Cost of Living: Lake Charles, LA vs Phoenix, AZ

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,268/mo in Lake Charles, LA versus $4,370/mo in Phoenix, AZ. In the model, rent is about 15.89% of gross in Lake Charles, LA versus 21.24% in Phoenix, AZ, so Lake Charles, LA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Lake Charles, LA
$4,268/mo
Income level: above
Take-home in Phoenix, AZ
$4,370/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in Lake Charles, LA
15.89%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Phoenix, AZ
21.24%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Lake Charles, LA and Phoenix, AZ.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Lake Charles, LA
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Lake Charles, LA
  • Lower home prices: Lake Charles, LA
  • Higher median household income: Phoenix, AZ

Cost of Living Index

Lake Charles, LA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Phoenix, AZ: 102.4 (U.S. = 100)

Lake Charles, LA has a lower cost-of-living index than Phoenix, AZ, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Lake Charles, LA: $1,036/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Phoenix, AZ: $1,385/mo

Median rent in Phoenix, AZ is $349/mo higher than in Lake Charles, LA.

Median Home Price

Lake Charles, LA: $204,000 · Phoenix, AZ: $381,900

Median home price in Phoenix, AZ is $177,900 higher than in Lake Charles, LA.

Median Household Income

Lake Charles, LA: $56,864 · Phoenix, AZ: $77,041

Phoenix, AZ has a higher median household income than Lake Charles, LA by $20,177.

Lake Charles, LA overview · Phoenix, AZ overview · Popular comparisons