Living Cost Compare
Jersey City

New Jersey

$2,100/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 $2,100 in Jersey City, NJ versus $1,170 in New Orleans, LA. Overall, New Orleans, LA is roughly 44% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Jersey City, NJ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $94,813 in Jersey City, NJ and $55,339 in New Orleans, LA — about 42% higher in Jersey City, NJ. New Jersey has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Jersey City, NJ
New Orleans, LA

Rent

Studio
$1,949
$953
+51% in Jersey City, NJ
1 Bedroom
$1,853
$1,019
+45% in Jersey City, NJ
2 Bedroom
$1,857
$1,287
+31% in Jersey City, NJ
3 Bedroom
$2,004
$1,392
+31% in Jersey City, NJ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$534,500
$296,400
+45% in Jersey City, NJ

Income

Median Household Income
$94,813
$55,339
+42% in Jersey City, NJ
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$61,430
$47,290
+23% in Jersey City, NJ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.7 yr
38.4 yr
+3.7 yr in New Orleans, LA
Homeownership
28.8%
50.5%
+21.7 pp in New Orleans, LA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
53.1%
42.0%
+11.1 pp in Jersey City, NJ
Avg Commute
36.9 min
22.7 min
+14.2 min in Jersey City, NJ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
562.9
1,361.1
+142% in New Orleans, LA
Property Crime
2,036.4
5,089.6
+150% 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
55.0°F
70.6°F
+15.6°F in New Orleans, LA
Annual Precipitation
49.9 in
62.3 in
+12.4 in in New Orleans, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.62/gal
+8% in Jersey City, NJ

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) 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)
24.9
13.5
+46% in Jersey City, NJ
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$17.68
$16.62
+6% in Jersey City, NJ

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.00
+7% in Jersey City, NJ
Bread (lb)
$1.92
$1.75
+9% in Jersey City, NJ
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.21
+1% in New Orleans, LA
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.90
$6.45
+6% in Jersey City, NJ
Chicken (lb)
$2.19
$1.90
+13% in Jersey City, NJ
Bananas (lb)
$0.69
$0.62
+11% in Jersey City, NJ

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NJ / LA)
6.625%
5%
+1.6 pp in NJ
Income Tax (top rate)
10.75%
3.00%
+7.8 pp in NJ

Jersey City vs New Orleans — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Jersey City or New Orleans?
New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 44% below Jersey City, NJ's $2,100, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Jersey City than in New Orleans?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $74,000 a year in Jersey City versus $41,000 in New Orleans.
Which has lower taxes, Jersey City or New Orleans?
Jersey City is taxed under New Jersey's rules (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% 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).