Living Cost Compare
Arlington

Texas

$1,370/mo est.

vs
New Orleans

Louisiana

$1,170/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,370 in Arlington, TX versus $1,170 in New Orleans, LA. Overall, New Orleans, LA is roughly 15% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Arlington, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $73,519 in Arlington, TX and $55,339 in New Orleans, LA — about 25% higher in Arlington, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Arlington, TX
New Orleans, LA

Rent

Studio
$1,088
$953
+12% in Arlington, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,183
$1,019
+14% in Arlington, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,410
$1,287
+9% in Arlington, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,819
$1,392
+23% in Arlington, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$276,400
$296,400
+7% in New Orleans, LA

Income

Median Household Income
$73,519
$55,339
+25% in Arlington, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$47,290
+8% in Arlington, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.6 yr
38.4 yr
+4.8 yr in New Orleans, LA
Homeownership
54.8%
50.5%
+4.3 pp in Arlington, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.1%
42.0%
+8.9 pp in New Orleans, LA
Avg Commute
26.7 min
22.7 min
+4.0 min in Arlington, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
492.4
1,361.1
+176% in New Orleans, LA
Property Crime
2,433.5
5,089.6
+109% in New Orleans, LA

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
65.4°F
70.6°F
+5.2°F in New Orleans, LA
Annual Precipitation
39.6 in
62.3 in
+22.7 in in New Orleans, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.96/gal
$3.99/gal
+1% in New Orleans, LA

Area: Texas vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
N/A
$1.25

Adult base one-way fare — Arlington On-Demand (Via) vs New Orleans RTA (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
14.2
+14% in Arlington, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.61
$16.62
+32% in Arlington, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.16
$4.16
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.73
$1.73
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.56
$6.56
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.61
$0.61
about equal

Average prices — South vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / LA)
6.25%
5%
+1.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
3.00%
+3.0 pp in LA

Arlington vs New Orleans — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or New Orleans?
New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below Arlington, TX's $1,370, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in New Orleans?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $41,000 in New Orleans.
Which has lower taxes, Arlington or New Orleans?
Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); New Orleans under Louisiana's (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).