Living Cost Compare
Little Rock

Arkansas

$1,080/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 $1,080 in Little Rock, AR versus $1,170 in New Orleans, LA. Overall, Little Rock, AR is roughly 8% cheaper to live in day-to-day than New Orleans, LA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $60,583 in Little Rock, AR and $55,339 in New Orleans, LA — about 9% higher in Little Rock, AR. Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Little Rock, AR
New Orleans, LA

Rent

Studio
$981
$953
+3% in Little Rock, AR
1 Bedroom
$904
$1,019
+13% in New Orleans, LA
2 Bedroom
$1,064
$1,287
+21% in New Orleans, LA
3 Bedroom
$1,292
$1,392
+8% in New Orleans, LA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$221,200
$296,400
+34% in New Orleans, LA

Income

Median Household Income
$60,583
$55,339
+9% in Little Rock, AR
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$45,790
$47,290
+3% in New Orleans, LA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.4 yr
38.4 yr
+2.0 yr in New Orleans, LA
Homeownership
54.2%
50.5%
+3.7 pp in Little Rock, AR
Bachelor's+ (25+)
44.0%
42.0%
+2.0 pp in Little Rock, AR
Avg Commute
18.3 min
22.7 min
+4.4 min in New Orleans, LA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,673
1,361.1
+19% in Little Rock, AR
Property Crime
5,251.5
5,089.6
+3% in Little Rock, AR

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
62.7°F
70.6°F
+7.9°F in New Orleans, LA
Annual Precipitation
49.8 in
62.3 in
+12.5 in in New Orleans, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.62/gal
about equal

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) 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)
14.4
14.2
+1% in Little Rock, AR
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$25.93
$16.62
+36% in Little Rock, AR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.00
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.75
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.21
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.45
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AR / LA)
6.5%
5%
+1.5 pp in AR
Income Tax (top rate)
3.90%
3.00%
+0.9 pp in AR

Little Rock vs New Orleans — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Little Rock or New Orleans?
Little Rock, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,080 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 8% below New Orleans, LA's $1,170, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Little Rock than in New Orleans?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Little Rock versus $41,000 in New Orleans.
Which has lower taxes, Little Rock or New Orleans?
Little Rock is taxed under Arkansas's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% 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).