Baton Rouge vs New Orleans
Baton Rouge, LA · New Orleans, LA
Baton Rouge is 9% cheaper than New Orleans overall.
Home Price
Baton: $220,000
New: $245,000
Monthly Rent
Baton: $800/mo
New: $1,271/mo
COL Index
Baton: 88
New: 96
Median Income
Baton: $55,800
New: $52,000
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Baton Rouge has the same purchasing power as $109,091 in New Orleans — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in New Orleans are 11% cheaper (-$25,000 less). That's a significant down payment and monthly payment difference.
Renting
Renting in Baton Rouge saves you $471/month — $5,652 per year. Median rent: $800/mo in Baton Rouge vs $1,271/mo in New Orleans.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Baton Rouge owners pay roughly $1,210/year in property taxes vs $1,348/year in New Orleans. Rates are comparable.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $55,800 in Baton Rouge and $52,000 in New Orleans. New Orleans residents earn 7% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 25 minutes in Baton Rouge vs 27 minutes in New Orleans. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Baton Rouge | Equivalent in New Orleans | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $54,545 | +$4,545 |
| $75,000 | $81,818 | +$6,818 |
| $100,000 | $109,091 | +$9,091 |
| $150,000 | $163,636 | +$13,636 |
| $200,000 | $218,182 | +$18,182 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
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Cost of Living
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Property Tax Calculator
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Baton Rouge vs New Orleans: Common Questions
Is Baton Rouge or New Orleans cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Baton Rouge is cheaper overall. Baton Rouge has a COL index of 88 while New Orleans scores 96 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Baton Rouge and New Orleans?
The median home price in Baton Rouge is $220,000 vs $245,000 in New Orleans — a difference of $25,000 (11%).
What salary do I need in New Orleans to match my Baton Rouge income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Baton Rouge is equivalent to $109,091 in New Orleans in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
New Orleans has a lower property tax rate (0.55% vs 0.55%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $1,210/year vs $1,348/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.