A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Negril vs. New Orleans for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Negril or New Orleans?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Negril and New Orleans. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Negril or New Orleans?

Negril

Negril is a town in western Jamaica known for its miles of white sand beaches and cliffs. It is certainly one of the more laid back towns on the island yet still attracts a lot of tourists. The hotels are as close to the water as you can get, and the sand gets whiter and whiter the further away from populated areas you get. The water is unbelievably clear and warm in Negril!

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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in United States of America, and The Best Photography Tours in United States of America.


Which place is cheaper, New Orleans or Negril?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Negril Prices
    Jamaica Prices
    New Orleans Prices
    USA Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Negril $150
    New Orleans $271

The average daily cost (per person) in Negril is $150, while the average daily cost in New Orleans is $271. 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Negril and New Orleans in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Negril $102
    New Orleans $125
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Negril $204
    New Orleans $250
Compare Hotels in Negril and New Orleans

Looking for a hotel in Negril or New Orleans? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Negril


Hotels in New Orleans


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Negril Hotel Prices and New Orleans Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Negril $8.39
    New Orleans $51
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Negril

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Negril:


  • Taxi From Airport
    $13

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Negril

Also for Negril, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Sandals South Coast Private Transfer (White House): $83
  • Roundtrip Transfer To or From Jam West Adventure: $100
  • Roundtrip MBJ Montego Bay Airport Transfer to Hotel Riu Negril: $95
  • Round-trip Airport Transfer to Grand Palladium Resort & Spa: $75
  • Round-Trip or Direct Private Airport Transfer to Lucea Resorts: $37
  • Private Transfer from Sangster Intl Airport to Negril Jamaica: $60
  • Private Transfer from Negril to Jamaica (MBJ) Airport: $176
  • Private Transfer from Montego Bay Airport - Negril Hotels: $58
  • Private Transfer from MBJ Airport to Grand Palladium Hotel: $38
  • Private Transfer between Hedonism ll Resort and Airport : $53
  • Private Transfer From or To Airport to Rui Negril : $61
  • Private Negril Hotels Transfer from Montego Bay (MBJ)Airport: $54

Typical Local Transportation Prices in New Orleans

Some typical examples of transportation costs in New Orleans are as follows:


  • Taxi Ride
    $10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in New Orleans

Also for New Orleans, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Handicap New Orleans Airport or Hotel Transfer: $260
  • New Orleans Airport One way Transfer to Baton Rouge or Slidell: $250
  • New Orleans Louis Armstrong Airport MSY Round-Trip Private Transfer: $226
  • Private Transfer from Port Of New of New Orleans Cruise: $210
  • NOLA Cruise Port to New Orleans hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $209
  • One-Way Private New Orleans Arrival or Departure Transfer: $200
  • Transfer from New Orleans MSY or Port to New Orleans by Minibus: $190
  • Private Airport Transfer From New Orleans To Baton Rouge: $177
  • Airport Transfer in New Orleans: $175
  • Private Mercedes Sprinter Transfer NOLA, Airport, Cruise Ship: $175
  • Airport and City Transfers in New Orleans : $135
  • New Orleans Departure Transfers: $135

Is it cheaper to fly into Negril or New Orleans?

Prices for flights to both New Orleans and Negril 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.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Negril $38
    New Orleans $78

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Negril

For Negril, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Dinner in the Sky Jamaica Round Trip Taxi & Guide only: $42
  • The Jungle Nightclub Experience with Optional Dinner in Negril: $80
  • Zimbali Mountain Cooking Studio: $105
  • Cultural Food Tour & Seven Mile Beach At Negril’s Margaritaville: $150
  • Local food tour and local fields : $164

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 Demonstration Cooking Class with Meal: $42
  • Steamboat Natchez Evening Jazz Cruise with Dinner Option: $58
  • Paddlewheeler Creole Queen Jazz Dinner Cruise in New Orleans: $60
  • French Quarter Food Tour: Signature Tastes of New Orleans: $75
  • New Orleans Sunset Food Tour Experience: $85
  • Private New Orleans Food Tour of the French Quarter : $85
  • Lower Garden District Food Tour: $89
  • NOLA Carte Food Tours: $96
  • Voodoo, Vampires and Delicious Bites Food Tour: $97
  • New Orleans Cooking Class and Cocktail Walking Tour: $106
  • New Orleans Small-Group Food Walking Tour and Cooking Class: $109
  • Food Tour of New Orleans Garden District: Group of Nine or Less: $129

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Negril $26
    New Orleans $55
Typical Entertainment Prices in Negril

For Negril, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • 2 Hr Horseback Ride
    $42

Tours and Activities in Negril

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Negril.

  • Rick's Cafe Sunset Cruise : $60
  • YS Falls and Sightseeing Tour Day Adventure: $138
  • 7Mile Beach/Ricks Cafe Tour with Free Shopping from Montego Bay: $115
  • ATV's, Shopping, Seven Mile Beach,Catamaran Cruise to Ricks Cafe : $130
  • Appleton Estate Rum Tour: $113
  • Appleton Estate Rum Tour and Tasting from Negril: $232
  • Bamboo Rafting and Rick Cafe Negril Private Tour: $156
  • Bambuza ATV, Zipline and Horseback Adventure from Negril: $190
  • Benta River & Falls Private Tour From Montego Bay/Negril: $150
  • Black River Safari & YS Falls Guided Tour with Lunch & Admission from Negril: $145
  • Black River Safari and YS Falls Tour from Negril: $232
  • Blue Hole Secret Falls and Dunns River Falls Adventure: $134

Typical Entertainment Prices in New Orleans

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for New Orleans's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Zoo & Aquarium Tickets (2)
    $75
  • Riverboat Cruise
    $70
  • French Quarter City Tour
    $100

Tours and Activities in New Orleans

For New Orleans, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Bom Creole Dining Experience w/ Pool and Louisiana Native Chef : $135
  • Creole French Quarter Walking Tour: $35
  • 45-Minute French Quarter Highlights Tour in New Orleans: $23
  • 45-Minute Garden District Highlights Tour in New Orleans: $22
  • 45-Minute Marigny Triangle Highlights Tour in New Orleans: $22
  • 60-minute Tremé Walking Tour & Photo Experience: $15
  • 90-Minute Jean Lafitte Swamp and Bayou Tour with Transportation: $62
  • A Local's Garden District Tour: $165
  • A Locals' Drink Dat! Cocktail Tour: $200
  • A Walk in the Park: City Park New Orleans Audio Tour: $9.99
  • Adults-Only Garden District Cemetery Anne Rice True Crime Tour: $35
  • Adults-Only New Orleans Ghost, Crime, Voodoo, and Vampire Tour: $37

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Negril $9.74
    New Orleans $60

Sample the Local Flavors in Negril

Also in Negril, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Negril One Love Bus Bar Crawl: $26

Sample the Local Flavors in New Orleans

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in New Orleans:

  • Ghost Tour and Haunted Pub Crawl Party with Free Shot!: $24
  • New Orleans Small-Group History Tour Pub Crawl of The Irish Channel: $25
  • NOLA Distillery Tour: $30
  • New Orleans Spooky Spirits Haunted Pub Crawl and Ghost Tour: $30
  • Vixens and Villains Haunted Pub Crawl: $30
  • New Orleans Happy Hour Ghost Walking Tour Pub Crawl: $33
  • New Orleans Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
  • Till Death Do Us Part: Haunted Pub Crawl Where Love Meets Death: $35
  • Sin and Tonic Pub Crawl in New Orleans: $35
  • New Orleans Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $36
  • Adults Only Haunted Pub Crawl in New Orleans: $37
  • New Orleans' Finest Haunted Pub Tour: $40


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Negril and New Orleans, we can see that New Orleans is more expensive. And not only is Negril much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Negril is in Caribbean Islands and New Orleans is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Negril would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Negril 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 Negril.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Negril Expensive? and Is New Orleans Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Negril or New Orleans?

New Orleans has a larger population, and is about 160 times larger than the population of Negril. When comparing the sizes of Negril and New Orleans, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.


When is the best time to visit Negril or New Orleans?

New Orleans has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Negril experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Negril or New Orleans in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Negril and New Orleans. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Negril year-round. Also, the summer months attract visitors to New Orleans because of the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences.

In July, Negril is generally around the same temperature as New Orleans. Daily temperatures in Negril average around 27°C (81°F), and New Orleans fluctuates around 82°F (28°C).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in New Orleans this time of the year. In Negril, it's very sunny this time of the year. Negril usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as New Orleans during summer. Negril gets 257 hours of sunny skies, while New Orleans receives 264 hours of full sun in the summer.

New Orleans receives a lot of rain in the summer. Negril gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Negril usually receives more rain than New Orleans. Negril gets 176 mm (6.9 in) of rain, while New Orleans receives 5.9 inches (149 mm) of rain each month for the summer.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Negril 27°C (81°F) 
    New Orleans 82°F (28°C)

Should I visit Negril or New Orleans in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Negril as well as New Orleans. Negril attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Also, the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the music scene are the main draw to New Orleans this time of year.

Negril is a little warmer than New Orleans in the autumn. The daily temperature in Negril averages around 27°C (81°F) in October, and New Orleans fluctuates around 69°F (21°C).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in New Orleans. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Negril this time of the year. In the autumn, Negril often gets around the same amount of sunshine as New Orleans. Negril gets 233 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while New Orleans receives 240 hours of full sun.

Negril receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Negril usually gets more rain in October than New Orleans. Negril gets 222 mm (8.7 in) of rain, while New Orleans receives 3 inches (77 mm) of rain this time of the year.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Negril 27°C (81°F) 
    New Orleans 69°F (21°C)

Should I visit Negril or New Orleans in the Winter?

Both New Orleans and Negril are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Negril throughout the year. Also, many travelers come to New Orleans for the shopping scene and the cuisine.

In the winter, Negril is much warmer than New Orleans. Typically, the winter temperatures in Negril in January average around 25°C (77°F), and New Orleans averages at about 51°F (11°C).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Negril. Negril usually receives more sunshine than New Orleans during winter. Negril gets 226 hours of sunny skies, while New Orleans receives 158 hours of full sun in the winter.

It rains a lot this time of the year in New Orleans. In January, Negril usually receives less rain than New Orleans. Negril gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while New Orleans receives 5.2 inches (131 mm) of rain each month for the winter.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Negril 25°C (77°F) 
    New Orleans 51°F (11°C)

Should I visit Negril or New Orleans in the Spring?

Both New Orleans and Negril during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Negril because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Furthermore, many visitors come to New Orleans in the spring for the activities around the city.

In April, Negril is generally a little warmer than New Orleans. Daily temperatures in Negril average around 26°C (79°F), and New Orleans fluctuates around 68°F (20°C).

In New Orleans, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Negril. In the spring, Negril often gets less sunshine than New Orleans. Negril gets 225 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while New Orleans receives 254 hours of full sun.

New Orleans gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Negril. Negril usually gets around the same amount of rain in April as New Orleans. Negril gets 107 mm (4.2 in) of rain, while New Orleans receives 4.5 inches (114 mm) of rain this time of the year.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Negril 26°C (79°F) 
    New Orleans 68°F (20°C)

Typical Weather for New Orleans and Negril

Negril New Orleans
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 25°C (77°F) 49 mm (1.9 in) 51°F (11°C) 5.2 inches (131 mm)
Feb 25°C (77°F) 49 mm (1.9 in) 54°F (12°C) 5.8 inches (147 mm)
Mar 25°C (77°F) 71 mm (2.8 in) 62°F (16°C) 5 inches (126 mm)
Apr 26°C (79°F) 107 mm (4.2 in) 68°F (20°C) 4.5 inches (114 mm)
May 27°C (81°F) 205 mm (8.1 in) 75°F (24°C) 4.3 inches (110 mm)
Jun 27°C (81°F) 183 mm (7.2 in) 80°F (27°C) 5.9 inches (151 mm)
Jul 27°C (81°F) 176 mm (6.9 in) 82°F (28°C) 5.9 inches (149 mm)
Aug 27°C (81°F) 188 mm (7.4 in) 82°F (28°C) 6.2 inches (157 mm)
Sep 27°C (81°F) 181 mm (7.1 in) 78°F (26°C) 5.5 inches (140 mm)
Oct 27°C (81°F) 222 mm (8.7 in) 69°F (21°C) 3 inches (77 mm)
Nov 26°C (79°F) 91 mm (3.6 in) 61°F (16°C) 4.8 inches (122 mm)
Dec 26°C (79°F) 61 mm (2.4 in) 55°F (13°C) 5.7 inches (146 mm)