2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
San Jose, CA vs Lake Charles, LA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Lake Charles or is it cheaper to live in San Jose?
- Lake Charles is 63.6% less expensive than San Jose.

Which city has more affordable housing, Lake Charles or San Jose?
- Lake Charles housing costs are 85.5% less expensive than San Jose housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in San Jose or is Health Care more affordable in Lake Charles.
- Health related expenses are 5.4% less in Lake Charles.
 San Jose, CALake Charles, LAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock84.1100
 Food & Groceries113.7  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock101.9100
 Housing428.5  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$179,400$338,100
 Utilities97  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock89.1100
 Miscellaneous155.8  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for San Jose    90 Reviews

I've lived in west San Jose/Cambrian, between Los Gatos and Almaden SJ since 1997. This side of town somehow avoided the erosion of the American dream. Houses are  More

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I lived in San Jose for 40 years. That’s during the most exciting time when the Silicon Valley was booming with real technology and San Jose was ranked as the safest big  More

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Over 4 years ago

I've lived in San Jose, CA for 25 years. This city is being over run with crime and gangs. The cost of living is very high. Granted, you are so close to mountains,  More

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Reviews for Lake Charles    34 Reviews

Over 2 years ago

I’ve lived in the city for years and it’s great, you should really check it  More

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Over 4 years ago

Lake Charles, Louisiana is one of the absolute creepiest cities in the USA. The people feel dead inside. They also seem to secretly hate each other. It is also an  More

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Beware reader, the city of Lake Charles is an absolute sh*thole. If you are traveling through I-10 you might want to skip this place. This place is the very worst of the  More

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