City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Los Angeles | Malden | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,791/mo | $1,962/mo | 8.7% lower in A |
| Median home value | $822,600 | $570,600 | 44.2% higher in A |
| Median household income | $76,244 | $90,295 | 15.6% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 105.8 | 100.0 | 5.8% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 135.7 | 133.9 | 1.3% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 103.2 | 101.3 | 1.9% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 104.2 | 103.9 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Los Angeles, you'd need $95,152 in Malden to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Malden, MA is about 4.8% cheaper overall than Los Angeles, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 7% lower in Malden than in Los Angeles. If you earn $80,000 in Los Angeles, you'd need about $76,122 in Malden to keep the same standard of living.