Los Angeles vs Riverside
Los Angeles, CA · Riverside, CA
Riverside is 29% cheaper than Los Angeles overall.
Home Price
Los: $860,000
Riverside: $560,000
Monthly Rent
Los: $2,050/mo
Riverside: $1,750/mo
COL Index
Los: 173
Riverside: 122
Median Income
Los: $76,000
Riverside: $75,800
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Los Angeles has the same purchasing power as $70,520 in Riverside — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Riverside cost 35% more (-$300,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Riverside saves you $300/month — $3,600 per year. Median rent: $2,050/mo in Los Angeles vs $1,750/mo in Riverside.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Los Angeles owners pay roughly $6,278/year in property taxes vs $4,200/year in Riverside. Rates are comparable.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $76,000 in Los Angeles and $75,800 in Riverside. Incomes are similar, so cost of living differences matter more.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 32 minutes in Los Angeles vs 32 minutes in Riverside. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Los Angeles to Riverside, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Los Angeles | Equivalent in Riverside | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $35,260 | -$14,740 |
| $75,000 | $52,890 | -$22,110 |
| $100,000 | $70,520 | -$29,480 |
| $150,000 | $105,780 | -$44,220 |
| $200,000 | $141,040 | -$58,960 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
Full cost of living comparison tool
Home Appreciation
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Los Angeles Calculators
Riverside Calculators
Related Comparisons
Los Angeles vs Riverside: Common Questions
Is Los Angeles or Riverside cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Riverside is cheaper overall. Los Angeles has a COL index of 173 while Riverside scores 122 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Los Angeles and Riverside?
The median home price in Los Angeles is $860,000 vs $560,000 in Riverside — a difference of $300,000 (35%).
What salary do I need in Riverside to match my Los Angeles income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Los Angeles is equivalent to $70,520 in Riverside in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Los Angeles has a lower property tax rate (0.73% vs 0.75%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $4,200/year vs $6,278/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.