City comparison
Indianapolis, IN 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 18.7% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $118,700 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 $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 34% of take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,150 a year higher in Los Angeles, CA than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +15.5% moving from Indianapolis, IN to Los Angeles, CA ($107,428 → $124,085), while prices change by +18.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.7% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (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
| Indianapolis, IN | Los Angeles, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 113.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $118,674 in Los Angeles | $84,265 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $2,085/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 34% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $55,850 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 170.4 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 106.6 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 158.6 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 113.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → Los Angeles, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.7%; rent takes 34% of take-home; state tax +$2,150/yr.
24 Weak offer
Los Angeles, CA → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$2,150/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Indianapolis, IN is in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN pay area; Los Angeles, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to Los Angeles, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | Los Angeles, CA | Real change, Indianapolis → Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $71,957 | −2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $87,061 | −2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $104,349 | −2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $124,085 | −2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $146,632 | −2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | Los Angeles, CA | Los Angeles pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,510 | $101,860 | $85,832 (+41.8%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $160,920 | $135,599 (+26.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $94,360 | $79,512 (+0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $135,560 | $114,229 (+35.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.