City comparison
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 | New Orleans | San Jose | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,162/mo | $2,526/mo | 54.0% lower in A |
| Median home value | $281,500 | $1,149,600 | 75.5% lower in A |
| Median household income | $51,116 | $136,010 | 62.4% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 99.6 | 114.4 | 12.9% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 96.7 | 141.7 | 31.8% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 83.9 | 125.8 | 33.3% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 98.1 | 132.6 | 26.0% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in New Orleans, you'd need $170,000 in San Jose to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
New Orleans, LA is about 41.2% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 54% lower in New Orleans than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in New Orleans, you'd need about $136,000 in San Jose to keep the same standard of living.