Living Cost Compare
Aurora

Colorado

$1,300/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 $1,300 in Aurora, CO versus $1,170 in New Orleans, LA. Overall, New Orleans, LA is roughly 10% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Aurora, CO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $85,364 in Aurora, CO and $55,339 in New Orleans, LA — about 35% 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
New Orleans, LA

Rent

Studio
—
$953
1 Bedroom
$1,138
$1,019
+10% in Aurora, CO
2 Bedroom
$2,284
$1,287
+44% in Aurora, CO
3 Bedroom
$2,320
$1,392
+40% in Aurora, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$689,000
$296,400
+57% in Aurora, CO

Income

Median Household Income
$85,364
$55,339
+35% in Aurora, CO
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$62,320
$47,290
+24% in Aurora, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.3 yr
38.4 yr
+3.1 yr in New Orleans, LA
Homeownership
46.0%
50.5%
+4.5 pp in New Orleans, LA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
41.4%
42.0%
+0.6 pp in New Orleans, LA
Avg Commute
18.7 min
22.7 min
+4.0 min in New Orleans, LA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
952.4
1,361.1
+43% in New Orleans, LA
Property Crime
3,366.6
5,089.6
+51% 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
50.2°F
70.6°F
+20.4°F in New Orleans, LA
Annual Precipitation
15.6 in
62.3 in
+46.7 in in New Orleans, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.54/gal
$3.99/gal
+12% in Aurora, CO

Area: Colorado vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.75
$1.25
+55% in Aurora, CO

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.7
14.2
+15% in Aurora, CO
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$11.64
$16.62
+43% in New Orleans, LA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.37
$4.16
+5% in Aurora, CO
Bread (lb)
$2.10
$1.73
+18% in Aurora, CO
Eggs (doz)
$2.25
$2.19
+3% in Aurora, CO
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.23
$6.56
+9% in Aurora, CO
Chicken (lb)
$2.14
$1.90
+11% in Aurora, CO
Bananas (lb)
$0.74
$0.61
+17% 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 New Orleans — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Aurora or New Orleans?
New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Aurora, CO's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Aurora than in New Orleans?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Aurora versus $41,000 in New Orleans.
Which has lower taxes, Aurora or New Orleans?
Aurora is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% 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).