United States
A sultry, musical Southern city where jazz fills the streets, Creole cuisine delights every palate, and Mardi Gras delivers the ultimate celebration.
#67 of 250
42% above average
Monthly cost, one adult
$ 2 047
Based on NYC = 100 index
New Orleans is the 67. most expensive of the 250 cities we track — a month here comes to $ 2 047 for one adult.
Most of that goes on housing, which runs 15% above the median city and adds $ 158 a month: 1br apartment (city-wide) $ 1 200, 3br apartment (city center) $ 1 750. It is also pricier than usual for restaurants.
Cheaper here than almost anywhere else is clothing, 43% below the median: jeans (levis or similar) $ 55, summer dress (chain store) $ 38.
Percentages compare this city against the median of all tracked cities, category by category.
34 prices on this page come from live scrapers (13 sources, observed October 7, 2026 to October 13, 2026). They are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit CostCompass and link this page.
CostCompass (2026). Cost of living in New Orleans, United States. Data as of 2026-10-14. https://costcompass.net/living/cities/new-orleans. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
| Item | Price (USD) | Observations | Last observed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (city-wide) | 1,200.00 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Craigslist |
| 3BR Apartment (City Center) | 1,750.00 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Craigslist |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside Center) | 1,600.00 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Craigslist |
| Chicken Breast (1kg) | 9.20 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Pork (1kg) | 9.35 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Beef (1kg) | 15.78 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Deli Meat / Ham (1kg) | 9.71 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Milk (1 liter) | 1.12 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Yogurt (150g) | 1.05 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Cheese (1kg) | 13.19 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Butter (200g) | 1.77 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Eggs (12) | 2.27 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Bread (500g) | 2.01 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Pasta (500g) | 1.51 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Rice (1kg) | 2.45 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Potatoes (1kg) | 2.15 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | 4.36 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 2.06 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Banana (1kg) | 1.44 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Oranges (1kg) | 3.77 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Flour (1kg) | 1.21 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Sugar (1kg) | 2.26 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Coffee (250g) | 5.13 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Taxi Start | 3.50 / trip | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Taxi Tariffs |
| Taxi 1km | 1.49 / km | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Taxi Tariffs |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | 1.04 / liter | 1 | 2026-10-13 | AAA State Gas Price Averages |
| Basic Utilities (85m2 Apt) | 38.98 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Electricity Tariffs |
| Mobile Plan (10GB+) | 35.00 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Anglo Telecom Operators |
| Internet (60 Mbps+) | 50.00 / month | 1 | 2026-10-12 | T-Mobile Home Internet |
| Fitness Club (Monthly) | 21.88 / month | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Gym Chains, Americas Entertainment Chains |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | 22.00 / hour | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Tennis Court Hire Prices (Americas) |
| Cold Medicine (6 days) | 6.90 / item | 1 | 2026-10-07 | Global Local Pharmacies |
| Jeans (Levis or Similar) | 54.61 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | H&M, Uniqlo |
| Summer Dress (Chain Store) | 37.95 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | H&M, Uniqlo |
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Monthly average costs by category
$ 1 200
per month
$ 154
per month
$ 335
per month
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per month
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per month
$ 87
per month
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per month
$ 15
per month