Memphis, TN vs Baton Rouge, LA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Baton Rouge, LA has a modeled overall cost index 5.8% higher than Memphis, TN.

Memphis, TN · modeled 2BR rent: $1,245 / month
Baton Rouge, LA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,275 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Memphis, TN and Baton Rouge, LA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Memphis, TN

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $333/month in Baton Rouge, LA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $153,996 in Baton Rouge, LA

Regional cost estimates: Memphis, TN uses Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metropolitan Area. Baton Rouge, LA uses Baton Rouge, LA Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 5.8%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$333

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$4.0K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Memphis, TN

Population:633K

Cost Index:

86.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$129K

Baton Rouge, LA

Population:227K

Cost Index:

91.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$234K

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Memphis, TN

The Volunteer State

633K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Tennessee, this city has a population of 633K residents.

💡 Advantage: Tennessee has no state income tax!

Baton Rouge, LA

The Pelican State

227K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Louisiana, this city has a population of 227K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Memphis, TN vs Baton Rouge, LA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Memphis, TN	Baton Rouge, LA	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,048/mo	$2,365/mo	↑ $317more	15.5%
Other	$1,858/mo	$1,951/mo	↑ $92.89more	5.0%
Healthcare	$584/mo	$523/mo	↓ $61.88less	10.6%
All Utilities	$588/mo	$540/mo	↓ $48.51less	8.2%
Groceries	$1,042/mo	$1,076/mo	↑ $33.27more	3.2%
Transportation	$1,380/mo	$1,380/mo	→ $0	0.0%

Housing

↑ 15.5%

Memphis, TN

$2,048

Baton Rouge, LA

$2,365

Difference

$317

Other

↑ 5.0%

Memphis, TN

$1,858

Baton Rouge, LA

$1,951

Difference

$92.89

Healthcare

↓ 10.6%

Memphis, TN

$584

Baton Rouge, LA

$523

Difference

$61.88

less

All Utilities

↓ 8.2%

Memphis, TN

$588

Baton Rouge, LA

$540

Difference

$48.51

less

Groceries

↑ 3.2%

Memphis, TN

$1,042

Baton Rouge, LA

$1,076

Difference

$33.27

Transportation

→ 0.0%

Memphis, TN

$1,380

Baton Rouge, LA

$1,380

Difference

same

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,035

To$1,090

↑ $55.00

1 Bed

From$1,125

To$1,125

→ $0

2 Bed

From$1,245

To$1,275

↑ $30.00

3 Bed

From$1,645

To$1,600

↓ $45.00

Memphis, TNZIP-level data

1BR range: $940–$1,730/mo

Baton Rouge, LAZIP-level data

1BR range: $980–$1,600/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Memphis, TN

$7,833

Monthly in Baton Rouge, LA

$333

Difference

Home Values

Memphis

Baton Rouge

$129K

Median Value

$234K

↓ -2.8%

YoY Change

↓ -1.9%

↑ +25.1%

5-Year Change

↑ +15.3%

$58K - $408K

Price Range

$64K - $344K

Homes in Baton Rouge are 82% more expensive than Memphis

Calculate payment - Memphis Calculate payment - Baton Rouge

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $7.8K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$646

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

5.2%

Rate difference

Memphis, TN

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Tennessee State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Baton Rouge, LA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Louisiana State Tax

Effective: 5.2%

$7.8K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.8%

$44.8K

Take-Home Pay

$8,770/month

$105.2K

Additional Tax Information

Memphis, TN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.5%

Property Tax:0.7%

Baton Rouge, LA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.6%

Property Tax:0.5%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Memphis, TN

20/100

3.1% sidewalk tags · 7.2% cycling tags

Baton Rouge, LA: No data yet

Environment

Memphis

Baton Rouge

55 Moderate

Air Quality

51 Moderate

34.4%

Good Air Days

48.9%

99 High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌀🌡

▲+2.8°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.2°F

54 days

Heat Days >95°F

51 days

▲+2.8°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.2°F

54 days

Heat Days >95°F

51 days

Before moving from Memphis, TN to Baton Rouge, LA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Baton Rouge, LA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Memphis, TN. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Memphis to Baton Rouge moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Baton Rouge, LA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Memphis, TN vs Baton Rouge, LA

How do the cost estimates for Memphis, TN and Baton Rouge, LA compare?

Baton Rouge, LA has a modeled overall cost index 5.8% higher than Memphis, TN. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Memphis, TN, the model estimates $153,996 in Baton Rouge, LA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Memphis, TN and Baton Rouge, LA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,245/month in Memphis, TN and $1,275/month in Baton Rouge, LA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Tennessee and Louisiana on TaxTakeHome.com