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Detroit, MI vs New Orleans, LA

Moving from Detroit to New Orleans? Here's what changes — from your equivalent salary to housing ($269,080 → $261,414 median home) and taxes.

Detroit vs New Orleans at a glance

Bars scaled to the range across all 200 metros; labels show actual values.

Detroit, MI New Orleans, LA Cost-of-living index Detroit, MI — Cost-of-living index: 98 98 New Orleans, LA — Cost-of-living index: 91 91 Median home price Detroit, MI — Median home price: $269k $269k New Orleans, LA — Median home price: $261k $261k Price per sqft Detroit, MI — Price per sqft: $163 $163 New Orleans, LA — Price per sqft: $131 $131 Median rent Detroit, MI — Median rent: $1,500 $1,500 New Orleans, LA — Median rent: $1,622 $1,622 Combined sales tax Detroit, MI — Combined sales tax: 6.0% 6.0% New Orleans, LA — Combined sales tax: 9.6% 9.6% Property tax rate Detroit, MI — Property tax rate: 1.43% 1.43% New Orleans, LA — Property tax rate: 0.62% 0.62% Violent crime /100k Detroit, MI — Violent crime /100k: 460 460 New Orleans, LA — Violent crime /100k: 630 630 Electricity ¢/kWh Detroit, MI — Electricity ¢/kWh: 21.4 21.4 New Orleans, LA — Electricity ¢/kWh: 14.4 14.4 Avg commute (min) Detroit, MI — Avg commute (min): 27 27 New Orleans, LA — Avg commute (min): 26 26 Avg summer high °F Detroit, MI — Avg summer high °F: 83° 83° New Orleans, LA — Avg summer high °F: 92° 92° Avg winter low °F Detroit, MI — Avg winter low °F: 16° 16° New Orleans, LA — Avg winter low °F: 43° 43°

To keep the same standard of living as $100,000 in Detroit, MI, you'd need about $92,878 in New Orleans, LA (−$7,122).

Livability — Detroit, MI: 62 · New Orleans, LA: 68 (0–100).

What your home budget buys

A $500,000 home budget gets you about 3,066 sqft in Detroit vs 3,826 sqft in New Orleans ($163 vs $131 per sqft).

Annual cost breakdown (at $100,000)

CategoryDetroit, MINew Orleans, LADifference
Housing $18,000 $19,464 +$1,464
Groceries $4,896 $4,650 −$246
Transportation $4,575 $4,475 −$100
Utilities $2,316 $1,560 −$756
Insurance $1,300 $3,500 +$2,200
Taxes $9,547 $9,107 −$440
Total $40,634 $42,756 +$2,122

Side by side

MetricDetroit, MINew Orleans, LA
Cost-of-living index98.291.2
Unemployment rate6.60%6.72%
Population growth (5-yr)1.7%0.3%
Air quality (median AQI)5548
Big Mac price (est.)$5.59$5.19
Median home price$269,080$261,414
Home price ÷ income3.7×4.2×
1-yr home appreciation2.8%2.8%
Price per square foot$163$131
Median rent$1,500$1,622
Total tax burden (% income)10.0%9.1%
Combined sales tax6.00%9.56%
Capital gains tax4.25%4.25%
Property tax rate1.43%0.62%
Healthcare (annual)$6,500$6,600
Childcare (annual, infant)$11,000$8,000
Vehicle property tax0.61%0.10%
Avg commute (min)2726
Home insurance / yr$1,300$3,500
Auto insurance / yr$2,700$2,900
Flood insurance / yr$600$1,000
Earthquake insurance / yr$100$100
Electricity ¢/kWh21.414.4
Gas $/gal3.352.95
Violent crime /100k460630
Avg summer high °F8392
Avg winter low °F1643
Permit difficulty (1–5)32
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