New Orleans, LA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In New Orleans, LA Summary
Cost of living in New Orleans 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 New Orleans 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 New Orleans is 108, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in New Orleans is 1.1x higher than the national average.
New Orleans ranks as the #98 cheapest in Louisiana out of 106.
New Orleans ranks as the #3,467 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in New Orleans is $238,620.
The median income in New Orleans is $55,339.
Table Of Contents
New Orleans's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in New Orleans, LA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, New Orleans has an overall cost of living index of 108, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Louisiana, New Orleans has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Louisiana's index of 90.
The standard of living in New Orleans ranks as #98 most affordable out of the 106 places we measured in Louisiana. By definition, that implies New Orleans ranks as the #8 most expensive place in the Pelican State.
For more reading on life in New Orleans, check out:
In Louisiana
In America
New Orleans Cost Of Living Vs. Louisiana
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in New Orleans. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in New Orleans is 105.
The Groceries index in New Orleans is 96.
The Health index in New Orleans is 115.
The Housing index in New Orleans is 128.
The Transportation index in New Orleans is 94.
The Utilities index in New Orleans is 77.
| Living Expense | New Orleans | Louisiana | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 108 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 105 | 94 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 96 | 93 | 100 | |
| Health | 115 | 100 | 100 | |
| Housing | 128 | 80 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 94 | 94 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 77 | 83 | 100 | |
New Orleans, 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 New Orleans is $238,620.
The Median Rent in New Orleans is $1,211.
The Median Income in New Orleans is $55,339.
The Home Value To Income in New Orleans is 4.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in New Orleans is 0.26x.
| Statistic | New Orleans | Louisiana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $238,620 | $209,929 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,211 | $1,038 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $55,339 | $60,023 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.3x | 3.5x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.26x | 0.21x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
New Orleans, LA Costs By Category
Detailed New Orleans Services Costs Vs. Louisiana
| Item | New Orleans | Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.22 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $13.3 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $12.33 | $18 |
| Haircut | $21.67 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $43.17 | $45.56 |
Detailed New Orleans Groceries Costs Vs. Louisiana
| Item | New Orleans | Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.15 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.39 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.55 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.31 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $12.61 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.23 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.57 | $3.7 |
Detailed New Orleans Health Costs Vs. Louisiana
| Item | New Orleans | Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $128.17 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $127.78 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $129.44 | $113.29 |
Detailed New Orleans Transportation Costs Vs. Louisiana
| Item | New Orleans | Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.14 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $68.0 | $59.92 |
Detailed New Orleans Utilities Costs Vs. Louisiana
| Item | New Orleans | Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $149.86 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.9 | $192.25 |
New Orleans SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around New Orleans
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around New Orleans. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Metairie, LA has a cost of living index of 107, 1.0x New Orleans.
Kenner, LA has a cost of living index of 101, 0.9x New Orleans.
Marrero, LA has a cost of living index of 95, 0.9x New Orleans.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. New Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metairie, LA | 138,995 | 107 | 1.0x |
| Kenner, LA | 65,113 | 101 | 0.9x |
| Marrero, LA | 31,866 | 95 | 0.9x |
| Terrytown, LA | 25,844 | 96 | 0.9x |
| Chalmette, LA | 22,447 | 97 | 0.9x |
| Harvey, LA | 21,710 | 95 | 0.9x |
| Gretna, LA | 17,468 | 96 | 0.9x |
| Estelle, LA | 16,761 | 98 | 0.9x |
| Timberlane, LA | 11,169 | 98 | 0.9x |
| Westwego, LA | 8,382 | 88 | 0.8x |
