CostIndexUSA

Columbus, GA vs New Orleans, LA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableGA
Columbus
89.3
overall index
$1,250/mo rent
LA
New Orleans
92.6
overall index
$1,575/mo rent

Columbus is slightly cheaper than New Orleans — 3.7% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Columbus, you would need $83,000 in New Orleans. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+40.5%
Columbus
61.2
New Orleans
86
🛒 Groceries−2.7%
Columbus
96.3
New Orleans
93.7
🚗 Transportation−2.9%
Columbus
103.5
New Orleans
100.5
🏥 Healthcare−2.9%
Columbus
93.6
New Orleans
90.9
⚡ Utilities−20.6%
Columbus
89.7
New Orleans
71.2

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Columbus to see what you'd need to earn in New Orleans to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
→
Equivalent salary in New Orleans, LA
$83,000
$3,000 more needed in New Orleans

Formula: salary × (92.6 ÷ 89.3) = salary × 1.0370. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Columbus, GA

Median Home Price
$200,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,250
Housing Index
61.2
Price-to-Rent Ratio
13.3×

New Orleans, LA

Median Home Price
$253,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,575
Housing Index
86
Price-to-Rent Ratio
13.4×

New Orleans has 40.5% higher housing costs compared to Columbus.

Income & Job Market

Columbus, GA

Median Household Income
$54,700
Per Capita Income
$31,200
Unemployment Rate
5.3%
Population
206,922
Top Industries
MilitaryHealthcareManufacturingGovernmentRetail

New Orleans, LA

Median Household Income
$61,000
Per Capita Income
$34,800
Unemployment Rate
5%
Population
383,997
Top Industries
TourismEnergyHealthcareShippingEntertainment

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Columbus, GA
3.6×income-to-rent ratio

73% of income left after rent (median)

New Orleans, LA
3.2×income-to-rent ratio

69% of income left after rent (median)

Columbus vs other cities

Columbus, GA
vs
Atlanta, GA
Index: 89.3Index: 100.1
Columbus, GA
vs
Augusta, GA
Index: 89.3Index: 91.9
Columbus, GA
vs
Macon, GA
Index: 89.3Index: 88.5
Columbus, GA
vs
Worcester, MA
Index: 89.3Index: 102.5
Columbus, GA
vs
Fayetteville, NC
Index: 89.3Index: 92

New Orleans vs other cities

New Orleans, LA
vs
Baton Rouge, LA
Index: 92.6Index: 90.8
New Orleans, LA
vs
Lafayette, LA
Index: 92.6Index: 87.2
New Orleans, LA
vs
Lake Charles, LA
Index: 92.6Index: 85.9
New Orleans, LA
vs
Bakersfield, CA
Index: 92.6Index: 100.9
New Orleans, LA
vs
Arlington, TX
Index: 92.6Index: 103.1

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.