City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Lake Charles | Phoenix | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,007/mo | $1,322/mo | 23.8% lower in A |
| Median home value | $191,200 | $340,200 | 43.8% lower in A |
| Median household income | $54,761 | $72,092 | 24.0% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 98.7 | 104.1 | 5.2% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 94.8 | 125.1 | 24.2% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 100.5 | 104.6 | 3.9% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 94.8 | 104.1 | 9.0% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Lake Charles, you'd need $131,277 in Phoenix to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Lake Charles, LA is about 23.8% cheaper overall than Phoenix, AZ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 24% lower in Lake Charles than in Phoenix. If you earn $80,000 in Lake Charles, you'd need about $105,021 in Phoenix to keep the same standard of living.