City comparison
Corpus Christi, TX vs Lafayette, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Corpus Christi, TX are 6.3% higher than in Lafayette, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Lafayette, LA would need about $106,300 in Corpus Christi, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,117 a month in Corpus Christi, TX versus $898 in Lafayette, LA. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Corpus Christi, TX and 14% in Lafayette, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,614 a year higher in Lafayette, LA than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Corpus Christi, TX to Lafayette, LA ($106,955 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.7% in real buying power.
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Lafayette, LA: price level 87.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Corpus Christi, TX | Lafayette, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 87.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,106 in Lafayette | $106,263 in Corpus Christi |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,117/mo | $898/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,350 | $41,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Lafayette, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Corpus Christi, TX and Lafayette, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Corpus Christi | Lafayette |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.9 | 58.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 81.0 | 71.2 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 87.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Corpus Christi, TX → Lafayette, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,614/yr.
88 Strong offer
Lafayette, LA → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,614/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Corpus Christi, TX is in the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX pay area; Lafayette, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Corpus Christi, TX to Lafayette, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Corpus Christi, TX | Lafayette, LA | Real change, Corpus Christi → Lafayette |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,023 | $61,722 | +5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,042 | $74,678 | +5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,943 | $89,508 | +5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,955 | $106,437 | +5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,389 | $125,776 | +5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Corpus Christi, TX | Lafayette, LA | Lafayette pay in Corpus Christi dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,210 | $47,770 | $50,762 (−15.7%) |
| Software Developers | $123,580 | $109,010 | $115,837 (−6.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,580 | $67,630 | $71,866 (−4.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,690 | $81,960 | $87,093 (+5.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.