Living Cost Compare
Denver

Colorado

$1,750/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 $1,750 in Denver, CO versus $1,170 in New Orleans, LA. Overall, New Orleans, LA is roughly 33% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Denver, CO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,681 in Denver, CO and $55,339 in New Orleans, LA — about 40% higher in Denver, 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.

Denver, CO
New Orleans, LA

Rent

Studio
$1,497
$953
+36% in Denver, CO
1 Bedroom
$1,583
$1,019
+36% in Denver, CO
2 Bedroom
$1,958
$1,287
+34% in Denver, CO
3 Bedroom
$2,269
$1,392
+39% in Denver, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$586,700
$296,400
+49% in Denver, CO

Income

Median Household Income
$91,681
$55,339
+40% in Denver, CO
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$62,320
$47,290
+24% in Denver, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.2 yr
38.4 yr
+3.2 yr in New Orleans, LA
Homeownership
49.1%
50.5%
+1.4 pp in New Orleans, LA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
55.6%
42.0%
+13.6 pp in Denver, CO
Avg Commute
25.4 min
22.7 min
+2.7 min in Denver, CO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
998.3
1,361.1
+36% in New Orleans, LA
Property Crime
4,781.9
5,089.6
+6% 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
$4.58/gal
$3.99/gal
+13% in Denver, CO

Area: Denver vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

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

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.7
14.2
+15% in Denver, 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 Denver, CO
Bread (lb)
$2.10
$1.73
+18% in Denver, CO
Eggs (doz)
$2.25
$2.19
+3% in Denver, CO
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.23
$6.56
+9% in Denver, CO
Chicken (lb)
$2.14
$1.90
+11% in Denver, CO
Bananas (lb)
$0.74
$0.61
+17% in Denver, 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

Denver vs New Orleans — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Denver or New Orleans?
New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 33% below Denver, CO's $1,750, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Denver than in New Orleans?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Denver versus $41,000 in New Orleans.
Which has lower taxes, Denver or New Orleans?
Denver 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).