

Ames vs New Orleans
$9/mo more in New Orleans
AmesNew OrleansAbout 911 miles apart, a flight.
- New Orleans leaves you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
- 240 sunny days
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,410/mo in New Orleans. $2,401/mo in Ames. +$108 a year.
Ames
$2,401
left each month
New Orleans
$2,410
+$9 vs Ames
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
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+$9 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Ames | New Orleans | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $6,208 | $6,987 | +$779 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,332 | $1,551 | +$220 |
| Take-home pay | $4,877 | $5,436 | +$559 |
| Rent | $760 | $1,223 | +$463 |
| Getting around | $457 | $498 | +$41 |
| Groceries | $347 | $360 | +$13 |
| Healthcare | $391 | $405 | +$14 |
| Utilities | $217 | $225 | +$8 |
| Everything else | $304 | $315 | +$11 |
| Left over | $2,401 | $2,410 | +$9 |
Salary to match Ames
$83,500
Gross pay in New Orleans that leaves the same amount as $74,500 in Ames.
Tax difference
+$136
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 21.4% in Ames, 22.2% in New Orleans.
More about New Orleans
Ames, IA in full
A flat 3.8% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $905 and 207 sunny days; commutes average 19 minutes.
New Orleans, LA in full
A flat 3% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,456 and 240 sunny days; commutes average 25 minutes.
The other way
Start in New Orleans.
New Orleans → Ames →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in New Orleans than Ames?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, New Orleans leaves about $9 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $760 in Ames and $1,223 in New Orleans.
Does New Orleans have state income tax?
New Orleans is in Louisiana, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Ames to New Orleans?
The paycheck is taxed in Louisiana. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Ames and New Orleans changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.