CostIndexUSA

New Orleans, LA vs Saginaw, MI Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

LA
New Orleans
92.6
overall index
$1,575/mo rent
More AffordableMI
Saginaw
90.9
overall index
$1,000/mo rent

Saginaw is slightly cheaper than New Orleans — 1.8% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in New Orleans, you would need $78,500 in Saginaw. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing−26.0%
New Orleans
86
Saginaw
63.6
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
New Orleans
93.7
Saginaw
93.7
🚗 Transportation+4.0%
New Orleans
100.5
Saginaw
104.5
🏥 Healthcare+4.1%
New Orleans
90.9
Saginaw
94.6
⚡ Utilities+34.6%
New Orleans
71.2
Saginaw
95.8

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
→
Equivalent salary in Saginaw, MI
$78,500
$1,500 less needed in Saginaw

Formula: salary × (90.9 ÷ 92.6) = salary × 0.9816. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

New Orleans, LA

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

Saginaw, MI

Median Home Price
$160,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,000
Housing Index
63.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
13.3×

New Orleans has 26.0% lower housing costs compared to Saginaw.

Income & Job Market

New Orleans, LA

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

Saginaw, MI

Median Household Income
$59,300
Per Capita Income
$33,800
Unemployment Rate
6.2%
Population
44,909
Top Industries
HealthcareManufacturingGovernmentRetailEducation

Affordability at a Glance

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

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

69% of income left after rent (median)

Saginaw, MI
4.9×income-to-rent ratio

80% of income left after rent (median)

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

Saginaw vs other cities

Saginaw, MI
vs
Ann Arbor, MI
Index: 90.9Index: 100.9
Saginaw, MI
vs
Detroit, MI
Index: 90.9Index: 100.3
Saginaw, MI
vs
Flint, MI
Index: 90.9Index: 93
Saginaw, MI
vs
Burlington, VT
Index: 90.9Index: 100.9
Saginaw, MI
vs
York, PA
Index: 90.9Index: 96

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.