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 Mateo | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,791/mo | $2,971/mo | 39.7% lower in A |
| Median home value | $822,600 | $1,508,900 | 45.5% lower in A |
| Median household income | $76,244 | $149,152 | 48.9% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.0 | 104.1 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 82.4 | 125.1 | 34.2% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 100.5 | 104.6 | 4.0% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 104.0 | 104.1 | ≈ 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 $165,883 in San Mateo to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Los Angeles, CA is about 39.7% cheaper overall than San Mateo, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 40% lower in Los Angeles than in San Mateo. If you earn $80,000 in Los Angeles, you'd need about $132,707 in San Mateo to keep the same standard of living.