Living Cost Compare
New Orleans

Louisiana

$1,170/mo est.

vs
Salt Lake City

Utah

$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 Salt Lake City, UT. Overall, New Orleans, LA is roughly 10% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Salt Lake City, UT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $55,339 in New Orleans, LA and $74,925 in Salt Lake City, UT — about 26% higher in Salt Lake City, UT. Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax; Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax.

New Orleans, LA
Salt Lake City, UT

Rent

Studio
$953
$997
+5% in Salt Lake City, UT
1 Bedroom
$1,019
$1,166
+14% in Salt Lake City, UT
2 Bedroom
$1,287
$1,461
+14% in Salt Lake City, UT
3 Bedroom
$1,392
$1,993
+43% in Salt Lake City, UT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$296,400
$495,700
+67% in Salt Lake City, UT

Income

Median Household Income
$55,339
$74,925
+35% in Salt Lake City, UT
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$47,290
$55,240
+17% in Salt Lake City, UT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.4 yr
33.0 yr
+5.4 yr in New Orleans, LA
Homeownership
50.5%
46.8%
+3.7 pp in New Orleans, LA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
42.0%
50.9%
+8.9 pp in Salt Lake City, UT
Avg Commute
22.7 min
19.6 min
+3.1 min in New Orleans, LA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,361.1
878.8
+35% in New Orleans, LA
Property Crime
5,089.6
5,257.3
+3% in Salt Lake City, UT

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
52.8°F
+17.8°F in New Orleans, LA
Annual Precipitation
62.3 in
16.1 in
+46.2 in in New Orleans, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$4.29/gal
+18% in Salt Lake City, UT

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs Rocky Mountain (PADD 4).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.2
13.0
+8% in New Orleans, LA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$16.62
$10.26
+38% in New Orleans, LA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.82
+20% in Salt Lake City, UT
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$2.04
+17% in Salt Lake City, UT
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in New Orleans, LA
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$7.36
+14% in Salt Lake City, UT
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.01
+6% in Salt Lake City, UT
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in Salt Lake City, UT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (LA / UT)
5%
6.1%
+1.1 pp in UT
Income Tax (top rate)
3.00%
4.50%
+1.5 pp in UT

New Orleans vs Salt Lake City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in New Orleans or Salt Lake City?
New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Salt Lake City, UT's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in New Orleans than in Salt Lake City?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $41,000 a year in New Orleans versus $47,000 in Salt Lake City.
Which has lower taxes, New Orleans or Salt Lake City?
New Orleans is taxed under Louisiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax); Salt Lake City under Utah's (a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% 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).