Budget · New Orleans · United States
New Orleans on a budget
What a trip to New Orleans really costs, and where the savings are.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: John Durkin, Public domain
Quick answer
New Orleans is moderately priced for most international visitors. Budget roughly $90–$150 per person per day on a tight budget, $220–$350 mid-range and $500–$1,200 for luxury, excluding flights. Hotel prices are usually lowest in August–September.
Key facts
- Budget traveller
- $90–$150 a day
- Mid-range
- $220–$350 a day
- Luxury
- $500–$1,200 a day
- Local currency
- USD
- Free sights
- 8
Daily budget and trip cost
AMZBooking estimates per person in US dollars, excluding flights, reviewed October 2026. Accommodation is the biggest variable; prices rise in peak months.
| Style | Per day | 3 days | 5 days | 7 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | $90–$150 | $270–$450 | $450–$750 | $630–$1,050 |
| Mid-range | $220–$350 | $660–$1,050 | $1,100–$1,750 | $1,540–$2,450 |
| Luxury | $500–$1,200 | $1,500–$3,600 | $2,500–$6,000 | $3,500–$8,400 |
Typical prices
Approximate prices in New Orleans, October 2026. They change; use them for planning, not as quotes.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Streetcar or bus ride | about $1.25 |
| Order of beignets | about $4–$6 |
| Shrimp po'boy | about $13–$20 |
| Bowl of gumbo | about $10–$16 |
| Sazerac in a cocktail bar | about $12–$16 |
| Preservation Hall ticket | about $25–$50 |
| National WWII Museum adult ticket | about $35–$40 |
| Mid-range French Quarter hotel | about $170–$300 per night, much more at Mardi Gras |
Money-saving tips
- Live music on Frenchmen Street and street performers on Royal Street cost only what you tip.
- French Quarter Festival in April is free, with dozens of stages across the Quarter.
- A streetcar ride along St. Charles Avenue is the best-value sightseeing tour in the city.
- Hotel rates fall sharply in summer; avoid Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest and big convention weeks if price matters.
- Many restaurants offer weekday lunch specials far cheaper than dinner.
- The Historic New Orleans Collection, Congo Square, City Park's sculpture garden and Jackson Square are free.
Free things to do
- Jackson Square — The former Place d'Armes, renamed after Andrew Jackson's 1815 victory at the Battle of New Orleans, is the French Quarter's central square, framed by St.
- St. Louis Cathedral — The white, triple-spired cathedral facing Jackson Square is among the oldest Catholic cathedrals in continuous use in the US.
- Bourbon Street — Bourbon Street's 13 blocks through the French Quarter are the city's party strip, with neon-lit bars, cover bands, daiquiri counters and balcony crowds throwing beads.
- Frenchmen Street — Three blocks of Frenchmen Street pack in live-music clubs such as the Spotted Cat, d.b.a.
- Garden District walk — The 19th-century mansions of the Garden District, built by wealthy American newcomers in Greek Revival, Italianate and Victorian styles, stand in gardens of magnolias and live oaks between St.
- City Park and NOMA Sculpture Garden — At about 1,300 acres, City Park is larger than New York's Central Park and holds one of the world's largest stands of mature live oaks.
Where to stay on a budget
$$ · Best for nightlife, solo travellers and budget
Faubourg Marigny
Painted Creole cottages and the live-music clubs of Frenchmen Street
$$ · Best for budget, solo travellers and food lovers
Bywater
Colourful shotgun houses, murals and riverside Crescent Park
$$ · Best for culture and food lovers
Tremé
Congo Square, brass bands and second-line parades
Eating well for less
- Beignets — Café du Monde at the French Market, serving them since 1862, and Café Beignet on Royal and Bourbon streets.
- Po'boy — Parkway Bakery & Tavern in Mid-City, Domilise's Uptown and Johnny's Po-Boys in the French Quarter.
Getting around for less
Jazzy Pass
1-day, 3-day and longer passes for unlimited streetcar and bus rides, sold in the Le Pass app and at ticket machines.
Questions travellers ask
+How much does a trip to New Orleans cost?
About $1,100–$1,750 per person for five days mid-range, excluding flights (estimate), or $450–$750 on a tight budget.
+Is New Orleans expensive?
It is moderately priced for international visitors. Live music on Frenchmen Street and street performers on Royal Street cost only what you tip.
+How much money do I need per day in New Orleans?
Roughly $90–$150 on a budget and $220–$350 mid-range (estimates).
+When are hotel prices lowest in New Orleans?
Usually in August–September.