Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lake Charles, LA and Lisbon

For one person, living costs are similar in Lake Charles, LA and in Lisbon: $2,251 and $2,210 a month, rent and utilities included.

Lake Charles, LA, United States
Lisbon, Portugal
Lake Charles, LA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,251
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lake Charles, LA and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lake Charles, LA and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,251 per month in Lake Charles, LA vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Lake Charles, LA $2,251
  • Lisbon $2,210

A couple spends around $3,203 per month in Lake Charles, LA vs $3,275 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Lake Charles, LA $3,203
  • Lisbon $3,275

A family of three spends $4,155 per month in Lake Charles, LA vs $4,341 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Lake Charles, LA $4,155
  • Lisbon $4,341

Lake Charles, LA and Lisbon have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Lake Charles, LA and Lisbon sit above the global median – Lake Charles, LA by 65%, Lisbon by 62%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lake Charles, LA
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$26.17 $26.17
$16.65 €14.92
57.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.9 $69.9
$61.7 €55.3
13.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.11 $11.11
$11.36 €10.18
-2.20%
Cappuccino
$5.56 $5.56
$2.97 €2.66
87.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 $1.98
$2.29 €2.05
-13.54%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 $1.28
$1.74 €1.56
-26.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.06 $5.06
$3.40 €3.05
48.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.01 $6.01
$3.31 €2.97
81.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lake Charles, LA
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.34 $1.34
$1.16 €1.04
15.52%
White Bread (500g)
$4.04 $4.04
$1.91 €1.71
111.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.28 $6.28
$1.51 €1.36
315.89%
Eggs
$5.27 $5.27
$4.02 €3.60
31.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.70 $15.70
$12.94 €11.59
21.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.11 $10.11
$7.77 €6.97
30.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.47 $15.47
$17.76 €15.92
-12.89%
Apples (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$2.30 €2.06
96.09%
Banana (1kg)
$1.29 $1.29
$1.73 €1.55
-25.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.00 $2.00
$1.86 €1.66
7.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.47 $5.47
$2.59 €2.32
111.20%
Potato (1kg)
$4.42 $4.42
$1.82 €1.63
142.86%
Onion (1kg)
$2.20 $2.20
$1.97 €1.76
11.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.20 $2.20
$1.47 €1.32
49.66%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.65 $2.65
$0.72 €0.65
268.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.40 $8.40
$6.58 €5.90
27.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.95 $16.95
$5.61 €5.02
202.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.57 $2.57
$1.36 €1.22
88.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.94 $3.94
$2.14 €1.91
84.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Lake Charles, LA
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$2.33 €2.09
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$44.68 €40.04
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.44 $3.44
$3.85 €3.45
-10.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.07 €0.96
36.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.54 $35.54
$16.46 €14.75
115.92%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.84 $0.84
$2.20 €1.97
-61.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K $33.2K
$34.2K €30.6K
-2.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K $26.9K
$38.7K €34.7K
-30.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lake Charles, LA
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$257 $257
$161 €144
59.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$69.5 $69.5
$18.41 €16.50
277.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.6 $58.6
$32.74 €29.34
79.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lake Charles, LA
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.56 $31.56
$44.55 €39.92
-29.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.28 $14.28
$19.10 €17.11
-25.24%
Cinema Ticket
$11.90 $11.90
$9.60 €8.60
23.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lake Charles, LA
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$668 €598
125.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.1K $10.1K
$17.6K €15.8K
-42.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lake Charles, LA
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.55 $24.55
$102 €91.4
-75.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.37 $43.37
$44.46 €39.85
-2.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$59.8 $59.8
$98.5 €88.3
-39.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 $120
$124 €111
-3.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lake Charles, LA
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,001 $1,001
$1,608 €1,441
-37.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$906 $906
$1,190 €1,066
-23.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,539 $1,539
$2,812 €2,520
-45.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,261 $1,261
$2,013 €1,804
-37.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,370 $1,370
$7,839 €7,025
-82.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,375 $1,375
$4,576 €4,100
-69.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lake Charles, LA
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,564 $3,564
$1,575 €1,411
126.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.66
3.85
72.99%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lake Charles, LA: October 24, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lake Charles, LA
$906
Lisbon
$1.2K 31.4% $284
Groceries & Markets
Lake Charles, LA
$422
Lisbon
$272 35.5% $150
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lake Charles, LA
$386
Lisbon
$212 44.9% $173
Eating Out
Lake Charles, LA
$360
Lisbon
$243 32.6% $117
Clothing & Footwear
Lake Charles, LA
$111
Lisbon
$166 48.9% $55
Sport & Entertainment
Lake Charles, LA
$55
Lisbon
$64 15.1% $8.4
Getting Around
Lake Charles, LA
$11 *
Lisbon
$63 490% $52

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,001 in Lake Charles, LA versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Lake Charles, LA are about 2.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70 in Lake Charles, LA versus $62 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $422 vs $272 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Lake Charles, LA
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
04:40 4:40 AM
09:40 9:40 AM
5 h ahead of Lake Charles, LA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
84,872
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lake Charles, LA Lisbon 7,490 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lake Charles, LA
  • Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Lake Charles, LA vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Lake Charles, LA and in Lisbon?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,376 per month in Lake Charles, LA and $3,315 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Lake Charles, LA or Lisbon?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lake Charles, LA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,001 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.
Are groceries more expensive in Lake Charles, LA or in Lisbon?
Groceries cost about 55% more in Lake Charles, LA, though the gap depends on what you buy.
How do dining costs compare in Lake Charles, LA and in Lisbon?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $70 in Lake Charles, LA and $62 in Lisbon. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Lake Charles, LA or in Lisbon?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,251 in Lake Charles, LA and $2,210 in Lisbon, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Lake Charles, LA or Lisbon?
It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,210 in Lisbon to $2,251 in Lake Charles, LA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Lake Charles, LA compared to Lisbon?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Lake Charles, LA or to Lisbon?
If budget matters most, go with Lisbon. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lake Charles, LA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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