CostIndexUSA

Charlottesville, VA vs New Orleans, LA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

VA
Charlottesville
99.1
overall index
$1,950/mo rent
More AffordableLA
New Orleans
92.6
overall index
$1,575/mo rent

New Orleans is moderately cheaper than Charlottesville — 6.6% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Charlottesville, you would need $74,800 in New Orleans. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing19.6%
Charlottesville
107
New Orleans
86
🛒 Groceries3.2%
Charlottesville
96.8
New Orleans
93.7
🚗 Transportation2.9%
Charlottesville
103.5
New Orleans
100.5
🏥 Healthcare3.0%
Charlottesville
93.7
New Orleans
90.9
Utilities20.0%
Charlottesville
89
New Orleans
71.2

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Charlottesville to see what you'd need to earn in New Orleans to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in New Orleans, LA
$74,800
$5,200 less needed in New Orleans

Formula: salary × (92.6 ÷ 99.1) = salary × 0.9344. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Charlottesville, VA

Median Home Price
$455,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,950
Housing Index
107
Price-to-Rent Ratio
19.4×

New Orleans, LA

Median Home Price
$253,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,575
Housing Index
86
Price-to-Rent Ratio
13.4×

Charlottesville has 19.6% lower housing costs compared to New Orleans.

Income & Job Market

Charlottesville, VA

Median Household Income
$92,300
Per Capita Income
$52,600
Unemployment Rate
2.3%
Population
46,553
Top Industries
EducationHealthcareTechnologyGovernmentTourism

New Orleans, LA

Median Household Income
$61,000
Per Capita Income
$34,800
Unemployment Rate
5%
Population
383,997
Top Industries
TourismEnergyHealthcareShippingEntertainment

Affordability at a Glance

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

Charlottesville, VA
3.9×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

New Orleans, LA
3.2×income-to-rent ratio

69% of income left after rent (median)

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.