New Orleans, LA vs Jacksonville, FL: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Jacksonville, FL has a modeled overall cost index 2.1% lower than New Orleans, LA.

New Orleans, LA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,375 / month
Jacksonville, FL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,530 / 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 New Orleans, LA and Jacksonville, FL 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 New Orleans, LA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $173/month in Jacksonville, FL

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $147,920 in Jacksonville, FL

Regional cost estimates: New Orleans, LA uses New Orleans-Metairie, LA Metropolitan Area. Jacksonville, FL uses Jacksonville, FL Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 2.1%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$173

Savings

Annual Impact

$2.1K

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.

New Orleans, LA

Population:384K

Cost Index:

96.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$223K

Jacksonville, FL

Population:950K

Cost Index:

94.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$289K

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New Orleans, LA

The Pelican State

384K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Louisiana, this city has a population of 384K residents.

Jacksonville, FL

The Sunshine State

950K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Florida, this city has a population of 950K residents.

💡 Advantage: Florida has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: New Orleans, LA vs Jacksonville, FL

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	New Orleans, LA	Jacksonville, FL	Difference	Change
Other	$1,904/mo	$1,634/mo	↓ $270less	14.2%
Housing	$2,406/mo	$2,223/mo	↓ $183less	7.6%
Healthcare	$474/mo	$574/mo	↑ $99.77more	21.1%
All Utilities	$489/mo	$577/mo	↑ $87.99more	18.0%
Groceries	$976/mo	$1,026/mo	↑ $50.28more	5.2%
Transportation	$1,251/mo	$1,292/mo	↑ $41.24more	3.3%

Other

↓ 14.2%

New Orleans, LA

$1,904

Jacksonville, FL

$1,634

Difference

$270

less

Housing

↓ 7.6%

New Orleans, LA

$2,406

Jacksonville, FL

$2,223

Difference

$183

less

Healthcare

↑ 21.1%

New Orleans, LA

$474

Jacksonville, FL

$574

Difference

$99.77

All Utilities

↑ 18.0%

New Orleans, LA

$489

Jacksonville, FL

$577

Difference

$87.99

Groceries

↑ 5.2%

New Orleans, LA

$976

Jacksonville, FL

$1,026

Difference

$50.28

Transportation

↑ 3.3%

New Orleans, LA

$1,251

Jacksonville, FL

$1,292

Difference

$41.24

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,010

To$1,250

↑ $240

1 Bed

From$1,145

To$1,270

↑ $125

2 Bed

From$1,375

To$1,530

↑ $155

3 Bed

From$1,745

To$1,890

↑ $145

New Orleans, LAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,120–$1,680/mo

Jacksonville, FLZIP-level data

1BR range: $960–$2,070/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 New Orleans, LA

$7,327

Monthly in Jacksonville, FL

$173

Difference

Home Values

New Orleans

Jacksonville

$223K

Median Value

$289K

↓ -3.5%

YoY Change

↓ -3.7%

↓ -7.8%

5-Year Change

↑ +31.6%

$146K - $508K

Price Range

$102K - $535K

Homes in Jacksonville are 30% more expensive than New Orleans

Calculate payment - New Orleans Calculate payment - Jacksonville

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $7.8K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$646

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

5.2%

Rate difference

New Orleans, 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

Jacksonville, FL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Florida 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

Additional Tax Information

New Orleans, LA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.6%

Property Tax:0.5%

Jacksonville, FL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.2%

Property Tax:0.8%

💡 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

New Orleans, LA

20/100

0.8% sidewalk tags · 9.1% cycling tags

Jacksonville, FL

28/100

2.3% sidewalk tags · 2.7% cycling tags

Environment

New Orleans

Jacksonville

41 Good

Air Quality

50 Good

70.2%

Good Air Days

51.9%

98 High

Climate Risk

97 High

🌊🌀🌡

Top Hazards

🌊🌅🌀

▲+2.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

46 days

Heat Days >95°F

36 days

▲+2.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

46 days

Heat Days >95°F

36 days

Before moving from New Orleans, LA to Jacksonville, FL

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Jacksonville, FL for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in New Orleans, LA. 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 New Orleans to Jacksonville moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Jacksonville, FL by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: New Orleans, LA vs Jacksonville, FL

How do the cost estimates for New Orleans, LA and Jacksonville, FL compare?

Jacksonville, FL has a modeled overall cost index 2.1% lower than New Orleans, LA. 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 New Orleans, LA, the model estimates $147,920 in Jacksonville, FL. 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 New Orleans, LA and Jacksonville, FL?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,375/month in New Orleans, LA and $1,530/month in Jacksonville, FL. 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 Louisiana and Florida on TaxTakeHome.com