Is it cheaper to live in Casper or New Orleans?

Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below New Orleans, LA's $1,170, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in New Orleans?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $41,000 in New Orleans.

Which has lower taxes, Casper or New Orleans?

Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); New Orleans under Louisiana's (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax).

Casper vs New Orleans Cost of Living 2026

Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

New Orleans

Louisiana

$1,170/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $1,170 in New Orleans, LA. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 21% cheaper to live in day-to-day than New Orleans, LA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $55,339 in New Orleans, LA — about 20% higher in Casper, WY. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Casper, WY

New Orleans, LA

Rent

Studio

$730

$953

+31% in New Orleans, LA

1 Bedroom

$764

$1,019

+33% in New Orleans, LA

2 Bedroom

$930

$1,287

+38% in New Orleans, LA

3 Bedroom

$1,299

$1,392

+7% in New Orleans, LA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$250,700

$296,400

+18% in New Orleans, LA

Income

Median Household Income

$69,171

$55,339

+20% in Casper, WY

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,880

$47,290

+3% in Casper, WY

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.0 yr

38.4 yr

+1.4 yr in New Orleans, LA

Homeownership

70.3%

50.5%

+19.8 pp in Casper, WY

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

42.0%

+12.0 pp in New Orleans, LA

Avg Commute

16.9 min

22.7 min

+5.8 min in New Orleans, LA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

302.4

1,361.1

+350% in New Orleans, LA

Property Crime

2,123.8

5,089.6

+140% 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

45.4°F

70.6°F

+25.2°F in New Orleans, LA

Annual Precipitation

12.5 in

62.3 in

+49.8 in in New Orleans, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.62/gal

+15% in Casper, WY

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)

15.2

13.5

+11% in Casper, WY

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$18.28

$16.62

+9% in Casper, WY

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.00

+17% in Casper, WY

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.75

+14% in Casper, WY

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in New Orleans, LA

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.45

+12% in Casper, WY

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$1.90

+6% in Casper, WY

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Casper, WY

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / LA)

+1.0 pp in LA

Income Tax (top rate)

None

3.00%

+3.0 pp in LA

Casper vs New Orleans — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or New Orleans?: Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below New Orleans, LA's $1,170, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in New Orleans?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $41,000 in New Orleans.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or New Orleans?: Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% 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).