United States : Cost of Living by City
- Albany, NY
- Albuquerque, NM
- Anchorage, AK
- Ann Arbor, MI
- Arlington, TX
- Asheville, NC
- Atlanta, GA
- Austin, TX
- Bakersfield, CA
- Baltimore, MD
- Bellevue, WA
- Bellingham, WA
- Berkeley, CA
- Birmingham, AL
- Boise, ID
- Boston, MA
- Boulder, CO
- Brooklyn, NY
- Buffalo, NY
- Burlington, VT
- Charleston, SC
- Charlotte, NC
- Chattanooga, TN
- Chicago, IL
- Cincinnati, OH
- Cleveland, OH
- Columbia, SC
- Columbus, OH
- Dallas, TX
- Dayton, OH
- Denver, CO
- Des Moines, IA
- Detroit, MI
- El Paso, TX
- Eugene, OR
- Everett, WA
- Fayetteville, AR
- Fort Myers, FL
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Fort Worth, TX
- Fresno, CA
- Gainesville, FL
- Grand Rapids, MI
- Greensboro, NC
- Hartford, CT
- Honolulu, HI
- Houston, TX
- Huntsville, AL
- Indianapolis, IN
- Irvine, CA
- Jacksonville, FL
- Jersey City, NJ
- Kansas City, MO
- Knoxville, TN
- Las Vegas, NV
- Lexington, KY
- Little Rock, AR
- Long Beach, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Louisville, KY
- Lubbock, TX
- Madison, WI
- Memphis, TN
- Miami, FL
- Milwaukee, WI
- Minneapolis, MN
- Nashville, TN
- New Orleans, LA
- New York, NY
- Oakland, CA
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Olympia, WA
- Orlando, FL
- Peoria, IL
- Philadelphia, PA
- Phoenix, AZ
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Portland, ME
- Portland, OR
- Raleigh, NC
- Reno, NV
- Richmond, VA
- Rochester, NY
- Sacramento, CA
- Saint Louis, MO
- Saint Paul, MN
- Saint Petersburg, FL
- Salem, OR
- Salt Lake City, UT
- San Antonio, TX
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Santa Barbara, CA
- Santa Rosa, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Spokane, WA
- Springfield, MO
- Syracuse, NY
- Tacoma, WA
- Tallahassee, FL
- Tampa, FL
- Toledo, OH
- Tucson, AZ
- Tulsa, OK
- Vancouver, WA
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Washington, DC
- West Palm Beach, FL
- Wichita, KS
How Much Does It Cost to Live in New Orleans, LA?
In New Orleans, you can expect to find the roots of jazz, everything that has to do with jazz, and a blossoming culture that is definitely unlike anything else in the United States.
The city is so vibrant and full of history, museums, bars, and clubs.
The people are very nice, welcoming, and warm.
Everyone can find something to do – it’s a very free-spirited place.
New Orleans is far cheaper than any other metropolitan area but is not the cheapest in the United States.
Rent and cost of living here are extremely high, while wages and jobs are not plentiful.
Cost of Living Breakdown in New Orleans, LA
RESTAURANTS
Lots of cool restaurants and bars can always be found in New Orleans within a short walk, wherever you are.
Chain restaurants are few and far between as fewer people seek them because the city has its own unique cuisine and vibe.
You can expect to eat at an inexpensive restaurant for only 20$.
| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $20.00 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $4.75 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $2.04 |
MARKETS
There are grocery stores a few minutes away, wherever you happen to be.
If you don’t have a car, plan on paying up for groceries from the decent but expensive grocers in the Quarter.
Cooking by yourself is very economic, and if you have a shopping list, and you’re smart about your groceries, following all the daily sales in regular America supermarket stores – then you can save a bunch of money.
| Average Market Prices | |
|---|---|
| Milk (1 Liter) | $1.21 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $3.92 |
| Eggs (12) | $4.27 |
TRANSPORTATION
Public transit is very good in New Orleans, but driving around the city can be nerve-wracking and challenging, at best.
Gas prices e low because of the cities’ closeness to the Gulf.
You’ll also be fine with a car, as it’s not too expensive though the traffic’s bad in New Orleans.
If you opt for public transport – that’s a valid and cheap option.
| Average Transport Prices | |
|---|---|
| One Way Ticket | $1.62 |
| Monthly Pass | $45.00 |
| Gasoline | $0.83 |
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
Like in most other American cities, utilities aren’t too expensive in New Orleans – by American standards, though it does depend on the amount of electricity you use and on the size of your apartment.
For example, for a bit larger apartment, of about 85m2, all basic utilities like heating, cooling, electricity, and gas will cost you around 190$.
| Average Utilities Prices | |
|---|---|
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $189.38 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.10 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $69.56 |
SPORTS & LEISURE
New Orleans, though often crowded and congested, boasts some great parks (all free) to walk, jog, ride a bike, and play ball (basketball, soccer, baseball, etc.)
A gym or a fitness club membership will cost you around 40$, while going to the cinema and enjoying some movie time is also pretty reasonable, at 13$ per ticket.
| Average Leisure Prices | |
|---|---|
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $61.00 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $30.48 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $13.25 |
CLOTHING & SHOES
Though there are several malls and shopping areas in which to browse for clothing and shoes, you can support New Orleans’s impressive number of locally-owned businesses by shopping in their stores.
As for the regular brands, you can buy quality jeans for around 60$, and running sneakers for 100$.
| Average Clothing Prices | |
|---|---|
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $59.17 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $47.71 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $100.00 |
RENT PER MONTH
There are, of course, areas in the city where it’s expensive to rent.
The French Quarter and the Garden District are such areas, but still, even in these places, you can find hidden gems that are reasonable to afford to live.
For some reason, New Orleans’ real estate has gone up through the roof, and therefore rent and home ownership are going to be much more expensive than in many cities the same size.
| Average Rent Prices | |
|---|---|
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $1651.15 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $1071.60 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $3218.00 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in New Orleans, LA?
As in most countries of the world, the biggest expense for the people of New Orleans is food and groceries – a huge percentage of one’s income gets spent on food.
The second biggest expense is rent, since it’s relatively high though not as high as you’d expect in a city as popular as New Orleans.
Transportation expenses and going to restaurants are important for the people of New Orleans since they spend huge amounts of money on each.
Not surprisingly, the smallest financial burden for the people of New Orleans are, as always, the clothes and accessories.
Average Costs Breakdown
New Orleans, LA: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
Unfortunately, the pay scales here are not climbing as fast as prices, housing, and tax costs.
The income levels are not matching the increase in living costs, but compared to the national average home prices, food, and transportation are still extremely low.
Businesses seem to be going pretty stable in New Orleans – at no extreme growth or loss.
Everything just moves along at a slow pace.
An average monthly net salary in New Orleans is around 3700$ while a minimum wage is roughly 1200$.
New Orleans Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: New Orleans Safety Review
| OVERALL RISK | MEDIUM |
|---|---|
| TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK | LOW |
| PICKPOCKETS RISK | HIGH |
| NATURAL DISASTERS RISK | MEDIUM |
| MUGGING RISK | HIGH |
| TERRORISM RISK | LOW |
| SCAMS RISK | HIGH |
| WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK | MEDIUM |
| TAP WATER RISK | LOW |
It’s interesting how vibrant cities like New Orleans can have such a contrasting vibe when it comes to costs. You think you’re stepping into this affordable paradise, only to realize that rent can hit you hard. It definitely makes you appreciate the culture even more, but it also raises some questions about sustainability for residents. It’s a beautiful place, but balancing that charm with everyday expenses must be tough for locals.