Living Cost Compare
Kansas City

Missouri

$1,200/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 $1,200 in Kansas City, MO versus $1,170 in New Orleans, LA. Overall, New Orleans, LA is roughly 3% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Kansas City, MO, driven mainly by natural gas costs.

Median household income is $67,449 in Kansas City, MO and $55,339 in New Orleans, LA — about 18% higher in Kansas City, MO. Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Kansas City, MO
New Orleans, LA

Rent

Studio
$961
$953
+1% in Kansas City, MO
1 Bedroom
$1,031
$1,019
+1% in Kansas City, MO
2 Bedroom
$1,211
$1,287
+6% in New Orleans, LA
3 Bedroom
$1,381
$1,392
+1% in New Orleans, LA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$227,000
$296,400
+31% in New Orleans, LA

Income

Median Household Income
$67,449
$55,339
+18% in Kansas City, MO
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$50,820
$47,290
+7% in Kansas City, MO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.7 yr
38.4 yr
+2.7 yr in New Orleans, LA
Homeownership
54.6%
50.5%
+4.1 pp in Kansas City, MO
Bachelor's+ (25+)
37.8%
42.0%
+4.2 pp in New Orleans, LA
Avg Commute
21.9 min
22.7 min
+0.8 min in New Orleans, LA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,557.1
1,361.1
+13% in Kansas City, MO
Property Crime
4,722.1
5,089.6
+8% 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
56.7°F
70.6°F
+13.9°F in New Orleans, LA
Annual Precipitation
39.1 in
62.3 in
+23.2 in in New Orleans, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.62/gal
+8% in Kansas City, MO

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00
$1.25
+38% in Kansas City, MO

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
13.7
14.2
+3% in New Orleans, LA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.13
$16.62
+31% in Kansas City, MO

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.00
+7% in Kansas City, MO
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$1.75
+5% in New Orleans, LA
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.21
+39% in Kansas City, MO
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.45
+5% in Kansas City, MO
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$1.90
+9% in Kansas City, MO
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MO / LA)
4.225%
5%
+0.8 pp in LA
Income Tax (top rate)
4.70%
3.00%
+1.7 pp in MO

Kansas City vs New Orleans — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Kansas City or New Orleans?
New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Kansas City, MO's $1,200, mainly because of natural gas costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Kansas City than in New Orleans?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $41,000 a year in Kansas City versus $41,000 in New Orleans.
Which has lower taxes, Kansas City or New Orleans?
Kansas City is taxed under Missouri's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% 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).