Orleans Parish · Louisiana
New Orleans cost of living (LA)
Price levels published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis for New Orleans-Metairie, LA, with the national average set to 100 — so 108 means things cost 8% more here than the US average.
Quick answer
New Orleans costs 7.4% below the national average — all-items price level 92.6, rank 76 of 94 covered metros. A $100,000 national-average salary needs to be $92,597 here. Utilities is the reason, at 71.2.
- All items
- 92.6US average = 100
- Housing
- 86.014.0% below the national average
- Goods
- 93.76.3% below the national average
- Other services
- 95.74.3% below the national average
Price level by component
Where the difference actually comes from.
| Component | Index | vs US | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goods | 93.7 | -6.3% | Groceries, fuel, clothing, durable purchases. |
| Housing | 86.0 | -14.0% | Rents and imputed rents — the biggest single swing factor. |
| Utilities | 71.2 | -28.8% | Electricity, gas, water and other household energy. |
| Other services | 95.7 | -4.3% | Healthcare, dining, repairs, personal services. |
Reading the New Orleans price level
What the 92.6 figure actually means for a household here.
New Orleans prices sit 7.4% below the US average — an all-items parity of 92.6, rank 76 of 94 covered metros. Moderately below average. The median covered metro reads 100.8.
Utilities drives it: 71.2, 28.8% below average. Other services pull the other way at 95.7. The spread between the cheapest and dearest component is 24.5 points, so the headline number hides real variation — a renter and an owner in New Orleans do not face the same cost gap versus the rest of the country.
A $100,000 national-average salary needs to be $92,597 here to buy the same basket. Run it the other way: the $51,116 median household income in New Orleans is worth $55,203 in national-average dollars, 29.7% below the $78,538 US median. Local pay does not cover the local price level.
Parities are published for New Orleans-Metairie, LA as a whole. Neighbourhood prices inside that metro diverge widely, and BEA revises the series annually.
What your salary is worth in New Orleans, LA
Enter a salary. We deflate it by the local price level (92.6 where 100 is the US average) and show what you would need to earn here to match the same pay somewhere average.
- Real value here
- $55,203
- Needed to match US average
- $47,332
- Monthly difference
- $-315
What a local paycheck is really worth
Nominal pay is only half the story.
$51,116 median household income in New Orleans is worth $55,203 in national-average dollars. BEA calls that real income: income × 100 ÷ 92.6.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this area.
- Is New Orleans expensive?
- No — 7.4% below the US average, rank 76 of 94 covered metros. utilities is the component furthest from average at 71.2.
- What salary do you need to live in New Orleans, LA?
- $92,597 to match a $100,000 national-average salary. The local median household earns $51,116, worth $55,203 after adjusting for the 92.6 price level.
- Why is the cost of living low in New Orleans?
- Utilities at 71.2 versus other services at 95.7. A 24.5-point spread between components means one category, not general inflation, sets the headline figure.
More New Orleans data
Other New Orleans datasets on this site.
- New Orleans population and income
- New Orleans sales tax rate
- New Orleans property tax
- New Orleans home values and rent
- New Orleans public schools
- New Orleans weather normals
- New Orleans commute times
- New Orleans jobs and wages
- New Orleans area codes
Statewide: Louisiana cities · Louisiana ZIP codes · Louisiana sales tax · Louisiana counties
2024 BEA Regional Price Parities, published for New Orleans-Metairie, LA. Parities are metro-wide, so a single neighbourhood can sit well above or below these figures.