Living Cost Compare
Austin

Texas

$1,650/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 $1,650 in Austin, TX versus $1,170 in New Orleans, LA. Overall, New Orleans, LA is roughly 29% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $55,339 in New Orleans, LA — about 39% higher in Austin, 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.

Austin, TX
New Orleans, LA

Rent

Studio
$1,348
$953
+29% in Austin, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,457
$1,019
+30% in Austin, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,776
$1,287
+28% in Austin, TX
3 Bedroom
$2,127
$1,392
+35% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$512,700
$296,400
+42% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$91,461
$55,339
+39% in Austin, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,950
$47,290
+17% in Austin, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.5 yr
38.4 yr
+3.9 yr in New Orleans, LA
Homeownership
44.4%
50.5%
+6.1 pp in New Orleans, LA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
58.2%
42.0%
+16.2 pp in Austin, TX
Avg Commute
24.0 min
22.7 min
+1.3 min in Austin, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
475.9
1,361.1
+186% in New Orleans, LA
Property Crime
3,290.2
5,089.6
+55% 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
67.2°F
70.6°F
+3.4°F in New Orleans, LA
Annual Precipitation
34.9 in
62.3 in
+27.4 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)
$1.25
$1.25
about equal

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

Utilities

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

Austin vs New Orleans — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or New Orleans?
New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 29% below Austin, TX's $1,650, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in New Orleans?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $41,000 in New Orleans.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or New Orleans?
Austin 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).