Cost of living in Los Angeles, CA
12,844,441 people (Census 2025 estimate). Overall prices are 13.6% above the US average, with housing at 170.4 on BEA’s index (US = 100). A single renter on $60,000 keeps −$211 a month after 2026 taxes and modeled costs.
Typical household budgets in Los Angeles, CA
Computed by MoveMath’s engine with 2026 tax law, HUD Fair Market Rent for the bedrooms each household needs, DOL 2022 childcare prices for Los Angeles County, CA in current dollars, USDA Moderate-Cost food, one car per adult and $1,000 a month of other spending at US-average prices scaled by local price levels.
| Per month | Single, $60k | Couple + toddler, $110k | Family of four, $95,958 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross income | $5,000 | $9,167 | $7,997 |
| Taxes | $997 | $1,545 | $1,008 |
| Take-home pay | $4,003 | $7,622 | $6,988 |
| Housing | $2,402 | $2,964 | $2,964 |
| Childcare | $0 | $1,169 | $2,244 |
| Food | $470 | $1,054 | $1,368 |
| Transportation | $249 | $498 | $498 |
| Sales tax | $39 | $39 | $39 |
| Other goods & services | $1,055 | $1,055 | $1,055 |
| Left over | −$211 | $843 | −$1,178 |
Family of four = two adults, a preschooler and a school-age child at the metro’s median household income ($95,958). Click a column to open it in the budget planner and change any input.
Price levels: Los Angeles, CA vs California and the US
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. 100 = US average; bars compare the metro (dark) with California statewide (light).
Within California, Los Angeles, CA ranks 2nd of 25 metros on overall prices; the state as a whole is at 110.7. The dashed line marks the US average.
Rent and homeownership
| Unit | HUD Fair Market Rent | Income needed at 30% | Share of median income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $2,151 | $86,040 | 26.9% |
| 1-bedroom | $2,402 | $96,080 | 30.0% |
| 2-bedroom | $2,964 | $118,560 | 37.1% |
| 3-bedroom | $3,760 | $150,400 | 47.0% |
| 4-bedroom | $4,208 | $168,320 | 52.6% |
FY2027 FMRs for Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA HUD Metro FMR Area: 40th-percentile gross rent (rent + tenant-paid utilities) for standard-quality units. Census median gross rent, all unit sizes: $2,063 (ACS 2020-2024).
Childcare prices in Los Angeles County, CA
| Age band | Center, weekly (2022) | Center, yearly today* | Home-based, weekly (2022) | Home-based, yearly today* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infant (under 2) | $257 | $16,335 | $284 | $18,076 |
| Toddler (2) | $221 | $14,033 | $230 | $14,632 |
| Preschool (3–4) | $225 | $14,301 | $222 | $14,093 |
| School-age (5–12) | $199 | $12,623 | $186 | $11,827 |
DOL National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022 county medians for full-time care in Los Angeles County, CA (the metro’s principal county). *52 weeks × 1.2224, the BLS CPI change for day care and preschool from the 2022 average to 2026-08. Checked against DOL’s raw NDCP file: $256.98 is the published 2022 price (flag 1); it is below LA’s own 2020 price ($346) and below Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, and is used as published.
Taxes: what you keep in Los Angeles
| Single filer, 2026 | $50,000 | $75,000 | $120,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $3,820 | $7,670 | $17,570 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $3,825 | $5,738 | $9,180 |
| California income tax | $973 | $2,665 | $6,771 |
| California payroll taxes | $650 | $975 | $1,560 |
| Take-home pay / month | $3,394 | $4,829 | $7,077 |
| Share of pay to taxes | 18.5% | 22.7% | 29.2% |
No mandatory local income tax for residents of Los Angeles in our data. State sales tax: 7.25% (state rate only; local rates add on), groceries exempt.
Calculate take-home pay for your household in Los Angeles, CA
Energy and fuel
EIA: electricity 2025, natural gas 2024, gasoline week ending 2026-10-05. Renters’ utilities are already inside gross rent.
Nearby metros
| Metro | Distance | Price level | 2-BR FMR | Single $60k left over |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | — | 113.6 | $2,964 | −$211 |
| Oxnard, CA · compare | 47 mi | 110.5 | $2,424 | $190 (+$402) |
| Riverside, CA · compare | 59 mi | 106.4 | $2,103 | $552 (+$763) |
| Bakersfield, CA · compare | 99 mi | 100.9 | $1,656 | $952 (+$1,164) |
| San Diego, CA · compare | 111 mi | 111.9 | $2,823 | −$134 (+$78) |
| Santa Maria, CA · compare | 132 mi | 108.8 | $3,106 | −$486 (−$274) |
| San Luis Obispo, CA · compare | 155 mi | 108.6 | $2,720 | $146 (+$358) |
Common moves to and from Los Angeles, CA
Census ACS metro-to-metro migration flows (ACS 5-year 2016-2020), people who moved in a year.
- Riverside, CA84,332
- San Francisco, CA20,222
- San Diego, CA18,697
- Las Vegas, NV15,324
- Phoenix, AZ14,778
- Dallas, TX12,069
- Bakersfield, CA11,740
- Oxnard, CA10,824
- Riverside, CA39,795
- San Francisco, CA18,945
- New York, NY-NJ17,107
- San Diego, CA15,876
- Oxnard, CA7,337
- Chicago, IL-IN7,156
- San Jose, CA6,364
- Bakersfield, CA5,954
Frequently asked questions
Is Los Angeles, CA expensive to live in?+
BEA’s Regional Price Parities put overall prices in the Los Angeles, CA metro at 113.6 (US = 100) in 2024 — 13.6% above the national average and the 3rd highest of 387 metros. Housing is 170.4, goods 106.6.
What salary do you need to live in Los Angeles, CA?+
A single renter earning $60,000 keeps $4,003 a month after 2026 taxes and has −$211 left after rent at HUD Fair Market Rent, food, fuel, sales tax and other modeled costs. Use the cost of living calculator to find the salary that matches your current budget.
How much is rent in Los Angeles, CA?+
HUD’s FY2027 Fair Market Rent — the 40th-percentile gross rent including utilities — is $2,402 for a 1-bedroom and $2,964 for a 2-bedroom. The Census median gross rent for all units is $2,063.
Does Los Angeles have a local income tax?+
No mandatory local income tax applies to residents of Los Angeles in our 2026 data. California state income tax does apply.