Question 1

Is New Orleans or Oklahoma City cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Oklahoma City, OK is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $226/month less than in New Orleans, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,331/mo in New Orleans versus $1,244/mo in Oklahoma City.

Question 2

What salary do you need in New Orleans vs Oklahoma City?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $65,500/year before tax in New Orleans, LA and $62,000/year in Oklahoma City, OK — a difference of about $3,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is New Orleans or Oklahoma City cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Oklahoma City, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $6,743/month in New Orleans and $6,504/month in Oklahoma City, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to New Orleans or Oklahoma City?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Oklahoma City 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	New Orleans53	Oklahoma City72
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,666	$3,440
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$6,743	$6,504
Salary for comfort	$65,500/yr	$62,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,331	$1,244
Median home value	$296,400	$215,100
Median household income	$55,339	$66,702
Unemployment	4.8%	4.2%
Housing score	38	87
Jobs score	44	24
Safety score	3	70
Climate score	90	96
Amenities score	52	55
Population	376K	688.7K
Summer high / winter low	92° / 44°	94° / 29°

New Orleans, LA vs Oklahoma City, OK