City comparison
Los Angeles, CA vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 23.2% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $123,200 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 $1,154 in Memphis, TN. On $100,000, that's 34% of take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA and 17% in Memphis, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Los Angeles, CA than in Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −14.2% moving from Los Angeles, CA to Memphis, TN ($124,085 → $106,437), while prices change by −18.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.7% in real buying power.
- Los Angeles, CA: price level 113.6 (much pricier)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Los Angeles, CA | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 113.6 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $81,168 in Memphis | $123,202 in Los Angeles |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,085/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 34% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,850 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Los Angeles | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 170.4 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 106.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 158.6 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 113.6 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Los Angeles, CA → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +23.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
100 Strong offer
Memphis, TN → Los Angeles, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.8%; rent takes 34% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
24 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Los Angeles, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Memphis, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Los Angeles, CA to Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Los Angeles, CA | Memphis, TN | Real change, Los Angeles → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $61,722 | +5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $74,678 | +5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $89,508 | +5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $106,437 | +5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $125,776 | +5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Los Angeles, CA | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Los Angeles dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,860 | $61,510 | $75,781 (−25.6%) |
| Software Developers | $160,920 | $125,580 | $154,717 (−3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,360 | $76,960 | $94,816 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $135,560 | $81,500 | $100,409 (−25.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.