City comparison
Metairie, LA is about 200 miles (325 km) from Monroe, LA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 250 miles, or about 4 h 15 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Metairie, LA to Monroe, LA takes about 25 min, covering roughly 200 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Metairie has a population of 140,046, vs 47,631 in Monroe — about 2.9× larger by population. By land area, Monroe covers about 30 sq mi vs 23 sq mi for Metairie.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Metairie | Monroe | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,120/mo | $790/mo | 41.8% higher in Metairie |
| Median home value | $289,800 | $158,200 | 83.2% higher in Metairie |
| Median household income | $72,070 | $36,550 | 97.2% higher in Metairie |
| Groceries index | 94.1 | 94.1 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 73.3 | 74.3 | 1.2% higher in Monroe |
| Transportation index | 96.1 | 96.1 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 95.6 | 95.6 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Metairie, you'd need $80,404 in Monroe to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Monroe, LA is about 19.6% cheaper overall than Metairie, LA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 93% higher in Metairie than in Monroe. If you earn $80,000 in Metairie, you'd need about $64,324 in Monroe to keep the same standard of living.