CostIndexUSA

New Orleans, LA vs San Antonio, TX Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableLA
New Orleans
92.6
overall index
$1,575/mo rent
TX
San Antonio
94.7
overall index
$1,375/mo rent

New Orleans is slightly cheaper than San Antonio — 2.3% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in New Orleans, you would need $81,800 in San Antonio. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+10.0%
New Orleans
86
San Antonio
94.6
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
New Orleans
93.7
San Antonio
93.8
🚗 Transportation+0.6%
New Orleans
100.5
San Antonio
101.1
🏥 Healthcare+0.6%
New Orleans
90.9
San Antonio
91.4
Utilities+15.4%
New Orleans
71.2
San Antonio
82.2

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in San Antonio, TX
$81,800
$1,800 more needed in San Antonio

Formula: salary × (94.7 ÷ 92.6) = salary × 1.0227. 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×

San Antonio, TX

Median Home Price
$274,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,375
Housing Index
94.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
16.6×

San Antonio has 10.0% higher housing costs compared to New Orleans.

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

San Antonio, TX

Median Household Income
$73,200
Per Capita Income
$41,700
Unemployment Rate
4.3%
Population
1,434,625
Top Industries
MilitaryHealthcareTourismManufacturingGovernment

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)

San Antonio, TX
4.4×income-to-rent ratio

77% of income left after rent (median)

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.