Living Cost Compare
Jacksonville

Florida

$1,320/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 $1,320 in Jacksonville, FL versus $1,170 in New Orleans, LA. Overall, New Orleans, LA is roughly 11% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Jacksonville, FL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL and $55,339 in New Orleans, LA — about 17% higher in Jacksonville, FL. Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Jacksonville, FL
New Orleans, LA

Rent

Studio
$1,127
$953
+15% in Jacksonville, FL
1 Bedroom
$1,146
$1,019
+11% in Jacksonville, FL
2 Bedroom
$1,385
$1,287
+7% in Jacksonville, FL
3 Bedroom
$1,545
$1,392
+10% in Jacksonville, FL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$266,100
$296,400
+11% in New Orleans, LA

Income

Median Household Income
$66,981
$55,339
+17% in Jacksonville, FL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,830
$47,290
+3% in Jacksonville, FL

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.4 yr
38.4 yr
+2.0 yr in New Orleans, LA
Homeownership
57.4%
50.5%
+6.9 pp in Jacksonville, FL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
31.8%
42.0%
+10.2 pp in New Orleans, LA
Avg Commute
24.1 min
22.7 min
+1.4 min in Jacksonville, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
557.6
1,361.1
+144% in New Orleans, LA
Property Crime
2,599.5
5,089.6
+96% 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
70.2°F
70.6°F
+0.4°F in New Orleans, LA
Annual Precipitation
49.2 in
62.3 in
+13.1 in in New Orleans, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.25/gal
$3.99/gal
+6% in Jacksonville, FL

Area: Florida vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.75
$1.25
+29% in Jacksonville, FL

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.9
14.2
+5% in Jacksonville, FL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$23.62
$16.62
+30% in Jacksonville, FL

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 (FL / LA)
6%
5%
+1.0 pp in FL
Income Tax (top rate)
None
3.00%
+3.0 pp in LA

Jacksonville vs New Orleans — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Jacksonville or New Orleans?
New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Jacksonville, FL's $1,320, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Jacksonville than in New Orleans?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Jacksonville versus $41,000 in New Orleans.
Which has lower taxes, Jacksonville or New Orleans?
Jacksonville is taxed under Florida's rules (no state income tax and a 6% 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).