Living Cost Compare
Naperville

Illinois

$1,830/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 $1,830 in Naperville, IL versus $1,170 in New Orleans, LA. Overall, New Orleans, LA is roughly 36% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Naperville, IL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $150,937 in Naperville, IL and $55,339 in New Orleans, LA — about 63% higher in Naperville, IL. Illinois has a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Naperville, IL
New Orleans, LA

Rent

Studio
$1,713
$953
+44% in Naperville, IL
1 Bedroom
$1,594
$1,019
+36% in Naperville, IL
2 Bedroom
$1,889
$1,287
+32% in Naperville, IL
3 Bedroom
$2,446
$1,392
+43% in Naperville, IL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$509,900
$296,400
+42% in Naperville, IL

Income

Median Household Income
$150,937
$55,339
+63% in Naperville, IL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$54,720
$47,290
+14% in Naperville, IL

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
40.1 yr
38.4 yr
+1.7 yr in Naperville, IL
Homeownership
74.3%
50.5%
+23.8 pp in Naperville, IL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
71.7%
42.0%
+29.7 pp in Naperville, IL
Avg Commute
31.4 min
22.7 min
+8.7 min in Naperville, IL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
85.7
1,361.1
+1488% in New Orleans, LA
Property Crime
892.2
5,089.6
+470% 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
49.9°F
70.6°F
+20.7°F in New Orleans, LA
Annual Precipitation
36.9 in
62.3 in
+25.4 in in New Orleans, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.62/gal
+8% in Naperville, IL

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)
23.9
14.2
+41% in Naperville, IL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$15.39
$16.62
+8% in New Orleans, LA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.00
+7% in Naperville, IL
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$1.75
+5% in New Orleans, LA
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.21
+39% in Naperville, IL
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.45
+5% in Naperville, IL
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$1.90
+9% in Naperville, IL
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 (IL / LA)
6.25%
5%
+1.3 pp in IL
Income Tax (top rate)
4.95%
3.00%
+2.0 pp in IL

Naperville vs New Orleans — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Naperville or New Orleans?
New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 36% below Naperville, IL's $1,830, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Naperville than in New Orleans?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $64,000 a year in Naperville versus $41,000 in New Orleans.
Which has lower taxes, Naperville or New Orleans?
Naperville is taxed under Illinois's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% 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).