Living Cost Compare
New Orleans

Louisiana

$1,170/mo est.

vs
St. Louis

Missouri

$1,030/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,170 in New Orleans, LA versus $1,030 in St. Louis, MO. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 12% cheaper to live in day-to-day than New Orleans, LA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $55,339 in New Orleans, LA and $55,279 in St. Louis, MO. Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

New Orleans, LA
St. Louis, MO

Rent

Studio
$953
$864
+9% in New Orleans, LA
1 Bedroom
$1,019
$866
+15% in New Orleans, LA
2 Bedroom
$1,287
$1,109
+14% in New Orleans, LA
3 Bedroom
$1,392
$1,135
+18% in New Orleans, LA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$296,400
$185,100
+38% in New Orleans, LA

Income

Median Household Income
$55,339
$55,279
+0% in New Orleans, LA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$47,290
$49,990
+6% in St. Louis, MO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.4 yr
36.6 yr
+1.8 yr in New Orleans, LA
Homeownership
50.5%
45.4%
+5.1 pp in New Orleans, LA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
42.0%
40.2%
+1.8 pp in New Orleans, LA
Avg Commute
22.7 min
22.2 min
+0.5 min in New Orleans, LA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,361.1
1,372.9
+1% in St. Louis, MO
Property Crime
5,089.6
5,794.9
+14% in St. Louis, MO

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
70.6°F
55.7°F
+14.9°F in New Orleans, LA
Annual Precipitation
62.3 in
40.9 in
+21.4 in in New Orleans, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.94/gal
+9% in St. Louis, MO

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.2
13.7
+3% in New Orleans, LA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$16.62
$24.13
+45% in St. Louis, MO

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in St. Louis, MO
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.66
+5% in New Orleans, LA
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$3.63
+64% in St. Louis, MO
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.77
+5% in St. Louis, MO
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.10
+10% in St. Louis, MO
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

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

New Orleans vs St. Louis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in New Orleans or St. Louis?
St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 12% below New Orleans, LA's $1,170, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in New Orleans than in St. Louis?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $41,000 a year in New Orleans versus $35,000 in St. Louis.
Which has lower taxes, New Orleans or St. Louis?
New Orleans is taxed under Louisiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax); St. Louis under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% 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).