How much does a trip to New Orleans Cost?

The Cost of a Trip to New Orleans

Visitors to New Orleans usually spend between $106 and $570 per day on average for one person and $212 to $1,140 for two people. While this is a wide range, the average daily cost averages $239 per person. This average includes sightseeing, hotel, food, and local transportation expenses from other travelers. Your individual travel expenses may vary based on travel style and the locations visited, but if you plan wisely while visiting the most popular destinations, then you'll likely spend somewhere around this average cost during your trip. Further down we have a breakdown of expenses by category, as well as accommodation and activity prices.

How much money should you budget for your trip to New Orleans?

If you're planning an Independent trip to New Orleans, budget travelers should plan to spend around $106 per day for their trip. This average includes hostels and budget hotels, affordable meal options, local transportation, and activities. If you're on a mid-range budget, plan for around $239 a day which covers the cost of typical hotels, normal restaurants, and a variety of popular attractions. Luxury travelers should allow for $570 a day, which would cover higher-end hotels, nicer restaurants, and more private tour options. All of these price ranges are based on our extensive travel cost data for New Orleans from other travelers, along with hotel and tour data from travel companies.


Average Daily Costs, Per Person, by Category
Budget Mid-Range Luxury
Accommodation1 $50 $125 $305
Local Transportation1 $19 $51 $151
Food2 $19 $45 $101
Water2 $19 $19 $19
Entertainment1 $19 $55 $181
Souvenirs1 $24 $72 $247
Living Expenses2 $13 $31 $71
Alcohol2 $26 $60 $112
Tips and Handouts1 $28 $71 $171


How much does a weekend trip to New Orleans cost?

On average, travelers spend around $716 per person during a three-day trip to New Orleans. This average includes expenses for sightseeing, hotels, food, and local transportation. To align with this average price range, consider opting for mid-range hotels and dining at mid-level restaurants, while also allocating funds for entry tickets to popular attractions. For those seeking a more budget-friendly approach, it is possible to find lower-cost accommodations, dine at less expensive restaurants, and explore free activities. Also, many visitors choose to spend a higher travel budget, as New Orleans offers a range of high-end hotels and restaurants for those seeking a more luxurious experience.



New Orleans, Louisiana

How much does a five day trip to New Orleans cost?

With five days in New Orleans, you can expect to spend about $1,193 total, not including transportation to and from the city. It's possible to stay close to this daily average by booking mid-range hotels, eating at normal restaurants, and paying for some entry tickets to popular attractions. It's possible to find lower-cost accommodations, eat at less expenive restaurants, and find more free activities if you want to spent less money.

How much does a one week trip to New Orleans cost?

Most visitors spend between $741 and $3,991 for a one week trip to New Orleans, with the average being $1,670. This includes sightseeing, local transportation, food, and hotels. One week is enough time to have a more in-depth experience in New Orleans. Also, one week allows you to be more flexible with your time and money, so you can potentially save money on some aspects of your trip while spending more on others.

Hostel Prices in New Orleans

With more than 6 hostels in New Orleans, the average price is $18 per night for a dorm bed. The cheapest hostel costs $13 and the most expensive is $22. Usually popular with younger travelers, hostels are a great way to save money while also being social. But not all hostels are the same, and we've analyzed the prices of both dorms and private rooms to find the average prices and best places to stay. You can see more details about the hostel prices in New Orleans here.

Here are a few sample prices from popular hostels in New Orleans.

  • $13 for a dorm bed at India House Backpackers Hostel in New Orleans
  • $22 for a dorm bed at Auberge NOLA Party Hostel in New Orleans
  • $15 for a dorm bed at The Quisby in New Orleans

Hotel Prices in New Orleans

Based on our calculations from available hotels in the New Orleans, the average price for a hotel room is $132 per night. To save money, or if you're planning a more luxurious trip, it's important to look at hotel prices based on the overall star-rating as well as guest reviews. Also, prices can vary by amenities and location. Check out more details from our analysis of hotel prices in New Orleans here, and below is a breakdown of hotel prices by star-rating.


Hotels by star rating in New Orleans
Rating Number of Hotels Average Hotel Price
5 stars 3 $254
4 stars 63 $165
3 stars 132 $157
2 stars 58 $98
1 star 1 $78
No rating 3 $189

930 Elysian Fields Avenue, New Orleans
Overall Rating 9.6
4117 Perrier Street, New Orleans
Overall Rating 9.6

Should you do a tour in New Orleans?

Many visitors enjoy the convenience of booking tours and activities while they visit, and New Orleans has a wide array of things to do. These activities often include knowledgable guides and unique experiences. Tours range in price from $20 for the New Orleans French Quarter and Cemetery Walking Tour to $325 for the Private Backstage Music Tour of New Orleans with Musician Meet-and-Greets.


    • Creole Architecture of the Marigny Tour: $35
    • New Orleans Jazz Walking Tour: $30
    • Treme Music and Black History Tour of New Orleans: $40
    • New Orleans Taste of Gumbo Food Walking Tour: $87
    • New Orleans Historical and Haunted Walking Tour: $15
    • N’awlins Luxury: Whitney Plantation & Pontoon Swamp Tour w/Transportation: $140
    • New Orleans Haunted Legends & Scandals Small Group Tour: $39
    • New Orleans City 2 Hour Private Walking tour: $81
    More for New Orleans

    If you're planning a trip to New Orleans, Louisiana, check out these other informative travel guides.



    We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.



    1 Categories averaged on a per-item basis.
    2 Categories averaged on a per-day basis.
    For example, the Food2 daily average is for all meals for an entire day, while Entertainment1 is for each individual purchase. Thus, the overall daily average cost is not a summation of the individual categories.

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    Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.

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