City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs Los Angeles, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 17.4% higher than in Gainesville, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Gainesville, FL would need about $117,400 in Los Angeles, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,085 a month in Los Angeles, CA versus $1,246 in Gainesville, FL. On $100,000, that's 34% of take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA and 19% in Gainesville, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Los Angeles, CA than in Gainesville, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Gainesville, FL to Los Angeles, CA ($106,437 → $124,085), while prices change by +17.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.7% in real buying power.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (cheaper)
- Los Angeles, CA: price level 113.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Gainesville, FL | Los Angeles, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 113.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $117,402 in Los Angeles | $85,178 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/mo | $2,085/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 34% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $55,850 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 170.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 106.6 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 158.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 113.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → Los Angeles, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.8%; rent takes 34% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
24 Weak offer
Los Angeles, CA → Gainesville, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Gainesville, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Los Angeles, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Gainesville, FL to Los Angeles, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | Los Angeles, CA | Real change, Gainesville → Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,957 | −0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $87,061 | −0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $104,349 | −0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $124,085 | −0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $146,632 | −0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | Los Angeles, CA | Los Angeles pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $56,430 | $101,860 | $86,762 (+53.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | $160,920 | $137,068 (+11.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $94,360 | $80,374 (+6.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $135,560 | $115,467 (+41.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.