Los Angeles, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Los Angeles, CA Summary
Cost of living in Los Angeles research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Los Angeles is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in California, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Los Angeles is 171, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Los Angeles is 1.7x higher than the national average.
Los Angeles ranks as the #441 cheapest in California out of 634.
Los Angeles ranks as the #6,086 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Los Angeles is $936,303.
The median income in Los Angeles is $80,366.
Table Of Contents
Los Angeles's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Los Angeles, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Los Angeles has an overall cost of living index of 171, which is 1.7x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Los Angeles has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Los Angeles ranks as #441 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Los Angeles ranks as the #193 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Los Angeles, check out:
In California
In America
Los Angeles Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Los Angeles. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Los Angeles is 117.
The Groceries index in Los Angeles is 112.
The Health index in Los Angeles is 109.
The Housing index in Los Angeles is 300.
The Transportation index in Los Angeles is 124.
The Utilities index in Los Angeles is 110.
| Living Expense | Los Angeles | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 171 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 117 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 112 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 109 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 300 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 124 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 110 | 128 | 100 | |
Los Angeles, CA Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in California, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Los Angeles is $936,303.
The Median Rent in Los Angeles is $1,879.
The Median Income in Los Angeles is $80,366.
The Home Value To Income in Los Angeles is 11.7x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Los Angeles is 0.28x.
| Statistic | Los Angeles | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $936,303 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,879 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $80,366 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 11.7x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.28x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Los Angeles, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Los Angeles Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | Los Angeles | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.41 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $13.46 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $19.07 | $18 |
| Haircut | $24.67 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $49.33 | $45.56 |
Detailed Los Angeles Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | Los Angeles | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.26 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $2.08 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.76 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.94 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $16.13 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $9.6 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.76 | $3.7 |
Detailed Los Angeles Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | Los Angeles | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $129.09 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $119.86 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $108.07 | $113.29 |
Detailed Los Angeles Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | Los Angeles | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.47 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $58.33 | $59.92 |
Detailed Los Angeles Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | Los Angeles | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $326.49 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $182.78 | $192.25 |
Los Angeles SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Los Angeles
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Los Angeles. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Torrance, CA has a cost of living index of 190, 1.1x Los Angeles.
Inglewood, CA has a cost of living index of 159, 0.9x Los Angeles.
Santa Monica, CA has a cost of living index of 265, 1.5x Los Angeles.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Torrance, CA | 143,499 | 190 | 1.1x |
| Inglewood, CA | 105,575 | 159 | 0.9x |
| Santa Monica, CA | 91,535 | 265 | 1.5x |
| Redondo Beach, CA | 69,814 | 212 | 1.2x |
| Altadena, CA | 41,921 | 187 | 1.1x |
| Rancho Palos Verdes, CA | 41,259 | 244 | 1.4x |
| West Hollywood, CA | 35,090 | 180 | 1.1x |
| Beverly Hills, CA | 31,955 | 332 | 1.9x |
| South Pasadena, CA | 26,297 | 226 | 1.3x |
| West Whittier-Los Nietos, CA | 25,459 | 148 | 0.9x |
