round trip Airport Transfer: Logan - Boston:
$181
-
Private transfer: Boston to Boston Airport (BOS):
$622
-
Private transfer: Boston Airport (BOS) to Boston:
$622
-
Private transfer from or to BOS Boston, MA:
$113
-
Private arrival OR departure transfer in Boston (hotel OR airport pick-up):
$132
-
Private Transfer from Boston City to Boston (BOS) Airport:
$117
Is it cheaper to fly into New Orleans or Boston?
Prices for flights to both Boston 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.
Entertainment and activities in Boston typically cost an average of $26 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
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
-
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
Typical Entertainment prices in Boston
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Boston are as follows:
Tours and Activities in Boston
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Boston are as follows:
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2-Day Trip Philadelphia City Tour from Boston:
$519
-
3-Hour Guided Boston Trolley Tour:
$40
-
6-Day Economy East Coast Tour ( Boston Departure) ( BOAP6E):
$448
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6-Day Economy East Coast Tour (Boston departure)(BO6E):
$448
-
6-Day Tour East Coast Tour ( Boston Departure) ( BOAP6D):
$560
-
6-Day Tour East Coast Tour (Boston Departure)(BO6):
$560
-
6-Day U.S East Coast Tour (Boston departure) BO6U:
$560
-
7-Days Tour US east coast and Canada tour (Boston Departure) (BO7C):
$706
-
Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure: Boston Harbor:
$44
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Beer Tour:
$80
-
Best of Boston Tour - Private Safe Tour:
$185
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Boston 90-Minute Historic Sightseeing Cruise:
$30
For more ideas for your next trip, check out Free Things to Do in Boston, Must-See Monuments and Memorials In Boston, and The Best Things To Do in Boston with Kids.
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting New Orleans spend on average $48 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
The average person spends about $22 on alcoholic beverages in Boston per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
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
-
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
-
Haunted Pub Crawl:
$27
-
NOLA Distillery Tour:
$28
-
Haunted Pub Tour:
$35
-
Frenchmen Street Live Music Pub Crawl:
$48
Sample the Local Flavors in Boston
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Boston:
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Haunted Boston Ghost and Pub Walking Tour:
$27
-
Historic Pub Crawl Tour along the Freedom Trail:
$40
-
Craft Brewery Beer Tour:
$82
-
Sip of Boston Guided Brewery Tour:
$90
-
North End Wine Tasting Tour:
$96
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Back Bay Wine Tasting Tour:
$96
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South End Wine Tasting Tour:
$96
When comparing the travel costs between New Orleans and Boston, we can see that Boston is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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