Cost of Living: San Francisco, CA vs Los Angeles, CA
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,974/mo in San Francisco, CA versus $3,974/mo in Los Angeles, CA. In the model, rent is about 35.25% of gross in San Francisco, CA versus 25.99% in Los Angeles, CA, so Los Angeles, CA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between San Francisco, CA and Los Angeles, CA.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Los Angeles, CA
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Los Angeles, CA
- Lower home prices: Los Angeles, CA
- Higher median household income: San Francisco, CA
Cost of Living Index
San Francisco, CA: 225.8 (U.S. = 100) · Los Angeles, CA: 148.6 (U.S. = 100)
Los Angeles, CA has a lower cost-of-living index than San Francisco, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
San Francisco, CA: $2,298/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Los Angeles, CA: $1,695/mo
Median rent in San Francisco, CA is $603/mo higher than in Los Angeles, CA.
Median Home Price
San Francisco, CA: $1,380,500 · Los Angeles, CA: $657,700
Median home price in San Francisco, CA is $722,800 higher than in Los Angeles, CA.
Median Household Income
San Francisco, CA: $141,446 · Los Angeles, CA: $74,785
San Francisco, CA has a higher median household income than Los Angeles, CA by $66,661.
San Francisco, CA overview · Los Angeles, CA overview · Popular comparisons