CostIndexUSA

Louisville, KY vs New Orleans, LA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostKY
Louisville
93.1
overall index
$1,350/mo rent
LA
New Orleans
92.6
overall index
$1,575/mo rent

Louisville and New Orleans have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+9.4%
Louisville
78.6
New Orleans
86
🛒 Groceries−2.6%
Louisville
96.2
New Orleans
93.7
🚗 Transportation−1.1%
Louisville
101.6
New Orleans
100.5
🏥 Healthcare−1.2%
Louisville
92
New Orleans
90.9
⚡ Utilities−5.1%
Louisville
75
New Orleans
71.2

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
→
Equivalent salary in New Orleans, LA
$79,600
$400 less needed in New Orleans

Formula: salary × (92.6 ÷ 93.1) = salary × 0.9946. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Louisville, KY

Median Home Price
$270,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,350
Housing Index
78.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
16.7×

New Orleans, LA

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

New Orleans has 9.4% higher housing costs compared to Louisville.

Income & Job Market

Louisville, KY

Median Household Income
$68,900
Per Capita Income
$39,300
Unemployment Rate
4%
Population
633,045
Top Industries
HealthcareManufacturingLogisticsEducationAgriculture

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).

Louisville, KY
4.3×income-to-rent ratio

76% of income left after rent (median)

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

69% of income left after rent (median)

Louisville vs other cities

Louisville, KY
vs
Bowling Green, KY
Index: 93.1Index: 90.2
Louisville, KY
vs
Lexington, KY
Index: 93.1Index: 92.9
Louisville, KY
vs
Memphis, TN
Index: 93.1Index: 92.2
Louisville, KY
vs
Las Vegas, NV
Index: 93.1Index: 100.2
Louisville, KY
vs
Portland, OR
Index: 93.1Index: 105.4

New Orleans vs other cities

New Orleans, LA
vs
Baton Rouge, LA
Index: 92.6Index: 90.8
New Orleans, LA
vs
Lafayette, LA
Index: 92.6Index: 87.2
New Orleans, LA
vs
Lake Charles, LA
Index: 92.6Index: 85.9
New Orleans, LA
vs
Bakersfield, CA
Index: 92.6Index: 100.9
New Orleans, LA
vs
Arlington, TX
Index: 92.6Index: 103.1

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.