Which city is cheaper, Columbia or New Orleans?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America New Orleans vs. Columbia for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons
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Should you visit New Orleans or Columbia?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between New Orleans and Columbia can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: New Orleans or Columbia?
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.
Columbia
Both the largest and capital city of South Carolina, Columbia is literally the center of everything. Geographically it is located in the middle of the state, and it is the home to the University of South Carolina, the Army's Fort Jackson, as well as a variety of museums that celebrate the city's art, history, and culture.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNew Orleans $191Columbia $0.00
The average daily cost (per person) in New Orleans is $191, while the average daily cost in Columbia is $0.00. 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. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for New Orleans and Columbia in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNew Orleans $100Columbia -
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNew Orleans $200Columbia $0.00
Compare Hotels in New Orleans and Columbia
Looking for a hotel in New Orleans or Columbia? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: New Orleans Hotel Prices and Columbia Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.New Orleans $41Columbia -
Typical Local Transportation prices in New Orleans
Some typical examples of transportation costs in New Orleans are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in New Orleans
Also for New Orleans, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Departure Transfer: Hotel or Cruise Port to New Orleans Airport: $20
- 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
- Private Departure Transfer to Louis Armstrong New Orleans Airport MSY: $72
Is it cheaper to fly into New Orleans or Columbia?
Prices for flights to both Columbia 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayNew Orleans $36Columbia $4.02
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 Cooking Class: $34
- New Orleans Lunch & Lesson: Cajun & Creole Cooking Class: $35
- French Quarter Food Tour: $42
- New Orleans Food Tour: $44
- Steamboat Natchez Evening Jazz Cruise with Dinner Option: $50
- 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
- New Orleans' Lower Garden Food Tour: $75
- French Quarter Food Tour: $75
- Lower Garden District Food Tour: $75
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.New Orleans $44Columbia -
Typical Entertainment prices in New Orleans
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for New Orleans's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Zoo & Aquarium Tickets (2)$75
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Riverboat Cruise$70
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French Quarter City Tour$100
Tours and Activities in New Orleans
For New Orleans, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 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
- Struttin' Down Royal Street Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap: $5.34
- New Orleans Esplanade Ridge: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $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
- Walking the Tremé: A Self-guided Audio Tour of New Orleans: $5.34
- Bywater Stroll: Explore the Evolving Neighbourhood on an Audio Walking Tour: $5.40
- 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
Tours and Activities in Columbia
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Columbia are as follows:
- Cascade Locks: 1-Hour Columbia River Sightseeing Cruise: $50
- Cascade Locks: Columbia Gorge Sunday Brunch Cruise: $94
- Portland: Columbia Gorge Flight Tour: $99
- Portland: Columbia River Gorge 3-Hour Small Group Tour: $85
- Portland: Multnomah Falls Scenic Air Tour: $199
- Savannah: History & Ghosts Guided Tour with Beverage Stops: $20
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNew Orleans $48Columbia $70
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
- 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
- NOLA Distillery Tour: $28
- Pub Crawl & Historical Chronicles Walking Tour: $30
- Haunted Pub Tour: $35
- Frenchmen Street Live Music Pub Crawl: $48
- Frenchmen Street VIP Live Music Pub Crawl: $49
Sample the Local Flavors in Columbia
Also in Columbia, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Savannah: Pub Crawl and Ghost Tour: $30
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between New Orleans and Columbia, we can see that New Orleans is more expensive. And not only is Columbia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Columbia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Columbia 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 Columbia.
When is the best time to visit New Orleans or Columbia?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit New Orleans or Columbia in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to New Orleans as well as Columbia. Many travelers come to New Orleans for the music scene and the family-friendly experiences.
In the summer, New Orleans is around the same temperature as Columbia. Typically, the summer temperatures in New Orleans in July are around 82°F (28°C), and Columbia is about 82°F (28°C).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Columbia. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in New Orleans this time of the year. In the summer, New Orleans often gets less sunshine than Columbia. New Orleans gets 264 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Columbia receives 293 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Columbia. New Orleans receives a lot of rain in the summer. New Orleans usually gets more rain in July than Columbia. New Orleans gets 5.9 inches (149 mm) of rain, while Columbia receives 4.6 inches (116 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyNew Orleans 82°F (28°C)Columbia 82°F (28°C)
Should I visit New Orleans or Columbia in the Autumn?
Both Columbia and New Orleans are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to New Orleans in the autumn for the shopping scene and the music scene.
In October, New Orleans is generally a little warmer than Columbia. Temperatures in New Orleans average around 69°F (21°C), and Columbia stays around 64°F (18°C).
It's quite sunny in Columbia. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in New Orleans. New Orleans usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Columbia during autumn. New Orleans gets 240 hours of sunny skies, while Columbia receives 230 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, New Orleans usually receives around the same amount of rain as Columbia. New Orleans gets 3 inches (77 mm) of rain, while Columbia receives 3 inches (75 mm) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberNew Orleans 69°F (21°C)Columbia 64°F (18°C)
Should I visit New Orleans or Columbia in the Winter?
Both Columbia and New Orleans during the winter are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to New Orleans for the shopping scene and the cuisine during these months.
New Orleans is much warmer than Columbia in the winter. The temperature in New Orleans is usually 51°F (11°C) in January, and Columbia stays around 45°F (7°C).
In the winter, New Orleans often gets less sunshine than Columbia. New Orleans gets 158 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Columbia receives 171 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in New Orleans. New Orleans usually gets more rain in January than Columbia. New Orleans gets 5.2 inches (131 mm) of rain, while Columbia receives 3.7 inches (93 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryNew Orleans 51°F (11°C)Columbia 45°F (7°C)
Should I visit New Orleans or Columbia in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both New Orleans and Columbia.
In the spring, New Orleans is a little warmer than Columbia. Typically, the spring temperatures in New Orleans in April are around 68°F (20°C), and Columbia is about 64°F (18°C).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Columbia this time of the year. In New Orleans, it's very sunny this time of the year. New Orleans usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Columbia during spring. New Orleans gets 254 hours of sunny skies, while Columbia receives 273 hours of full sun in the spring.
New Orleans gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, New Orleans usually receives more rain than Columbia. New Orleans gets 4.5 inches (114 mm) of rain, while Columbia receives 2.8 inches (72 mm) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilNew Orleans 68°F (20°C)Columbia 64°F (18°C)
Typical Weather for Columbia and New Orleans
| New Orleans | Columbia | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 51°F (11°C) | 5.2 inches (131 mm) | 45°F (7°C) | 3.7 inches (93 mm) |
| Feb | 54°F (12°C) | 5.8 inches (147 mm) | 48°F (9°C) | 3.5 inches (88 mm) |
| Mar | 62°F (16°C) | 5 inches (126 mm) | 56°F (13°C) | 3.7 inches (95 mm) |
| Apr | 68°F (20°C) | 4.5 inches (114 mm) | 64°F (18°C) | 2.8 inches (72 mm) |
| May | 75°F (24°C) | 4.3 inches (110 mm) | 72°F (22°C) | 3 inches (77 mm) |
| Jun | 80°F (27°C) | 5.9 inches (151 mm) | 78°F (26°C) | 3.5 inches (89 mm) |
| Jul | 82°F (28°C) | 5.9 inches (149 mm) | 82°F (28°C) | 4.6 inches (116 mm) |
| Aug | 82°F (28°C) | 6.2 inches (157 mm) | 81°F (27°C) | 5.8 inches (147 mm) |
| Sep | 78°F (26°C) | 5.5 inches (140 mm) | 75°F (24°C) | 3.3 inches (84 mm) |
| Oct | 69°F (21°C) | 3 inches (77 mm) | 64°F (18°C) | 3 inches (75 mm) |
| Nov | 61°F (16°C) | 4.8 inches (122 mm) | 56°F (13°C) | 2.1 inches (54 mm) |
| Dec | 55°F (13°C) | 5.7 inches (146 mm) | 48°F (9°C) | 2.6 inches (67 mm) |
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