Should you visit New Orleans or Chicago?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between New Orleans and Chicago 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.
Chicago
Located in the Midwest, Chicago is the third largest city in the United States. It has a population of almost 3 million and a metropolitan area that covers more than 10,000 square kilometers. It is also a hub for music, comedy and theater. It's skyline is beautiful with modern skyscrapers and Lake Michigan as a backdrop. It is easy to stay entertained in Chicago for weeks. There are world class museums, upscale or eclectic shopping opportunities, and impressive architecture.
Which city is cheaper, Chicago 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 Chicago is $221. 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 Chicago 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.
Chicago's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $304. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $152.
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 price of a meal in Chicago can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $37 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $15 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
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Food
Meals for one day
New Orleans $36
Chicago $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
-
New Orleans Cooking Class:
$34
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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
-
New Orleans French Quarter Food Tour:
$69
-
French Quarter Food Tour:
$75
-
Lower Garden District Food Tour:
$75
-
New Orleans Small-Group French Quarter Food Tour:
$75
Typical Food prices in Chicago
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Chicago:
-
Dinner for 1
$24
-
Dinner for 3
$118
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chicago
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chicago.
-
Traveling Spoon Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza Private Online Cooking Class:
$27
-
Factories to Calories Fulton Market Food Tour:
$46
-
Learn to Make Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza with a Local:
$49
-
Chicago Crime & Pizza Walk:
$50
-
Lonely Planet Experiences: Chicago History and Food Tour:
$59
-
Lonely Planet Experiences: River North Historical Food Tour:
$61
-
Signature Food Tour at Chicago's Navy Pier:
$64
-
Best in Chow: Chicago River North Food Tour:
$64
-
Private Fusion Cooking Class in Downtown Chicago:
$64
-
Skip the Line: Tommy Gun's Garage Dinner and Show Ticket:
$67
-
Small-Group Chicago Food Tour: Gold Coast and Old Town:
$75
-
Best of Chicago Tour Including a Deep-Dish Pizza:
$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.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $29 per day to get around in Chicago.
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
-
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
Typical Local Transportation prices in Chicago
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Chicago:
-
Parking
$19
-
Taxi Ride
$10
-
Taxi from Airport
$45
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chicago
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chicago:
-
Transfers in Chicago:
$107
-
Transfer to Chicago Premium Outlets:
$288
-
Transfer from O'Hare International Airport to Chicago:
$93
-
Private transfer: Chicago to Chicago International Airport (MDW):
$105
-
Private transfer: Chicago International Airport (MDW) to Chicago:
$105
-
Private Transfer: O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Chicago:
$133
-
Private Transfer: Chicago to O'Hare International Airport (ORD):
$133
-
Private Transfer from Chicago City to Chicago (ORD) Airport:
$113
-
Private Transfer from Chicago City to Chicago (MDW) Airport:
$113
-
Private Transfer from Chicago (ORD) Airport to Chicago City:
$113
-
Private Transfer from Chicago (MDW) Airport to Chicago City:
$113
-
Private Sedan Transfer from Chicago Downtown to O`Hare airport:
$100
Is it cheaper to fly into New Orleans or Chicago?
Prices for flights to both Chicago 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.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $34 per person, per day in Chicago. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
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
-
Walking the Tremé: A Self-guided Audio Tour of New Orleans:
$5.34
-
New Orleans Esplanade Ridge: A Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$5.34
-
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
-
Skip the Line: Historic House Tour Ticket:
$10
Typical Entertainment prices in Chicago
Here are a few typical costs in Chicago for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Tours and Activities in Chicago
Here are a few actual costs in Chicago for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
2 Hour Chicago Art and Architecture Segway Tour:
$71
-
2 Hour Pier Fireworks and Evening Segway Tour in Chicago:
$65
-
2 Hours Chicago Sightseeing Tour - Luxury Private Stretch Limo / 8 Passengers:
$250
-
2-Hour Chicago City Lights and Skyline Segway Tour:
$76
-
2-Hour Chicago Fireworks Segway Tour:
$76
-
2-Hour Chicago Lakefront and Museum Campus Segway Tour:
$73
-
2-Hour Haunted Segway Tour of Chicago:
$76
-
2-Hour History of Chicago Architecture and Art Segway Tour:
$75
-
3 Hours Chicago Sightseeing Tour - Luxury Private SUV, ALL Inclusive:
$392
-
3-Hour Segway Tour of Chicago:
$76
-
360 Chicago Observation Deck Admission: Skip the Ticket Desk:
$25
-
4 Hours Chicago Sightseeing Tour - Luxury Private SUV, ALL Inclusive:
$220
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 Chicago may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $20 per day on alcoholic beverages.
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
-
Haunted Pub Crawl:
$27
-
NOLA Distillery Tour:
$28
-
Haunted Pub Tour:
$35
-
Frenchmen Street Live Music Pub Crawl:
$48
Sample the Local Flavors in Chicago
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Chicago:
-
Haunted Chicago Ghost and Pub Walking Tour:
$25
-
Walking tour to Chicago dive bars:
$41
-
Chicago Barrel Bus Craft Distillery Tour:
$90
-
Chicago Craft Brewery Barrel Bus Tour:
$90
-
Ultimate Girl's Night Out in Sparkling Wine, Photo Shoot, Burlesque:
$900
When comparing the travel costs between New Orleans and Chicago, we can see that Chicago 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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