City comparison
Los Angeles, CA vs Santa Rosa, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 5.4% higher than in Santa Rosa, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Santa Rosa, CA would need about $105,400 in Los Angeles, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $2,085 a month in Los Angeles, CA and $2,155 in Santa Rosa, CA.
- Both are in CA, so estimated state income tax is the same: $5,070 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.2% moving from Los Angeles, CA to Santa Rosa, CA ($124,085 → $133,060), while prices change by −5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.0% in real buying power.
- Los Angeles, CA: price level 113.6 (much pricier)
- Santa Rosa, CA: price level 107.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Los Angeles, CA | Santa Rosa, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 113.6 | 107.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,909 in Santa Rosa | $105,364 in Los Angeles |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,085/mo | $2,155/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 34% | 35% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,850 | $56,850 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA MSA. Metro areas: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA and Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Los Angeles | Santa Rosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 170.4 | 139.6 |
| Goods | 106.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 158.6 | 154.8 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 113.6 | 107.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Los Angeles, CA → Santa Rosa, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 35% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
71 Strong offer
Santa Rosa, CA → Los Angeles, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 34% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
40 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Los Angeles, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Santa Rosa, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Los Angeles, CA to Santa Rosa, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Los Angeles, CA | Santa Rosa, CA | Real change, Los Angeles → Santa Rosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $77,161 | +13.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $93,358 | +13.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $111,896 | +13.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $133,060 | +13.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $157,236 | +13.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Los Angeles, CA | Santa Rosa, CA | Santa Rosa pay in Los Angeles dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,860 | $99,060 | $104,374 (+2.5%) |
| Software Developers | $160,920 | $148,630 | $156,603 (−2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,360 | $94,690 | $99,770 (+5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $135,560 | $174,550 | $183,914 (+35.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.