CostIndexUSA

New Orleans, LA vs South Bend, IN Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostLA
New Orleans
92.6
overall index
$1,575/mo rent
IN
South Bend
92.9
overall index
$1,375/mo rent

New Orleans and South Bend have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing−13.3%
New Orleans
86
South Bend
74.6
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
New Orleans
93.7
South Bend
94.2
🚗 Transportation+3.7%
New Orleans
100.5
South Bend
104.2
🏥 Healthcare+3.7%
New Orleans
90.9
South Bend
94.3
⚡ Utilities+23.2%
New Orleans
71.2
South Bend
87.7

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
→
Equivalent salary in South Bend, IN
$80,300
$300 more needed in South Bend

Formula: salary × (92.9 ÷ 92.6) = salary × 1.0032. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

New Orleans, LA

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

South Bend, IN

Median Home Price
$221,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,375
Housing Index
74.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
13.4×

New Orleans has 13.3% lower housing costs compared to South Bend.

Income & Job Market

New Orleans, LA

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

South Bend, IN

Median Household Income
$65,800
Per Capita Income
$37,500
Unemployment Rate
4.7%
Population
103,453
Top Industries
HealthcareEducationManufacturingFinanceRetail

Affordability at a Glance

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

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

69% of income left after rent (median)

South Bend, IN
4.0×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

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

South Bend vs other cities

South Bend, IN
vs
Bloomington, IN
Index: 92.9Index: 95.1
South Bend, IN
vs
Evansville, IN
Index: 92.9Index: 91.5
South Bend, IN
vs
Fort Wayne, IN
Index: 92.9Index: 92.6
South Bend, IN
vs
Wichita Falls, TX
Index: 92.9Index: 89.5
South Bend, IN
vs
Tyler, TX
Index: 92.9Index: 92.2

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.