Cost of Living: Los Angeles, CA vs Monterey, CA

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,974/mo in Los Angeles, CA versus $3,974/mo in Monterey, CA. In the model, rent is about 25.99% of gross in Los Angeles, CA versus 33.34% in Monterey, CA, so Los Angeles, CA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Los Angeles, CA
$3,974/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in Monterey, CA
$3,974/mo
Income level: below
Rent share (1BR) in Los Angeles, CA
25.99%
COLI tier: very high-cost
Rent share (1BR) in Monterey, CA
33.34%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Los Angeles, CA and Monterey, CA.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Monterey, CA
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Los Angeles, CA
  • Lower home prices: Los Angeles, CA
  • Higher median household income: Monterey, CA

Cost of Living Index

Los Angeles, CA: 148.6 (U.S. = 100) · Monterey, CA: 100 (U.S. = 100)

Monterey, CA has a lower cost-of-living index than Los Angeles, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Los Angeles, CA: $1,695/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Monterey, CA: $2,174/mo

Median rent in Monterey, CA is $479/mo higher than in Los Angeles, CA.

Median Home Price

Los Angeles, CA: $657,700 · Monterey, CA: $1,003,300

Median home price in Monterey, CA is $345,600 higher than in Los Angeles, CA.

Median Household Income

Los Angeles, CA: $74,785 · Monterey, CA: $104,110

Monterey, CA has a higher median household income than Los Angeles, CA by $29,325.

Los Angeles, CA overview · Monterey, CA overview · Popular comparisons