CostIndexUSA

Lake Charles, LA vs Port St. Lucie, FL Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableLA
Lake Charles
85.9
overall index
$1,150/mo rent
FL
Port St. Lucie
100.2
overall index
$2,325/mo rent

Lake Charles is significantly cheaper than Port St. Lucie — 16.6% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Lake Charles, you would need $93,300 in Port St. Lucie. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+119.3%
Lake Charles
51.8
Port St. Lucie
113.6
🛒 Groceries+2.7%
Lake Charles
93.7
Port St. Lucie
96.2
🚗 Transportation+3.3%
Lake Charles
100.5
Port St. Lucie
103.8
🏥 Healthcare+3.3%
Lake Charles
90.9
Port St. Lucie
93.9
⚡ Utilities+21.3%
Lake Charles
71.7
Port St. Lucie
87

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Lake Charles to see what you'd need to earn in Port St. Lucie to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
→
Equivalent salary in Port St. Lucie, FL
$93,300
$13,300 more needed in Port St. Lucie

Formula: salary × (100.2 ÷ 85.9) = salary × 1.1665. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Lake Charles, LA

Median Home Price
$190,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,150
Housing Index
51.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
13.8×

Port St. Lucie, FL

Median Home Price
$375,000
Median Monthly Rent
$2,325
Housing Index
113.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
13.4×

Port St. Lucie has 119.3% higher housing costs compared to Lake Charles.

Income & Job Market

Lake Charles, LA

Median Household Income
$65,100
Per Capita Income
$37,100
Unemployment Rate
4%
Population
77,403
Top Industries
EnergyPetrochemicalsHealthcareGamingManufacturing

Port St. Lucie, FL

Median Household Income
$68,300
Per Capita Income
$38,900
Unemployment Rate
5%
Population
204,851
Top Industries
HealthcareRetailConstructionTourismFinance

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Lake Charles, LA
4.7×income-to-rent ratio

79% of income left after rent (median)

Port St. Lucie, FL
2.4×income-to-rent ratio

59% of income left after rent (median)

Lake Charles vs other cities

Lake Charles, LA
vs
Baton Rouge, LA
Index: 85.9Index: 90.8
Lake Charles, LA
vs
Lafayette, LA
Index: 85.9Index: 87.2
Lake Charles, LA
vs
Monroe, LA
Index: 85.9Index: 83.6
Lake Charles, LA
vs
Appleton, WI
Index: 85.9Index: 92.4
Lake Charles, LA
vs
Jonesboro, AR
Index: 85.9Index: 85.9

Port St. Lucie vs other cities

Port St. Lucie, FL
vs
Cape Coral, FL
Index: 100.2Index: 102.3
Port St. Lucie, FL
vs
Daytona Beach, FL
Index: 100.2Index: 99.4
Port St. Lucie, FL
vs
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Index: 100.2Index: 114.2
Port St. Lucie, FL
vs
Worcester, MA
Index: 100.2Index: 102.5
Port St. Lucie, FL
vs
Columbus, GA
Index: 100.2Index: 89.3

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.