City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs New Orleans, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 13.2% higher than in New Orleans, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in New Orleans, LA would need about $113,200 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,113 in New Orleans, LA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 17% in New Orleans, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,663 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in New Orleans, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.3% moving from Minneapolis, MN to New Orleans, LA ($116,038 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.8% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- New Orleans, LA: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Minneapolis, MN | New Orleans, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,337 in New Orleans | $113,202 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,113/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $47,290 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and New Orleans-Metairie, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and New Orleans-Metairie, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | New Orleans |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 71.2 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → New Orleans, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,663/yr.
100 Strong offer
New Orleans, LA → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$2,663/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; New Orleans, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to New Orleans, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | New Orleans, LA | Real change, Minneapolis → New Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $61,722 | +3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $74,678 | +3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $89,508 | +3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $106,437 | +3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $125,776 | +3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | New Orleans, LA | New Orleans pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $60,350 | $68,318 (−14.3%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $106,950 | $121,070 (−7.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $77,940 | $88,230 (+2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $81,850 | $92,656 (−10.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.