Route comparison
Houston, TX vs New Orleans, LA: Cost of Living
Compare the cost of living between Houston, TX and New Orleans, LA. See the equivalent salary and median rent powered by BLS Regional Price Parities.
Houston, TX
TX
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 98.8
- Housing RPP
- 108
- Goods RPP
- 97.9
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,357/mo
Texas has no state income tax. Property taxes ~2% effective rate.
New Orleans, LA
LA
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 93.6
- Housing RPP
- 83.6
- Goods RPP
- 93.9
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,362/mo
Louisiana income tax 1.85%-4.25%.
Equivalent salary
New Orleans, LA is cheaper than Houston, TX by about 5.3% (RPP 98.8 to 93.6).
$60,000 in Houston, TX
-> $56,842
in New Orleans, LA
$100,000 in Houston, TX
-> $94,737
in New Orleans, LA
$150,000 in Houston, TX
-> $142,105
in New Orleans, LA
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
Migration signal: Houston, TX vs New Orleans, LA
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Houston, TX
- Net people
- +37,392
- Net rank
- #3 of 65
- Top origin share
- 2%
- Top destination share
- 2%
Largest source: Travis County, TX. Largest destination: Travis County, TX.
New Orleans, LA
- Net people
- −15,416
- Net rank
- #53 of 65
- Top origin share
- 5%
- Top destination share
- 10%
Largest source: St. Tammany Parish, LA. Largest destination: St. Tammany Parish, LA.
Rent delta: New Orleans, LA is $5/mo higher for HUD FY2024 2-BR FMR than Houston, TX. Housing RPP moves from 108 to 83.6.
Migration figures are derived from IRS SOI county-to-county migration data for 2021-2022, mapped to metros via Census CBSA delineation. Small county-to-county flows are IRS-suppressed, so per-metro totals are lower bounds. Source: IRS SOI migration data.
Frequently asked questions
- Is New Orleans, LA cheaper or more expensive than Houston, TX?
- New Orleans, LA (RPP 93.6) is cheaper than Houston, TX (RPP 98.8) by about 5.3%.
- What salary do I need in New Orleans, LA if I earn $100,000 in Houston, TX?
- You would need approximately $94,737 in New Orleans, LA to maintain the same purchasing power as $100,000 in Houston, TX. Formula: $100,000 x (93.6 / 98.8).
- Which metro had stronger net migration, Houston, TX or New Orleans, LA?
- For 2021-2022, Houston, TX had a net gain of 37,392 people, while New Orleans, LA had a net loss of 15,416 people. IRS small-flow suppression means these are lower-bound research signals, not complete population-change totals.