City comparison
Los Angeles, CA vs New York, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Los Angeles, CA (113.6) and New York, NY (112.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Los Angeles, CA goes as far as $99,100 in New York, NY.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $2,085 in Los Angeles, CA. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 34% in Los Angeles, CA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $5,070 a year in CA and $4,860 in NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.1% moving from Los Angeles, CA to New York, NY ($124,085 → $125,431), while prices change by −0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.0% in real buying power.
- Los Angeles, CA: price level 113.6 (much pricier)
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Los Angeles, CA | New York, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 113.6 | 112.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,117 in New York | $100,891 in Los Angeles |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,085/mo | $2,655/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 34% | 43% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,850 | $61,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Los Angeles | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 170.4 | 148.6 |
| Goods | 106.6 | 110.3 |
| Utilities | 158.6 | 127.0 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 105.8 |
| Overall | 113.6 | 112.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Los Angeles, CA → New York, NY
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax −$211/yr.
45 Weak offer
New York, NY → Los Angeles, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 34% of take-home; state tax +$211/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Los Angeles, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; New York, NY is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Los Angeles, CA to New York, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Los Angeles, CA | New York, NY | Real change, Los Angeles → New York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $72,737 | +2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $88,005 | +2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $105,481 | +2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $125,431 | +2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $148,222 | +2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Los Angeles, CA | New York, NY | New York pay in Los Angeles dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,860 | $96,900 | $97,763 (−4.0%) |
| Software Developers | $160,920 | $166,830 | $168,317 (+4.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,360 | $105,650 | $106,591 (+13.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $135,560 | $119,720 | $120,787 (−10.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.