Lake Charles

Cost of Living in Lake Charles, LA (2026): Rent, Utilities & Take-Home

$2,446 left/mo

Photo: CTtcg / Wikimedia

$3,020/mo in Lake Charles. $2,446 left each month. Prices 10% below the US average.

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Monthly costs

Take-home $5,466/mo.

Taxes$1,511
Rent$1,149
Other$1,871
Left$2,446

Pay and tax, per year

Gross household pay: $83,730
Federal income tax: −$9,591
Social Security and Medicare: −$6,405
State income tax (LA): −$2,137
Take-home pay: $65,597
Effective tax rate: 21.7%

Living costs, per month

Rent, 1br: $1,149
Groceries: $360
Getting around: $566
Healthcare: $405
Utilities and internet: $225
Everything else: $315
Total spending: $3,020

After tax and rent

$2,446 left/mo

Stats

Rent: $1,368; 2 bd median
Take-home: $5,466; Per month
Tax: 22%; Of pay
Prices: 10% below; US, besides rent

Average electric bill in Louisiana

About $113 a month for a household using 900 kWh. That is the EIA residential price for Louisiana in 2025, 12.52¢ per kWh. It is a state average, not a Lake Charles utility bill, and the utilities line in the monthly costs above already includes a modelled power cost.

Moving from Lake Charles

Moving from Lake Charles to New Orleans