Is it cheaper to live in New Orleans or St. Paul?

New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below St. Paul, MN's $1,300, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in New Orleans than in St. Paul?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $41,000 a year in New Orleans versus $45,000 in St. Paul.

Which has lower taxes, New Orleans or St. Paul?

New Orleans is taxed under Louisiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax); St. Paul under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax).

New Orleans vs St. Paul Cost of Living 2026

New Orleans

Louisiana

$1,170/mo est.

St. Paul

Minnesota

$1,300/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 $1,300 in St. Paul, MN. Overall, New Orleans, LA is roughly 10% cheaper to live in day-to-day than St. Paul, MN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $55,339 in New Orleans, LA and $73,055 in St. Paul, MN — about 24% higher in St. Paul, MN. Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

New Orleans, LA

St. Paul, MN

Rent

Studio

$953

$995

+4% in St. Paul, MN

1 Bedroom

$1,019

$1,126

+11% in St. Paul, MN

2 Bedroom

$1,287

$1,384

+8% in St. Paul, MN

3 Bedroom

$1,392

$1,662

+19% in St. Paul, MN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$296,400

$280,300

+5% in New Orleans, LA

Income

Median Household Income

$55,339

$73,055

+32% in St. Paul, MN

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$47,290

$59,320

+25% in St. Paul, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

38.4 yr

33.5 yr

+4.9 yr in New Orleans, LA

Homeownership

50.5%

53.2%

+2.7 pp in St. Paul, MN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

42.0%

43.5%

+1.5 pp in St. Paul, MN

Avg Commute

22.7 min

22.3 min

+0.4 min in New Orleans, LA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,361.1

619

+55% in New Orleans, LA

Property Crime

5,089.6

2,897.2

+43% 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

70.6°F

47.1°F

+23.5°F in New Orleans, LA

Annual Precipitation

62.3 in

28.5 in

+33.8 in in New Orleans, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.62/gal

$3.95/gal

+9% in St. Paul, MN

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs Minnesota.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.25

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.2

16.9

+20% in St. Paul, MN

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$16.62

$14.95

+10% in New Orleans, LA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.31

+8% in St. Paul, MN

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$1.66

+5% in New Orleans, LA

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$3.63

+64% in St. Paul, MN

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$6.77

+5% in St. Paul, MN

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.10

+10% in St. Paul, MN

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (LA / MN)

6.875%

+1.9 pp in MN

Income Tax (top rate)

3.00%

9.85%

+6.8 pp in MN

New Orleans vs St. Paul — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in New Orleans or St. Paul?: New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below St. Paul, MN's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in New Orleans than in St. Paul?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $41,000 a year in New Orleans versus $45,000 in St. Paul.
Which has lower taxes, New Orleans or St. Paul?: New Orleans is taxed under Louisiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax); St. Paul under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% 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).