Lake Charles, LA Cost Of Living
Lake Charles's Overall Cost Of Living
Lower Than The National Average
In Louisiana
In America
What is the cost of living in Lake Charles, LA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Lake Charles has an overall cost of living index of 86 which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to only Louisiana, Lake Charles has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Louisiana's index of 91.
The standard of living in Lake Charles ranks as #938 most affordable out of the 6,418 places we measured in Louisiana. By definition, that implies Lake Charles ranks as the #5,481 most expensive place in the Pelican State.
Lake Charles Cost Of Living Vs. Louisiana
| Living Expense | Lake Charles | Louisiana | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 86 | 91 | 100 | |
| Services | 90 | 98 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 98 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 89 | 97 | 100 | |
| Housing | 75 | 83 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 92 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 76 | 86 | 100 | |
Lake Charles, LA Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Louisiana, so we broke down the statistics around housing costs into more detail. It's also important to consider median household incomes to make apples-to-apples comparisons across locations.
Home and income come data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2014-2018.
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
| Statistic | Lake Charles | Louisiana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $155,700 | $168,100 | $229,800 |
| Median Rent | $830 | $876 | $1,096 |
| Median Income | $44,785 | $50,800 | $64,994 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.5x | 3.3x | 3.5x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.22x | 0.21x | 0.2x |
Detailed Lake Charles Services Costs Vs. Louisiana
| Item | Lake Charles | Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.08 | $1.06 |
| Movie | $9.12 | $10.68 |
| Bowling | $12.05 | $14.67 |
Detailed Lake Charles Groceries Costs Vs. Louisiana
| Item | Lake Charles | Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $4.72 | $4.22 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.0 | $1.39 |
| Milk | $2.29 | $2.05 |
Detailed Lake Charles Health Costs Vs. Louisiana
| Item | Lake Charles | Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Haircut | $18.22 | $18.62 |
| Beauty Salon | $41.86 | $39.05 |
| Toothpaste | $2.05 | $2.34 |
Detailed Lake Charles Transportation Costs Vs. Louisiana
| Item | Lake Charles | Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Potatoes | $3.33 | $3.29 |
| Pizza | $9.81 | $10.62 |
| Beer | $8.48 | $9.38 |
| Optometrist | $113.34 | $108.57 |
| Doctor | $79.52 | $116.17 |
| Dentist | $88.21 | $99.13 |
Detailed Lake Charles Utilities Costs Vs. Louisiana
| Item | Lake Charles | Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $1.93 | $2.22 |
| Tire Balancing | $55.1 | $50.07 |
| All Electricity | $96.74 | $167.67 |
| Phone | $180.17 | $175.64 |
Lake Charles SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Lake Charles
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Lake Charles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sulphur, LA | 20,122 | 85 | 1.0x |
| Orange, TX | 18,458 | 87 | 1.0x |
| Nederland, TX | 17,334 | 90 | 1.0x |
| Groves, TX | 15,531 | 85 | 1.0x |
| Port Neches, TX | 12,729 | 93 | 1.1x |
| DeRidder, LA | 10,955 | 83 | 1.0x |
| Vidor, TX | 10,658 | 82 | 1.0x |
| Moss Bluff, LA | 10,352 | 91 | 1.1x |
| Jennings, LA | 9,874 | 79 | 0.9x |
| Prien, LA | 8,469 | 92 | 1.1x |
