City comparison
Boston, MA vs New Orleans, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 16.9% higher than in New Orleans, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in New Orleans, LA would need about $116,900 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,113 in New Orleans, LA. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 17% in New Orleans, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,166 a year higher in Boston, MA than in New Orleans, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.7% moving from Boston, MA to New Orleans, LA ($120,548 → $106,437), while prices change by −14.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.2% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much 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
| Boston, MA | New Orleans, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $85,527 in New Orleans | $116,922 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,113/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $47,290 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and New Orleans-Metairie, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and New Orleans-Metairie, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | New Orleans |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 71.2 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → New Orleans, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,166/yr.
100 Strong offer
New Orleans, LA → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.5%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$2,166/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; New Orleans, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to New Orleans, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | New Orleans, LA | Real change, Boston → New Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $61,722 | +3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $74,678 | +3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $89,508 | +3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $106,437 | +3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $125,776 | +3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | New Orleans, LA | New Orleans pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $60,350 | $70,562 (−28.0%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $106,950 | $125,048 (−24.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $77,940 | $91,129 (−9.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $81,850 | $95,700 (−9.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.