Baton Rouge, LA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Baton Rouge, LA Summary

Cost of living in Baton Rouge research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Baton Rouge is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Louisiana, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Baton Rouge is 95, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Baton Rouge is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Baton Rouge ranks as the #59 cheapest in Louisiana out of 106.

  • Baton Rouge ranks as the #1,954 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Baton Rouge is $227,534.

  • The median income in Baton Rouge is $49,944.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
95
Baton Rouge's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Baton Rouge, LA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Baton Rouge has an overall cost of living index of 95, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Louisiana, Baton Rouge has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Louisiana's index of 90.

The standard of living in Baton Rouge ranks as #59 most affordable out of the 106 places we measured in Louisiana. By definition, that implies Baton Rouge ranks as the #47 most expensive place in the Pelican State.

For more reading on life in Baton Rouge, check out:

59 out of 106
In Louisiana
1,954 out of 6,489
In America

Baton Rouge Cost Of Living Vs. Louisiana

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Baton Rouge. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Baton Rouge is 104.

  • The Groceries index in Baton Rouge is 99.

  • The Health index in Baton Rouge is 99.

  • The Housing index in Baton Rouge is 96.

  • The Transportation index in Baton Rouge is 98.

  • The Utilities index in Baton Rouge is 73.

Living Expense Baton Rouge Louisiana National Average
Overall 95 90 100
Services 104 94 100
Groceries 99 93 100
Health 99 100 100
Housing 96 80 100
Transportation 98 94 100
Utilities 73 83 100
For more reading on cost of living around Louisiana, check out:
Baton Rouge Cost of Living Vs. LA

Baton Rouge, LA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Louisiana, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Baton Rouge is $227,534.

  • The Median Rent in Baton Rouge is $1,044.

  • The Median Income in Baton Rouge is $49,944.

  • The Home Value To Income in Baton Rouge is 4.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Baton Rouge is 0.25x.

Statistic Baton Rouge Louisiana United States
Median Home Value $227,534 $209,929 $303,400
Median Rent $1,044 $1,038 $1,348
Median Income $49,944 $60,023 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.6x 3.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.25x 0.21x 0.21x
$227,534
Median Home Value
$1,044
Median Rent
$49,944
Median Income

Baton Rouge, LA Costs By Category

Detailed Baton Rouge Services Costs Vs. Louisiana

Item Baton Rouge Louisiana
Shampoo $1.17 $1.28
Movie $11.59 $12.13
Bowling $20.0 $18
Haircut $25.61 $24.26
Beauty Salon $43.33 $45.56

Detailed Baton Rouge Groceries Costs Vs. Louisiana

Item Baton Rouge Louisiana
Ground Beef $5.45 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.67 $1.57
Milk $4.56 $4.67
Potatoes $5.2 $4.93
Pizza $10.99 $12.09
Beer $10.03 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.63 $3.7

Detailed Baton Rouge Health Costs Vs. Louisiana

Item Baton Rouge Louisiana
Optometrist $114.13 $125.68
Doctor $130.33 $135.78
Dentist $114.58 $113.29

Detailed Baton Rouge Transportation Costs Vs. Louisiana

Item Baton Rouge Louisiana
Gasoline $3.2 $3.46
Tire Balancing $61.61 $59.92

Detailed Baton Rouge Utilities Costs Vs. Louisiana

Item Baton Rouge Louisiana
All Electricity $111.88 $193.99
Phone $185.7 $192.25

Baton Rouge SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
8
Affordability
5
Diversity
9
Safety
3
Amenities
9.5
Education
7
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Baton Rouge

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Baton Rouge. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Prairieville, LA has a cost of living index of 109, 1.1x Baton Rouge.

  • Central, LA has a cost of living index of 106, 1.1x Baton Rouge.

  • Zachary, LA has a cost of living index of 105, 1.1x Baton Rouge.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Baton Rouge
Prairieville, LA 35,010 109 1.1x
Central, LA 29,603 106 1.1x
Zachary, LA 19,637 105 1.1x
Shenandoah, LA 18,259 109 1.1x
Baker, LA 12,322 89 0.9x
Gardere, LA 12,130 101 1.1x
Merrydale, LA 9,149 90 0.9x
Village St. George, LA 8,880 104 1.1x
Oak Hills Place, LA 8,380 117 1.2x
St. Gabriel, LA 6,569 93 1.0x

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