Slidell, LA vs Baton Rouge, LA: cost of living compared

Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).

The short answer

Overall, Baton Rouge, LA is 2.1% less expensive than Slidell, LA (BEA, 2024).
To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Slidell works out to about $73,400 in Baton Rouge, before taxes.
Most of the difference is housing, which costs 13.2% less in Baton Rouge. Goods are 0.0% higher and other services 0.0% higher.
Zillow does not publish typical rent for Slidell, so rents are not compared here.
The gap is about where it was in 2019 (3.1%).

derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.

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Share of your spending that goes on housing: 18% 18% matches BEA's average basket. Set your own share if housing takes more or less of your budget.

Category by category

Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.

Housing drives the gap: 13.2% lower in Baton Rouge than in Slidell

Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.

Slidell, LA
Baton Rouge, LA

All items

92.7 90.8

Goods

93.7 93.7

Housing (rents)

85.4 74.2

Utilities

71.7 71.2

Other services

95.7 95.7

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Slidell, LA	Baton Rouge, LA
All items	92.7	90.8
Goods	93.7	93.7
Housing (rents)	85.4	74.2
Utilities	71.7	71.2
Other services	95.7	95.7

Category	Slidell	Baton Rouge	Baton Rouge vs Slidell
All items	92.7	90.8	−2.1%
Goods	93.7	93.7	0.0%
Housing (rents)	85.4	74.2	−13.2%
Utilities	71.7	71.2	−0.6%
Other services	95.7	95.7	0.0%
Salary to match $75,000 in Slidell	$75,000	$73,400	−2.1%

Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.

How the gap has changed since 2008

The price gap between Slidell and Baton Rouge has narrowed since 2008: 3.6 points then, 1.9 now

Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.

Slidell, LA
Baton Rouge, LA

US average = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Slidell, LA	Baton Rouge, LA
2008	96.7	93.1
2009	95.8	91.8
2010	95.9	93.4
2011	97.2	94.6
2012	97.6	94.2
2013	99.0	94.9
2014	97.8	94.7
2015	97.7	94.7
2016	98.7	95.6
2017	98.9	93.9
2018	94.2	92.8
2019	95.8	92.8
2020	95.7	93.1
2021	93.9	93.2
2022	93.2	92.4
2023	92.9	91.2
2024	92.7	90.8

Goods

Slidell, LA
Baton Rouge, LA

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Slidell, LA	Baton Rouge, LA
2008	97.1	96.5
2009	95.0	94.0
2010	96.9	96.7
2011	96.9	96.2
2012	97.2	95.3
2013	97.3	96.0
2014	98.0	96.2
2015	96.9	95.2
2016	97.3	95.8
2017	97.1	95.5
2018	93.6	93.6
2019	95.1	95.1
2020	94.6	94.6
2021	95.2	95.2
2022	94.0	94.0
2023	93.0	93.0
2024	93.7	93.7

Housing (rents)

Slidell, LA
Baton Rouge, LA

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Slidell, LA	Baton Rouge, LA
2008	92.4	74.5
2009	95.8	78.3
2010	86.1	76.4
2011	91.0	81.4
2012	92.4	79.8
2013	101.7	81.8
2014	91.7	80.8
2015	91.7	80.5
2016	93.4	83.7
2017	101.1	78.3
2018	86.3	78.6
2019	96.1	78.8
2020	89.8	76.5
2021	78.2	75.3
2022	80.1	75.7
2023	86.9	77.2
2024	85.4	74.2

Utilities

Slidell, LA
Baton Rouge, LA

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Slidell, LA	Baton Rouge, LA
2008	89.5	87.3
2009	73.9	72.9
2010	81.4	80.2
2011	78.9	78.3
2012	74.1	75.0
2013	79.8	79.8
2014	79.7	80.6
2015	78.1	78.8
2016	77.5	78.6
2017	77.0	77.5
2018	76.5	76.4
2019	77.4	77.3
2020	76.6	76.7
2021	81.4	80.6
2022	84.4	84.2
2023	76.8	76.5
2024	71.7	71.2

Other services

Slidell, LA
Baton Rouge, LA

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Slidell, LA	Baton Rouge, LA
2008	98.5	97.7
2009	98.3	96.8
2010	99.9	98.3
2011	101.3	99.7
2012	101.5	100.3
2013	100.8	100.0
2014	100.6	100.0
2015	101.4	100.3
2016	102.8	100.7
2017	100.9	98.8
2018	98.2	98.2
2019	97.2	97.2
2020	99.5	99.5
2021	98.8	98.8
2022	97.3	97.3
2023	95.6	95.6
2024	95.7	95.7

More about each city

What this comparison leaves out

Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.