Head to head
New Orleans, LA vs Oklahoma City, OK
Oklahoma City is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $221/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $3,000 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child, New Orleans is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and childcare varies even more sharply between cities than rent does.
| Metric | New Orleans52 | Oklahoma City75 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $3,858 | $3,637 |
| Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare) | $8,564 | $8,589 |
| Salary for comfort | $69,000/yr | $66,000/yr |
| Typical rent | $1,331 | $1,244 |
| Median home value | $296,400 | $215,100 |
| Median household income | $55,339 | $66,702 |
| Unemployment | 5.5% | 4.3% |
| Housing score | 35 | 86 |
| Jobs score | 40 | 44 |
| Safety score | 3 | 70 |
| Climate score | 92 | 96 |
| Amenities score | 52 | 55 |
| Population | 376K | 688.7K |
| Summer high / winter low | 93° / 45° | 94° / 29° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
New Orleans, LA
Oklahoma City, OK