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Miami or New Orleans? An honest comparison
The short answer
Pick New Orleans for music, history and some of America's most distinctive cooking, in a city you can explore on foot and by streetcar. Pick Miami for beaches, Art Deco, Cuban food and warm winters (about 24°C highs in January). New Orleans is clearly cheaper by our numbers: about €242 a day mid-range against €304 in Miami.
Miami: suits couples and friends who want beach days, clubs, Cuban food and winter sun.
New Orleans: suits couples and friends who want live jazz, Creole and Cajun food, historic streets and a late night out.
Side by side
| Miami | New Orleans | |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-range day* | €307 US$345 local | €244 US$275 local |
| Budget day* | €142 | €111 |
| Value for money | ●●●●●Hotels, parking and resort fees push costs up. | ●●●●●Cheaper hotels and food than most big US cities. |
| Crowds (5 = calm) | ●●●●●South Beach and Wynwood are busy, especially in winter. | ●●●●●Calm most of the year; Mardi Gras and festivals pack it. |
| Food | ●●●●●Excellent Cuban and Latin American food; fine dining is costly. | ●●●●●Gumbo, po'boys and beignets; a cuisine found nowhere else. |
| Nightlife | ●●●●●Big clubs, rooftop bars and South Beach late nights. | ●●●●●Live music every night on Frenchmen Street and beyond. |
| Family-friendly | ●●●●●Beaches, the Everglades and zoos work well with kids. | ●●●●●Streetcars and the aquarium help; Bourbon Street does not. |
| Getting around | ●●●●●Spread out; you need a car or rideshares between areas. | ●●●●●French Quarter on foot, streetcars to the Garden District. |
| Best months | year-round, see below | Oct, Nov |
| Warmest / coolest | Jul 31°C / Jan 24°C | Aug 32°C / Jan 17°C |
| Known for | Art Deco South Beach, Wynwood murals, Cuban food, Everglades wildlife | French Quarter, Jackson Square, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, Garden District |
* Per person per day with two sharing a room: bed, food, sights and local transport, from our Miami and New Orleans day-cost tables (approximate 2026 prices; other currencies converted at recent rates). Ratings are our editorial judgement.
Which one should you pick?
Pick Miami if…
- you want beach time as part of the trip
- you are escaping a cold winter
- Cuban and Latin American food is high on your list
- you want an Everglades wildlife trip
Pick New Orleans if…
- Live music is a priority
- you want a city you can explore on foot
- you want to eat Creole and Cajun food at the source
- you are visiting in October or November, the best months there
Weather month by month
| Month | Miami high / rainy days | New Orleans high / rainy days |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24°C · 10 | 17°C · 10 |
| Feb | 26°C · 12 | 19°C · 12 |
| Mar | 27°C · 11 | 23°C · 14 |
| Apr | 28°C · 17 | 25°C · 15 |
| May | 29°C · 18 | 29°C · 16 |
| Jun | 30°C · 25 | 31°C · 20 |
| Jul | 31°C · 23 | 31°C · 25 |
| Aug | 31°C · 25 | 32°C · 19 |
| Sep | 30°C · 25 | 30°C · 15 |
| Oct | 29°C · 19 | 26°C · 8 |
| Nov | 27°C · 12 | 20°C · 9 |
| Dec | 25°C · 12 | 19°C · 10 |
Average daily high and number of rainy days. Copernicus ERA5, 2021–2023.
What you will eat
Miami
Cuban coffee · Cuban sandwich · Pastelitos and croquetas · Frita · Stone crab claws · Ceviche
Where: Little Havana and Calle Ocho, Wynwood, Doral, Little Haiti
New Orleans
Gumbo · Po'boy · Beignets and café au lait · Jambalaya · Red beans and rice · Muffuletta
Where: French Market, French Quarter, Tremé and the Seventh Ward, Magazine Street and the Garden District
Doing both in one trip
7 days: 4 in New Orleans + 3 in Miami
Start in New Orleans for music, food and walking, then finish with beach days in Miami. Miami has more international flights, so flying home from there is often easier.
Getting between them: Non-stop flight, about 2 h, plus airport time. Driving is roughly 1,400 km and around 13 hours, so fly. Distance about 1,076 km as the crow flies. Check current timetables.
- Day 1–4: New Orleans — French Quarter and Jackson Square, a streetcar to the Garden District, Frenchmen Street at night, Tremé
- Day 5: Fly to Miami, evening in South Beach's Art Deco district
- Day 6–7: Wynwood murals, Little Havana and Calle Ocho, a beach day or an Everglades trip
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Common questions
Is Miami or New Orleans cheaper?
New Orleans, clearly. Our mid-range estimate is about €242 per person per day in New Orleans against €304 in Miami. Miami's beachfront hotels, resort fees and parking add up quickly, and you will probably need a car or rideshares. In New Orleans you can walk or take the streetcar, and a po'boy lunch costs far less than a meal in South Beach.
When is hurricane season?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November in both cities, with the highest risk usually from August to October. Most days are fine, but storms can cancel flights and close businesses. Buy travel insurance and follow forecasts if you travel then. For New Orleans, October and November are often ideal; Miami's drier, milder months are roughly December to April.
Does New Orleans have beaches?
Not in the city. The nearest beaches are on the Mississippi coast, about 1 h 30 by car, but the water there is often murky. For the white sand and clear water most people picture, you need to drive three to four hours to the Alabama coast or the Florida Panhandle. If beaches matter, Miami is the better choice.
Is Mardi Gras a good time to visit New Orleans?
If you want parades, costumes and a city-wide party, yes; it is unlike anything else in the US. The season builds over several weeks and peaks on Mardi Gras day, in February or early March depending on the year. Hotels fill early and prices rise sharply. For a calmer visit focused on food and music, choose autumn instead.