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 $529/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 $83,000/year before tax in Atlanta, GA and $69,000/year in New Orleans, LA — a difference of about $14,000. 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. Two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child run about $9,218/month in Atlanta and $8,564/month in New Orleans, including county-median childcare.

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	Atlanta66	New Orleans52
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,387	$3,858
Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare)	$9,218	$8,564
Salary for comfort	$83,000/yr	$69,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,820	$1,331
Median home value	$420,600	$296,400
Median household income	$81,938	$55,339
Unemployment	3.7%	5.5%
Housing score	47	35
Jobs score	86	40
Safety score	26	3
Climate score	100	92
Amenities score	68	52
Population	499.3K	376K
Summer high / winter low	90° / 33°	93° / 45°

Atlanta, GA vs New Orleans, LA