Cost of Living: Los Angeles, CA vs New York, NY
New York is about 1% cheaper than Los Angeles overall.
Comparing Los Angeles, CA and New York, NY across cost of living, rent, income, and the salary needed to live comfortably. New York has a lower overall price level, driven mainly by housing.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | Los Angeles | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living index | 113.6 | 112.6 |
| Median rent | $1,879 | $1,779 |
| Rent, 1-bedroom (FMR) | $2,328 | $2,024 |
| Rent, 2-bedroom (FMR) | $2,903 | $2,324 |
| Median home value | $879,500 | $751,700 |
| Median household income | $80,366 | $79,713 |
| Salary needed (single) | $93,100 | $81,000 |
| Salary needed (family) | $147,200 | $113,400 |
Green highlights the more favorable value for each metric. Lower is better for costs; higher is better for income. Figures are estimates from public data (BEA, Census, HUD).
Which City Is More Affordable?
Overall, New York is the more affordable of the two, with a cost-of-living index of 112.6 versus 113.6 for Los Angeles. The biggest difference is usually housing, where rents in Los Angeles run noticeably higher.
You can read the full breakdown for each city on its own page: cost of living in Los Angeles and cost of living in New York.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Los Angeles or New York?
New York is about 1% cheaper than Los Angeles overall, based on the BEA cost-of-living index (New York: 112.6 vs Los Angeles: 113.6).
What is the rent difference between Los Angeles and New York?
The median rent is $1,879 in Los Angeles and $1,779 in New York.
How much salary do you need in Los Angeles vs New York?
A single person needs about $93,100 in Los Angeles and $81,000 in New York to live comfortably.
Data Sources
Cost-of-living index from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (Regional Price Parities). Income, rent, and home value from the U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-Year). Fair Market Rents from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.