Is it cheaper to live in Texas or Louisiana?

Texas is slightly cheaper than Louisiana on totals: Texas sits at $3,200 per person per month for a moderate lifestyle, Louisiana at $3,275, a gap of about $75 a month. Both states sit well below the US average ($3,525). The gap narrows or reverses depending on metro: Austin and Dallas push above Texas’s state average, while New Orleans does the same for Louisiana. Texas has no state income tax, which favours higher earners materially; Louisiana caps state income tax at 4.25 percent. Housing is broadly similar in mid-tier metros: Houston, San Antonio, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport all run $700 to $1,200 for one-bedroom rentals. Hurricane insurance hits both states in coastal areas. For the Louisiana side, see our Louisiana cost of living page.