Cost of Living in New Orleans, LA, United States

RESTAURANTS

Lots of cool restaurants and bars can always be found in New Orleans within a short walk, wherever you are.

Chain restaurants are few and far between as fewer people seek them because the city has its own unique cuisine and vibe.

You can expect to eat at an inexpensive restaurant for only 20$.

MARKETS

There are grocery stores a few minutes away, wherever you happen to be.

If you don’t have a car, plan on paying up for groceries from the decent but expensive grocers in the Quarter.

Cooking by yourself is very economic, and if you have a shopping list, and you’re smart about your groceries, following all the daily sales in regular America supermarket stores – then you can save a bunch of money.

TRANSPORTATION

Public transit is very good in New Orleans, but driving around the city can be nerve-wracking and challenging, at best.

Gas prices e low because of the cities’ closeness to the Gulf.

You’ll also be fine with a car, as it’s not too expensive though the traffic’s bad in New Orleans.

If you opt for public transport – that’s a valid and cheap option.

UTILITIES (MONTHLY)

Like in most other American cities, utilities aren’t too expensive in New Orleans – by American standards, though it does depend on the amount of electricity you use and on the size of your apartment.

For example, for a bit larger apartment, of about 85m2, all basic utilities like heating, cooling, electricity, and gas will cost you around 190$.

SPORTS & LEISURE

New Orleans, though often crowded and congested, boasts some great parks (all free) to walk, jog, ride a bike, and play ball (basketball, soccer, baseball, etc.)

A gym or a fitness club membership will cost you around 40$, while going to the cinema and enjoying some movie time is also pretty reasonable, at 13$ per ticket.

CLOTHING & SHOES

Though there are several malls and shopping areas in which to browse for clothing and shoes, you can support New Orleans’s impressive number of locally-owned businesses by shopping in their stores.

As for the regular brands, you can buy quality jeans for around 60$, and running sneakers for 100$.

RENT PER MONTH

There are, of course, areas in the city where it’s expensive to rent.

The French Quarter and the Garden District are such areas, but still, even in these places, you can find hidden gems that are reasonable to afford to live.

For some reason, New Orleans’ real estate has gone up through the roof, and therefore rent and home ownership are going to be much more expensive than in many cities the same size.