CostIndexUSA

Baton Rouge, LA vs St. Petersburg, FL Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableLA
Baton Rouge
90.8
overall index
$1,350/mo rent
FL
St. Petersburg
100.9
overall index
$1,975/mo rent

Baton Rouge is moderately cheaper than St. Petersburg — 11.1% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Baton Rouge, you would need $88,900 in St. Petersburg. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+69.5%
Baton Rouge
74.2
St. Petersburg
125.8
🛒 Groceries+1.9%
Baton Rouge
93.7
St. Petersburg
95.5
🚗 Transportation+1.9%
Baton Rouge
100.5
St. Petersburg
102.4
🏥 Healthcare+2.0%
Baton Rouge
90.9
St. Petersburg
92.7
⚡ Utilities+24.3%
Baton Rouge
71.2
St. Petersburg
88.5

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Baton Rouge to see what you'd need to earn in St. Petersburg to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
→
Equivalent salary in St. Petersburg, FL
$88,900
$8,900 more needed in St. Petersburg

Formula: salary × (100.9 ÷ 90.8) = salary × 1.1112. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Baton Rouge, LA

Median Home Price
$240,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,350
Housing Index
74.2
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.8×

St. Petersburg, FL

Median Home Price
$352,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,975
Housing Index
125.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.9×

St. Petersburg has 69.5% higher housing costs compared to Baton Rouge.

Income & Job Market

Baton Rouge, LA

Median Household Income
$64,600
Per Capita Income
$36,800
Unemployment Rate
4.6%
Population
227,470
Top Industries
EnergyHealthcareGovernmentEducationManufacturing

St. Petersburg, FL

Median Household Income
$72,700
Per Capita Income
$41,400
Unemployment Rate
4.1%
Population
258,308
Top Industries
HealthcareFinanceTourismTechnologyRetail

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Baton Rouge, LA
4.0×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

St. Petersburg, FL
3.1×income-to-rent ratio

67% of income left after rent (median)

Baton Rouge vs other cities

Baton Rouge, LA
vs
Lafayette, LA
Index: 90.8Index: 87.2
Baton Rouge, LA
vs
Lake Charles, LA
Index: 90.8Index: 85.9
Baton Rouge, LA
vs
Monroe, LA
Index: 90.8Index: 83.6
Baton Rouge, LA
vs
Richmond, VA
Index: 90.8Index: 97.9
Baton Rouge, LA
vs
Santa Clarita, CA
Index: 90.8Index: 113.6

St. Petersburg vs other cities

St. Petersburg, FL
vs
Cape Coral, FL
Index: 100.9Index: 102.3
St. Petersburg, FL
vs
Daytona Beach, FL
Index: 100.9Index: 99.4
St. Petersburg, FL
vs
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Index: 100.9Index: 114.2
St. Petersburg, FL
vs
Scottsdale, AZ
Index: 100.9Index: 103.3
St. Petersburg, FL
vs
Lubbock, TX
Index: 100.9Index: 91.3

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.