Living Cost Compare
Aurora

Colorado

$1,300/mo est.

vs
Baton Rouge

Louisiana

$1,010/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,300 in Aurora, CO versus $1,010 in Baton Rouge, LA. Overall, Baton Rouge, LA is roughly 22% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Aurora, CO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $85,364 in Aurora, CO and $49,944 in Baton Rouge, LA — about 41% higher in Aurora, CO. Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Aurora, CO
Baton Rouge, LA

Rent

Studio
—
$881
1 Bedroom
$1,138
$854
+25% in Aurora, CO
2 Bedroom
$2,284
$1,075
+53% in Aurora, CO
3 Bedroom
$2,320
$1,241
+47% in Aurora, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$689,000
$224,500
+67% in Aurora, CO

Income

Median Household Income
$85,364
$49,944
+41% in Aurora, CO
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$62,320
$48,710
+22% in Aurora, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.3 yr
31.8 yr
+3.5 yr in Aurora, CO
Homeownership
46.0%
46.9%
+0.9 pp in Baton Rouge, LA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
41.4%
35.8%
+5.6 pp in Aurora, CO
Avg Commute
18.7 min
21.1 min
+2.4 min in Baton Rouge, LA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
952.9
305
+68% in Aurora, CO
Property Crime
3,368.1
1,756.3
+48% in Aurora, CO

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
50.2°F
68.5°F
+18.3°F in Baton Rouge, LA
Annual Precipitation
15.6 in
60.6 in
+45.1 in in Baton Rouge, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.25/gal
$3.62/gal
+15% in Aurora, CO

Area: Colorado vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.75
—

Adult base one-way fare — RTD vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.2
14.2
+12% in Aurora, CO
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$11.92
$16.62
+39% in Baton Rouge, LA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.00
+17% in Aurora, CO
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.75
+14% in Aurora, CO
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.21
+1% in Baton Rouge, LA
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.45
+12% in Aurora, CO
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$1.90
+6% in Aurora, CO
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.62
+12% in Aurora, CO

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CO / LA)
2.9%
5%
+2.1 pp in LA
Income Tax (top rate)
4.40%
3.00%
+1.4 pp in CO

Aurora vs Baton Rouge — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Aurora or Baton Rouge?
Baton Rouge, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,010 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 22% below Aurora, CO's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Aurora than in Baton Rouge?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Aurora versus $34,000 in Baton Rouge.
Which has lower taxes, Aurora or Baton Rouge?
Aurora is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); Baton Rouge 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).