Should you visit New Orleans or Sacramento?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between New Orleans and Sacramento 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.
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital city and one of the oldest cities in the state of California. It was founded in 1849 in the midst of the Gold Rush, and has since grown to a population of over 500,000 people. The atmosphere is more laid back than most major cities, and its heritage is rooted in the Gold Rush and Transcontinental Railroad era.
Which city is cheaper, Sacramento 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 Sacramento is $225. 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 Sacramento 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.
The prices for places to stay in Sacramento can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $88, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $176.
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.
While meal prices in Sacramento can vary, the average travelers spends about $42 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Sacramento should cost around $17 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Sacramento is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
New Orleans $36
Sacramento $42
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sacramento
For Sacramento, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Downtown Sacramento Historical Food Tour:
$82
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Midtown Sacramento Arts and Food Tour:
$85
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.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Sacramento than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $41 on transportation in Sacramento on average per day.
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
-
Private Transfer from New Orleans Airport to Hotel or Port:
$32
-
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
-
Private Roundtrip Transfer: MSY to Hotel or Cruise Port:
$80
-
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 Sacramento
Also for Sacramento, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Sacramento City to Sacramento Airport (SMF) - Departure Private Transfer:
$72
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Sacramento Airport (SMF) to Sacramento hotel/address- RoundTrip Private Transfer:
$144
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Sacramento Airport (SMF) to Sacramento hotel/address - Arrival Private Transfer:
$72
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Sacramento Airport (SMF) to Napa, CA - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$455
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Sacramento Airport (SMF) to Napa, CA - Arrival Private Transfer:
$228
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Private transfer from Sacramento to SFO:
$340
-
Private Sacramento Transfer Hotel to Airport:
$150
-
Private Sacramento Transfer Airport to Hotel:
$150
-
Low Cost Private Transfer From Sacramento Executive Airport to Sacramento City - One Way:
$73
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Low Cost Private Transfer From Sacramento Executive Airport to Roseville City - One Way:
$144
Is it cheaper to fly into New Orleans or Sacramento?
Prices for flights to both Sacramento 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.
Sightseeing expenses in Sacramento, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $15 per day, per person.
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 Sacramento
For Sacramento, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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California Gold Rush: The Sacramento Grid on a Self-Guided Bicycle Audio Tour:
$8.30
-
Sacramento Historic River Cruise:
$20
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Sacramento Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
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Sacramento Sutter District History and Food Walking Tour:
$78
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Sacramento Urban Murals: Cycle the streets of Sacramento with an audio tour:
$5.00
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting New Orleans spend on average $48 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typically, people visiting Sacramento spend on average $9.31 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
-
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Sacramento
Also in Sacramento, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Sacramento Bar Hunt: Sacramento Sprint Bar Crawl:
$12
-
Bk Best Wine Tasting Tours Amador County 4 Hour Chevrolet Suburban Passengers 7:
$385
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4 Hour Private Amador County Wine Tasting Tours Mercedes Sprinter Passengers Van:
$409
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Amador Wine Tour from Sacramento:
$436
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6 Hour Wine Tasting Tours Napa Valley Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Passengers Van:
$625
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between New Orleans and Sacramento, we can see that Sacramento is more expensive. And not only is New Orleans much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to New Orleans would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in New Orleans 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 Sacramento would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Sacramento than you might in New Orleans.
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