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 | San Marcos | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,791/mo | $1,251/mo | 43.2% higher in A |
| Median home value | $822,600 | $248,300 | 231.3% higher in A |
| Median household income | $76,244 | $47,394 | 60.9% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 105.8 | 95.2 | 11.1% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 135.7 | 85.9 | 58.1% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 103.2 | 97.5 | 5.8% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 104.2 | 95.8 | 8.8% higher in A |
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 $78,257 in San Marcos to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
San Marcos, TX is about 21.7% cheaper overall than Los Angeles, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 30% lower in San Marcos than in Los Angeles. If you earn $80,000 in Los Angeles, you'd need about $62,606 in San Marcos to keep the same standard of living.