Living Cost Compare
Baton Rouge

Louisiana

$1,000/mo est.

vs
Rapid City

South Dakota

$970/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,000 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $970 in Rapid City, SD. Overall, Rapid City, SD is roughly 3% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Baton Rouge, LA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $49,944 in Baton Rouge, LA and $65,712 in Rapid City, SD — about 24% higher in Rapid City, SD. Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax; South Dakota has no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax.

Baton Rouge, LA
Rapid City, SD

Rent

Studio
$881
$533
+40% in Baton Rouge, LA
1 Bedroom
$854
$807
+6% in Baton Rouge, LA
2 Bedroom
$1,075
$1,156
+8% in Rapid City, SD
3 Bedroom
$1,241
$1,260
+2% in Rapid City, SD

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$224,500
$270,000
+20% in Rapid City, SD

Income

Median Household Income
$49,944
$65,712
+32% in Rapid City, SD
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,710
$46,270
+5% in Baton Rouge, LA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
31.8 yr
39.0 yr
+7.2 yr in Rapid City, SD
Homeownership
46.9%
61.6%
+14.7 pp in Rapid City, SD
Bachelor's+ (25+)
35.8%
36.4%
+0.6 pp in Rapid City, SD
Avg Commute
21.1 min
17.4 min
+3.7 min in Baton Rouge, LA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
305
718.9
+136% in Rapid City, SD
Property Crime
1,756.3
3,795.8
+116% in Rapid City, SD

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
68.5°F
47.1°F
+21.4°F in Baton Rouge, LA
Annual Precipitation
60.6 in
16.3 in
+44.4 in in Baton Rouge, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.85/gal
+6% in Rapid City, SD

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
13.5
15.4
+14% in Rapid City, SD
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$16.62
$15.26
+8% in Baton Rouge, LA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Rapid City, SD
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.66
+5% in Baton Rouge, LA
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$3.63
+64% in Rapid City, SD
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.77
+5% in Rapid City, SD
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.10
+10% in Rapid City, SD
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (LA / SD)
5%
4.2%
+0.8 pp in LA
Income Tax (top rate)
3.00%
None
+3.0 pp in LA

Baton Rouge vs Rapid City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Baton Rouge or Rapid City?
Rapid City, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $970 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Baton Rouge, LA's $1,000, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Baton Rouge than in Rapid City?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $34,000 a year in Baton Rouge versus $32,000 in Rapid City.
Which has lower taxes, Baton Rouge or Rapid City?
Baton Rouge is taxed under Louisiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax); Rapid City under South Dakota's (no state income tax and a 4.2% 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).