Living Cost Compare
Bozeman

Montana

$1,360/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 $1,360 in Bozeman, MT versus $1,170 in New Orleans, LA. Overall, New Orleans, LA is roughly 14% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Bozeman, MT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $79,903 in Bozeman, MT and $55,339 in New Orleans, LA — about 31% higher in Bozeman, MT. Montana has a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Bozeman, MT
New Orleans, LA

Rent

Studio
$1,064
$953
+10% in Bozeman, MT
1 Bedroom
$1,214
$1,019
+16% in Bozeman, MT
2 Bedroom
$1,528
$1,287
+16% in Bozeman, MT
3 Bedroom
$2,057
$1,392
+32% in Bozeman, MT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$614,900
$296,400
+52% in Bozeman, MT

Income

Median Household Income
$79,903
$55,339
+31% in Bozeman, MT
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$54,830
$47,290
+14% in Bozeman, MT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
28.6 yr
38.4 yr
+9.8 yr in New Orleans, LA
Homeownership
44.6%
50.5%
+5.9 pp in New Orleans, LA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
65.1%
42.0%
+23.1 pp in Bozeman, MT
Avg Commute
15.4 min
22.7 min
+7.3 min in New Orleans, LA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
451.2
1,361.1
+202% in New Orleans, LA
Property Crime
1,808.3
5,089.6
+181% 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
45.3°F
70.6°F
+25.3°F in New Orleans, LA
Annual Precipitation
14.0 in
62.3 in
+48.3 in in New Orleans, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.27/gal
$3.62/gal
+15% in Bozeman, MT

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$1.25

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.1
13.5
+11% in Bozeman, MT
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$10.12
$16.62
+64% in New Orleans, LA

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

Groceries

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

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MT / LA)
None
5%
+5.0 pp in LA
Income Tax (top rate)
5.65%
3.00%
+2.7 pp in MT

Bozeman vs New Orleans — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Bozeman or New Orleans?
New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 14% below Bozeman, MT's $1,360, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Bozeman than in New Orleans?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $49,000 a year in Bozeman versus $41,000 in New Orleans.
Which has lower taxes, Bozeman or New Orleans?
Bozeman is taxed under Montana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no 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).