Should you visit New Orleans or Houston?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between New Orleans and Houston 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.
Houston
The largest city in Texas and the fourth largest in the United States, Houston is a sprawling urban center that has grown from its wealth in the oil industry. Visitors today are drawn to its cultural diversity which has additionally made Houston a foodie destination. Other attractions to Houston include its proximity to NASA's Space Center Houston on the Gulf coast, and its Downtown which features a vibrant museum and arts scene, shopping, and dining.
Which city is cheaper, Houston 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 Houston is $210. 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 Houston 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 $226 for a double occupancy room in Houston.
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 $28 per day in Houston 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
Houston $28
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
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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
-
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Houston
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Houston.
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Astroville Food Tour of Downtown Houston with Tunnel Access:
$65
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Culinary Food Tour of Downtown Houston with Tunnel Access:
$67
-
Downtown Houston Food Tour:
$74
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The Heights Food Tour:
$74
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 Houston is $58 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
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14 Passenger New Orleans Airport or Hotel Transfer:
$203
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20 Passenger New Orleans Airport or Hotel Transfer:
$227
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25 Passenger New Orleans Airport or Hotel Transfer:
$237
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28 Passenger New Orleans Airport or Hotel Transfer:
$267
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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 Houston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Houston:
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Transfer in private vehicle from Houston George Bush Airport to Houston Downtown:
$47
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Transfer in private vehicle from Houston Downtown to George Bush Airport:
$47
-
Transfer in private minivan from Houston George Bush Airport to Houston Downtown:
$47
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Transfer in private minivan from Houston City Center to George Bush Airport:
$47
-
Transfer from William P. Hobby Airport to Houston:
$75
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Transfer from George Bush Intercontinental Airport to Houston:
$100
-
Sprinter Van IAH Transfer to Galveston:
$462
-
Sprinter Van Airport Transfer in Houston:
$320
-
Sedan Airport Transfer in Houston:
$100
-
Sedan Airport Transfer IAH to Galveston:
$256
-
SUV Airport Transfer to Galveston:
$299
-
SUV Airport Transfer in Houston:
$147
Is it cheaper to fly into New Orleans or Houston?
Prices for flights to both Houston 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.
Houston's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $11 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 Houston
Here are a few actual costs in Houston for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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1-Day Houston City Tour ( Houston departure ) (HU1):
$60
-
1-Day Mexico Gulf+NASA Tour (Houston departure) (X1):
$60
-
2-Day Austin+San Antonio Tour (Huston departure)(HS2):
$198
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2-Days New Orleans Tour (Houston departure)(HN2):
$238
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3D Printer Factory Tour plus 2 ft Tall Rocket!:
$31
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7-Day Texas Tour ( Houston departure ) ( APH7 ):
$788
-
Astroville Light Rail Train Tour of Houston with Tunnel Access:
$40
-
Astroville Rockets Basketball Game Day Tour with Tunnel Access:
$36
-
Astroville Underground Tunnel Tour of Downtown Houston:
$26
-
Astroville Weekend Downtown Houston Tour With Tunnel Access:
$35
-
Audi R8 Supercar Experience at Grandsport Speedway:
$435
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Best City Tour 2 hours:
$51
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 Houston may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $11 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
-
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
-
NOLA Distillery Tour:
$28
-
Haunted Pub Tour:
$35
-
Frenchmen Street Live Music Pub Crawl:
$48
Sample the Local Flavors in Houston
Also in Houston, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Skip the Line: Distillery Tour Ticket:
$21
-
Haunted Houston Ghost and Pub Walking Tour:
$27
-
Brewery Pass with Beer Tastings:
$29
-
Brewery Tour:
$53
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Astroville Downtown Bar Crawl & Tunnel Access (2 Cocktails Beverages Included):
$58
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Bar Crawl with Tunnel Access and 2 Cocktails:
$67
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2-Hour Downtown Brewery Tour by Electric Cart:
$70
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SUV St. Arnold Brewery Tour:
$487
When comparing the travel costs between New Orleans and Houston, we can see that Houston 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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