Question 1

Is Atlanta or New Orleans cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $773/month less than in Atlanta, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,820/mo in Atlanta versus $1,331/mo in New Orleans.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Atlanta vs New Orleans?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $84,500/year before tax in Atlanta, GA and $65,500/year in New Orleans, LA — a difference of about $19,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Atlanta or New Orleans cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

New Orleans, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,875/month in Atlanta and $6,743/month in New Orleans, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Atlanta or New Orleans?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. New Orleans costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Atlanta65	New Orleans53
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,439	$3,666
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,875	$6,743
Salary for comfort	$84,500/yr	$65,500/yr
Typical rent	$1,820	$1,331
Median home value	$420,600	$296,400
Median household income	$81,938	$55,339
Unemployment	3.5%	4.8%
Housing score	49	38
Jobs score	81	44
Safety score	26	3
Climate score	100	90
Amenities score	68	52
Population	499.3K	376K
Summer high / winter low	90° / 33°	92° / 44°

Atlanta, GA vs New Orleans, LA