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 | Seattle | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,791/mo | $1,945/mo | 7.9% lower in A |
| Median home value | $822,600 | $879,900 | 6.5% lower in A |
| Median household income | $76,244 | $116,068 | 34.3% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.0 | 93.6 | 11.1% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 82.4 | 89.2 | 7.6% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 100.5 | 120.5 | 16.6% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 104.0 | 128.1 | 18.9% lower 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 $108,595 in Seattle to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Los Angeles, CA is about 7.9% cheaper overall than Seattle, WA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 8% lower in Los Angeles than in Seattle. If you earn $80,000 in Los Angeles, you'd need about $86,876 in Seattle to keep the same standard of living.