New Orleans-Metairie cost of living
Prices in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area run at 92.6 against a national average of 100, ranking it #228 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 86.0.
What drives the number
Prices in New Orleans-Metairie run at 92.6 where the national average is 100, so about 7.4 per cent below the country as a whole. It ranks #228 of 387 metro areas. Against Louisiana as a whole it is 4.4 points more expensive, which is the usual direction: cities cost more than the states around them.
The parts move together here rather than pulling against each other: goods at 93.7, rents at 86.0, other services at 71.2. That is less common than it sounds. In most places rents sit well away from the other two, and the overall figure is really a housing figure in disguise. Goods at 93.7 are themselves 6.3 points off national, which is a wide gap for a category that is mostly shipped in.
A salary here goes further than the same salary somewhere at 100. Divide by 92.6 and multiply by 100 to get the nationally comparable figure, and it will come out higher than the headline.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in New Orleans-Metairie is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 11,980 | $29,840 | $32,225 | $34,580 |
| Registered Nurses | 11,410 | $81,920 | $88,467 | $93,600 |
| Cashiers | 10,750 | $26,690 | $28,823 | $31,190 |
| General and Operations Managers | 10,540 | $104,790 | $113,164 | $102,950 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 10,030 | $18,380 | $19,849 | $33,760 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 9,400 | $35,250 | $38,067 | $38,940 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 8,090 | $26,710 | $28,844 | $30,480 |
| Food Preparation Workers | 7,870 | $24,150 | $26,080 | $34,220 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 92.6.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | 92.7 | 85.4 | #221 |
| Baton Rouge | 90.8 | 74.2 | #275 |
| Lafayette | 87.2 | 58.8 | #351 |
| Lake Charles | 85.9 | 51.8 | #370 |
| Alexandria | 85.7 | 53.7 | #373 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | 85.1 | 51.3 | #379 |
New Orleans-Metairie: common questions
Is New Orleans-Metairie expensive?
Prices are 7.4% below the national average, a parity of 92.6 where the country is 100. It ranks #228 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against Louisiana as a whole it is 4.4 points more expensive.
What salary do you need in New Orleans-Metairie?
The median worker there earns $45,970, which buys what $49,644 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 86.0 against goods at 93.7. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.