Question 1

Is Houston or New Orleans cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $327/month less than in Houston, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,573/mo in Houston versus $1,331/mo in New Orleans.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Houston vs New Orleans?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $70,000/year before tax in Houston, TX and $65,500/year in New Orleans, LA — a difference of about $4,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Houston 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 $7,739/month in Houston 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 Houston 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	Houston59	New Orleans53
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,993	$3,666
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,739	$6,743
Salary for comfort	$70,000/yr	$65,500/yr
Typical rent	$1,573	$1,331
Median home value	$253,400	$296,400
Median household income	$62,894	$55,339
Unemployment	4.5%	4.8%
Housing score	53	38
Jobs score	46	44
Safety score	4	3
Climate score	98	90
Amenities score	69	52
Population	2.3M	376K
Summer high / winter low	93° / 44°	92° / 44°

Houston, TX vs New Orleans, LA