Is it cheaper to live in Madison or New Orleans?

New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 17% below Madison, WI's $1,410, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Madison than in New Orleans?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $49,000 a year in Madison versus $41,000 in New Orleans.

Which has lower taxes, Madison or New Orleans?

Madison is taxed under Wisconsin's rules (a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax); New Orleans under Louisiana's (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax).

Madison vs New Orleans Cost of Living 2026

Madison

Wisconsin

$1,410/mo est.

New Orleans

Louisiana

$1,170/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,410 in Madison, WI versus $1,170 in New Orleans, LA. Overall, New Orleans, LA is roughly 17% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Madison, WI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $76,983 in Madison, WI and $55,339 in New Orleans, LA — about 28% higher in Madison, WI. Wisconsin has a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Madison, WI

New Orleans, LA

Rent

Studio

$1,018

$953

+6% in Madison, WI

1 Bedroom

$1,219

$1,019

+16% in Madison, WI

2 Bedroom

$1,432

$1,287

+10% in Madison, WI

3 Bedroom

$1,766

$1,392

+21% in Madison, WI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$346,900

$296,400

+15% in Madison, WI

Income

Median Household Income

$76,983

$55,339

+28% in Madison, WI

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$58,080

$47,290

+19% in Madison, WI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

31.8 yr

38.4 yr

+6.6 yr in New Orleans, LA

Homeownership

46.6%

50.5%

+3.9 pp in New Orleans, LA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

59.2%

42.0%

+17.2 pp in Madison, WI

Avg Commute

19.4 min

22.7 min

+3.3 min in New Orleans, LA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

259.5

1,361.1

+425% in New Orleans, LA

Property Crime

1,884.5

5,089.6

+170% 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

46.5°F

70.6°F

+24.1°F in New Orleans, LA

Annual Precipitation

34.5 in

62.3 in

+27.8 in in New Orleans, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$3.62/gal

+8% in Madison, WI

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) 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)

19.7

14.2

+28% in Madison, WI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$11.79

$16.62

+41% in New Orleans, LA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.00

+7% in Madison, WI

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$1.75

+5% in New Orleans, LA

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.21

+39% in Madison, WI

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$6.45

+5% in Madison, WI

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$1.90

+9% in Madison, WI

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WI / LA)

about equal

Income Tax (top rate)

7.65%

3.00%

+4.7 pp in WI

Madison vs New Orleans — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Madison or New Orleans?: New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 17% below Madison, WI's $1,410, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Madison than in New Orleans?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $49,000 a year in Madison versus $41,000 in New Orleans.
Which has lower taxes, Madison or New Orleans?: Madison is taxed under Wisconsin's rules (a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 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).