Should you visit New Orleans or Norfolk?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between New Orleans and Norfolk 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.
Norfolk
The city of Norfolk in the U.S. state of Virginia is a port city holding a large Navy and shipping presence in its harbor. With a long history as a strategic military point, Norfolk is home to the largest Navy base in the world, Naval Station Norfolk. Other attractions include opportunities for dining, shopping, and entertainment as well as many parks and memorials.
Which city is cheaper, Norfolk 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 Norfolk is $133. 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 Norfolk 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.
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $68. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Norfolk the cost is $136 on average.
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.
Norfolk food costs typically run travelers around $39 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
-
Food
Meals for one day
New Orleans $36
Norfolk $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:
-
New Orleans Lunch & Lesson: Cajun & Creole Cooking Class:
$33
-
New Orleans Cooking Class:
$34
-
French Quarter Food Tour:
$42
-
New Orleans Food Tour:
$44
-
Steamboat Natchez Evening Jazz Cruise with Dinner Option:
$50
-
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 Norfolk
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Norfolk.
-
Spirit of Norfolk Dinner Cruise on the Elizabeth River:
$84
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 Norfolk is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $44 per person, per day, on local transportation in Norfolk.
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:
-
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Norfolk
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Norfolk:
-
Private Arrival Transfer: PFH to Outer Banks North Carolina by Luxury Vehicle:
$283
Is it cheaper to fly into New Orleans or Norfolk?
Prices for flights to both Norfolk 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 Norfolk typically cost an average of $11 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:
-
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
-
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 Norfolk
Here are a few actual costs in Norfolk for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
1/2 Day E-Bike Tour of Norfolk's History and Art:
$79
-
1/2 Day E-Bike Tour of Norfolk's History and Art:
$78
-
Candle Making Experience:
$69
-
City Sightseeing Norwich Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour:
$19
-
E-Bike Cannonball Trail Guided History Tour of Norfolk:
$59
-
Neon District Contemporary Art Walking Tour:
$32
-
Norfolk Chronicles History Walking Tour:
$36
-
Norfolk Passport to Fun City Sightseeing and Discount Book:
$52
-
Best of Norfolk Guided E-Bike Tour:
$60
-
Self-Guided E-Bike Tour Elizabeth River Trail 2-Hour/3rd Hour Free:
$50
-
Spirit of Norfolk Lunch Cruise on the Elizabeth River:
$61
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 Norfolk may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $8.39 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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between New Orleans and Norfolk, we can see that New Orleans is more expensive. And not only is Norfolk much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Norfolk would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Norfolk 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 Norfolk.
Related Articles for New Orleans
Related Articles for Norfolk
