Question 1

Is New Orleans or Philadelphia cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $446/month less than in Philadelphia, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,331/mo in New Orleans versus $1,810/mo in Philadelphia.

Question 2

What salary do you need in New Orleans vs Philadelphia?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $69,000/year before tax in New Orleans, LA and $84,000/year in Philadelphia, PA — a difference of about $15,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is New Orleans or Philadelphia cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

New Orleans, the same answer as for a single person. Two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child run about $8,564/month in New Orleans and $9,690/month in Philadelphia, including county-median childcare.

Question 4

Should I move to New Orleans or Philadelphia?

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	New Orleans52	Philadelphia53
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,858	$4,304
Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare)	$8,564	$9,690
Salary for comfort	$69,000/yr	$84,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,331	$1,810
Median home value	$296,400	$232,400
Median household income	$55,339	$60,698
Unemployment	5.5%	4.9%
Housing score	35	45
Jobs score	40	55
Safety score	3	4
Climate score	92	100
Amenities score	52	46
Population	376K	1.6M
Summer high / winter low	93° / 45°	87° / 29°

New Orleans, LA vs Philadelphia, PA