Question 1

Is Louisville or New Orleans cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Louisville, KY is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $218/month less than in New Orleans, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,272/mo in Louisville versus $1,331/mo in New Orleans.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Louisville vs New Orleans?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $64,000/year before tax in Louisville, KY and $65,500/year in New Orleans, LA — a difference of about $1,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Louisville or New Orleans cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Louisville, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $6,477/month in Louisville 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 Louisville or New Orleans?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Louisville 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	Louisville75	New Orleans53
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,448	$3,666
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$6,477	$6,743
Salary for comfort	$64,000/yr	$65,500/yr
Typical rent	$1,272	$1,331
Median home value	$221,500	$296,400
Median household income	$64,731	$55,339
Unemployment	3.9%	4.8%
Housing score	81	38
Jobs score	70	44
Safety score	56	3
Climate score	99	90
Amenities score	43	52
Population	627.2K	376K
Summer high / winter low	89° / 27°	92° / 44°

Louisville, KY vs New Orleans, LA