Living Cost Compare
Seattle

Washington

$2,030/mo est.

vs
Shreveport

Louisiana

$1,000/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $2,030 in Seattle, WA versus $1,000 in Shreveport, LA. Overall, Shreveport, LA is roughly 51% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Seattle, WA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $121,984 in Seattle, WA and $48,465 in Shreveport, LA — about 60% higher in Seattle, WA. Washington has no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Seattle, WA
Shreveport, LA

Rent

Studio
$1,638
$756
+54% in Seattle, WA
1 Bedroom
$1,858
$843
+55% in Seattle, WA
2 Bedroom
$2,359
$978
+59% in Seattle, WA
3 Bedroom
$2,918
$1,136
+61% in Seattle, WA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$912,100
$178,100
+80% in Seattle, WA

Income

Median Household Income
$121,984
$48,465
+60% in Seattle, WA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$72,610
$44,820
+38% in Seattle, WA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.5 yr
37.5 yr
+2.0 yr in Shreveport, LA
Homeownership
44.2%
53.8%
+9.6 pp in Shreveport, LA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
67.5%
27.5%
+40.0 pp in Seattle, WA
Avg Commute
26.6 min
19.0 min
+7.6 min in Seattle, WA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
788.6
1,235.4
+57% in Shreveport, LA
Property Crime
5,108.8
4,048.2
+21% in Seattle, WA

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
53.5°F
65.5°F
+12.0°F in Shreveport, LA
Annual Precipitation
37.7 in
51.0 in
+13.2 in in Shreveport, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.31/gal
$3.62/gal
+32% in Seattle, WA

Area: Seattle vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.75
—

Adult base one-way fare — King County Metro vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.9
14.2
+5% in Seattle, WA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.41
$16.62
+19% in Seattle, WA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.00
+17% in Seattle, WA
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.75
+14% in Seattle, WA
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.21
+1% in Shreveport, LA
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.45
+12% in Seattle, WA
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$1.90
+6% in Seattle, WA
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.62
+12% in Seattle, WA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WA / LA)
6.5%
5%
+1.5 pp in WA
Income Tax (top rate)
None
3.00%
+3.0 pp in LA

Seattle vs Shreveport — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Seattle or Shreveport?
Shreveport, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,000 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 51% below Seattle, WA's $2,030, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Seattle than in Shreveport?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $74,000 a year in Seattle versus $34,000 in Shreveport.
Which has lower taxes, Seattle or Shreveport?
Seattle is taxed under Washington's rules (no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax); Shreveport 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).