Cost of Living Comparison Between Lake Charles, LA and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Lake Charles, LA and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,676 per month in Lake Charles, LA vs $2,227 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,957 per month in Lake Charles, LA vs $3,305 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,238 per month in Lake Charles, LA vs $4,384 in Lisbon, rent included.

Lake Charles, LA costs about 20% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lake Charles, LA and Lisbon sit above the global median – Lake Charles, LA by 100%, Lisbon by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.37 $26.37

$16.17 €13.81

63.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.9 $89.9

$64.6 €55.1

39.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 $10.16

$10.38 €8.86

-2.12%

Cappuccino

$4.38 $4.38

$2.77 €2.37

58.12%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$2.25 €1.92

-27.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.57 €1.34

31.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.11 $6.11

$3.49 €2.98

75.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.23 $8.23

$4.00 €3.42

105.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.08 €0.93

23.15%

White Bread (500g)

$4.12 $4.12

$1.74 €1.49

136.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$1.74 €1.48

248.28%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$3.18 €2.71

43.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.83 $14.83

$13.43 €11.47

10.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.22 $11.22

$7.99 €6.83

40.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.92 $14.92

$16.09 €13.74

-7.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$2.28 €1.95

93.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.72 €1.47

-23.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.94 €1.66

3.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$2.54 €2.17

105.51%

Potato (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.83 €1.56

113.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.04 €1.74

9.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.98 €1.69

12.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.05 $3.05

$0.85 €0.73

258.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.74 $8.74

$6.85 €5.85

27.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.91 $16.91

$5.78 €4.93

192.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.37 €1.17

48.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 $3.47

$2.90 €2.48

19.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.28 €1.95

-13.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.00

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 $3.45

$4.08 €3.48

-15.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.82 €0.70

84.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.51 $34.51

$18.27 €15.60

88.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$2.01 €1.71

-61.69%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.4K $35.4K

$35.3K €30.1K

0.37%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.4K $28.4K

$38.5K €32.9K

-26.25%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$231 $231

$145 €124

59.20%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$57.8 $57.8

$20.96 €17.90

175.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 $60.4

$40.05 €34.21

50.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.35 $42.35

$48.79 €41.66

-13.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.10 $14.10

$18.69 €15.97

-24.56%

Cinema Ticket

$11.59 $11.59

$9.06 €7.74

27.92%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,557 $1,557

$607 €518

156.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K $10.2K

$16.3K €13.9K

-37.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 $47.75

$105 €89.4

-54.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.06 $41.06

$40.95 €34.97

0.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.3 $77.3

$93.6 €79.9

-17.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$119 €101

-13.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 $1,611

$1,604 €1,370

0.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,350 $1,350

$1,236 €1,055

9.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,654 $2,654

$3,046 €2,601

-12.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,252 $2,252

$2,057 €1,756

9.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,400 $1,400

$7,709 €6,583

-81.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,385 $1,385

$4,266 €3,644

-67.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,740 $3,740

$1,584 €1,353

136.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

3.81

72.44%

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

Last update for Lake Charles, LA: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,611 in Lake Charles, LA versus $1,604 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 run about 136% higher in Lake Charles, LA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Lake Charles, LA versus $65.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $419 vs $271 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Lake Charles, LA costs about 20% more than Lisbon, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,013 per month in Lake Charles, LA and $3,341 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lisbon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,676 in Lake Charles, LA and $2,227 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,557 per month in Lake Charles, LA and $607 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lisbon, where all-in costs run around $2,227, than in Lake Charles, LA at $2,676. In Lisbon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lake Charles, LA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lisbon costs $2,227 versus $2,676 in Lake Charles, LA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lisbon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lake Charles, LA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.