Question 1

Is Little Rock or New Orleans cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Little Rock, AR is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $268/month less than in New Orleans, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,147/mo in Little Rock versus $1,331/mo in New Orleans.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Little Rock vs New Orleans?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $61,000/year before tax in Little Rock, AR 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 Little Rock or New Orleans cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Little Rock, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $6,458/month in Little Rock 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 Little Rock or New Orleans?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Little Rock 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	Little Rock63	New Orleans53
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,398	$3,666
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$6,458	$6,743
Salary for comfort	$61,000/yr	$65,500/yr
Typical rent	$1,147	$1,331
Median home value	$221,200	$296,400
Median household income	$60,583	$55,339
Unemployment	3.9%	4.8%
Housing score	79	38
Jobs score	72	44
Safety score	4	3
Climate score	98	90
Amenities score	31	52
Population	202.7K	376K
Summer high / winter low	93° / 31°	92° / 44°

Little Rock, AR vs New Orleans, LA