Should you visit New Orleans or Columbus?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between New Orleans and Columbus 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.
Columbus
The capital city of Ohio, Columbus sits at the meeting point of America's Rust Belt, Bible Belt, Appalachia, and the Plains. It is also home of Ohio State University, which is a major financial and economic force in the city. You'll likely need a car to navigate the city, although there is a bus system, COTA, which can take you to some of Columbus' highlights.
Which city is cheaper, Columbus 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 Columbus is $126. 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 Columbus 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.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $116 in Columbus For the most convenient locations and nicer 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.
The average traveler spends about $39 per day in Columbus 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
Columbus $39
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
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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
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.
To get around in Columbus, the average visitor spends $40 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 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 Roundtrip Transfer: Hotel or Cruise Port to New Orleans Airport:
$40
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Shared Departure Transfer: Hotel or Cruise Port to New Orleans Airport:
$20
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Shared Departure Transfer: Hotel or Cruise Port to New Orleans Airport:
$26
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Private transfer: New Orleans Airport (MSY) to New Orleans:
$622
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Private Transfer: New Orleans Hotel to Cruise Port:
$75
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Private Transfer from Port Of New of New Orleans Cruise:
$210
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Private Transfer from New Orleans Airport to Hotel or Port:
$32
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Private Roundtrip Transfer: New Orleans Airport to Hotel or Cruise Port:
$64
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Private Roundtrip Transfer: MSY to Hotel or Cruise Port by Executive Sprinter:
$250
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Private Roundtrip Transfer: MSY to Hotel or Cruise Port:
$80
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Private New Orleans Transfer from Port to Airport or Hotel:
$122
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Private Departure Transfers: New Orleans Airport:
$122
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Columbus
Also for Columbus, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Columbus to Columbus John Glen Airport (CMH) - Departure Private Transfer:
$87
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Columbus John Glen Airport (CMH) to Columbus - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$174
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Columbus John Glen Airport (CMH) to Columbus - Arrival Private Transfer:
$87
Is it cheaper to fly into New Orleans or Columbus?
Prices for flights to both Columbus 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.
In Columbus, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $37 per person, per day.
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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1.5-Hour New Orleans Express Segway Tour:
$55
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15:00 New Orleans Ghost Tour:
$25
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2 Nights in French Quarter Hotel, City Tour and Attraction Pass:
$565
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2-Hour Cemetery & Voodoo Walking Tour in New Orleans:
$25
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2-Hour French Quarter and Cemetery Tour:
$20
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2-Hour New Orleans Ghosts & Vampires Walking Tour:
$20
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5 in 1 New Orleans Cemetery Tour:
$20
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8-in-1 Combo Haunted Walking Tour in New Orleans:
$27
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A Locals' Drink Dat! Cocktail Tour:
$120
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A Locals' French Quarter Tour:
$120
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A Taste of Jazz, Bars & Drinks Private Tour:
$108
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A Walk in the Park: City Park New Orleans Audio Tour:
$5.34
Tours and Activities in Columbus
For Columbus, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Central Park Bike Tour:
$53
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Columbus Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
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LEGOLAND Discovery Center Columbus Ticket:
$21
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Unique Scavenger Hunt Experience in Columbus:
$11
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting New Orleans spend on average $48 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typically, people visiting Columbus spend on average $16 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
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
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Big Easy Ghost and Vampire Pub Crawl:
$20
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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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between New Orleans and Columbus, we can see that New Orleans is more expensive. And not only is Columbus much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Columbus would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Columbus 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 Columbus.
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