CostIndexUSA

Little Rock, AR vs New Orleans, LA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableAR
Little Rock
89.4
overall index
$1,200/mo rent
LA
New Orleans
92.6
overall index
$1,575/mo rent

Little Rock is slightly cheaper than New Orleans — 3.6% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Little Rock, you would need $82,900 in New Orleans. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+25.9%
Little Rock
68.3
New Orleans
86
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Little Rock
93.6
New Orleans
93.7
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Little Rock
100.1
New Orleans
100.5
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Little Rock
90.5
New Orleans
90.9
⚡ Utilities−4.6%
Little Rock
74.6
New Orleans
71.2

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
→
Equivalent salary in New Orleans, LA
$82,900
$2,900 more needed in New Orleans

Formula: salary × (92.6 ÷ 89.4) = salary × 1.0358. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Little Rock, AR

Median Home Price
$222,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,200
Housing Index
68.3
Price-to-Rent Ratio
15.4×

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 25.9% higher housing costs compared to Little Rock.

Income & Job Market

Little Rock, AR

Median Household Income
$66,200
Per Capita Income
$37,700
Unemployment Rate
3.4%
Population
202,591
Top Industries
GovernmentHealthcareRetailFinanceManufacturing

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).

Little Rock, AR
4.6×income-to-rent ratio

78% of income left after rent (median)

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

69% of income left after rent (median)

Little Rock vs other cities

Little Rock, AR
vs
Fayetteville, AR
Index: 89.4Index: 91.4
Little Rock, AR
vs
Fort Smith, AR
Index: 89.4Index: 85.9
Little Rock, AR
vs
Jonesboro, AR
Index: 89.4Index: 85.9
Little Rock, AR
vs
Augusta, GA
Index: 89.4Index: 91.9
Little Rock, AR
vs
Oxnard, CA
Index: 89.4Index: 110.5

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.