Lafayette vs Omaha
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026 Data
Lafayette
Omaha
💡 The Verdict
Lafayette is 3% cheaper than Omaha overall. A $75,000 salary in Lafayette is equivalent to $77,586 in Omaha.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values for Lafayette (left) vs Omaha (right). National average = 100.
Detailed Price Comparison
Estimated item-level prices in Lafayette versus Omaha. Differences shown from Lafayette perspective.
| Item | Lafayette | Omaha | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Bed Rent | $580/mo | $790/mo | $-210.00 |
| 2-Bed Rent | $840/mo | $1,100/mo | $-260.00 |
| 3-Bed Rent | $1,090/mo | $1,460/mo | $-370.00 |
| Bread (loaf) | $2.32 | $2.70 | $-0.38 |
| Milk (gallon) | $3.19 | $3.72 | $-0.53 |
| Eggs (dozen) | $2.53 | $3.24 | $-0.71 |
| Coffee (latte) | $4.69 | $6.06 | $-1.37 |
| Gas (gallon) | $3.16 | $3.12 | +$0.04 |
| Restaurant Meal | $17.29 | $12.40 | +$4.89 |
💰 Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Lafayette has the same purchasing power as $77,586 in Omaha.
Conversely, $75,000 in Omaha equals $72,500 in Lafayette.
💼 Take-Home Pay Comparison
Estimated annual take-home pay on a $75,000 salary after federal, FICA, and state income taxes.
The $1050 difference is driven by Nebraska having a higher state income tax rate. Louisiana details → · Nebraska details →
Reading These Numbers: Lafayette (87) vs Omaha (90)
Lafayette at 87 is 13% below the US average, while Omaha at 90 is 10% below average. The cost difference between these cities is relatively modest.
In Lafayette, the composite index of 87 reflects a weighted calculation where housing carries the most influence at 70, followed by groceries (81), utilities (86), transportation (88), and healthcare (91). Costs are fairly balanced across categories.
For renters: With median rents of $840/mo in Lafayette and $1,100/mo in Omaha, the annual rent difference is approximately $3,120.0. Over a 5-year period, that compounds to $15,600.0 in savings by choosing the more affordable city.
For homebuyers: The $17,000.0 difference in median home prices between Lafayette and Omaha translates to meaningful differences in mortgage payments at current rates. Factor this into your budget alongside property taxes and insurance, which also vary by location.
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Making Your Decision: Lafayette vs Omaha
Choosing between Lafayette and Omaha involves more than just comparing index numbers. Consider how each category aligns with your personal spending patterns. If you work from home, transportation costs matter less than housing and utilities. If you eat out frequently, the groceries index may understate your actual food spending — look at the restaurant meal prices in the detailed comparison table above instead.
The cost gap between Lafayette and Omaha reflects thousands of individual pricing differences across housing markets, grocery chains, utility providers, and healthcare networks. No two households experience the same effective cost of living even in the same city, which is why the category breakdown matters more than the headline number. Adjust the lifestyle weighting sliders above to see how your spending priorities shift the comparison between these specific metros.