Los Angeles vs San Francisco
Los Angeles, CA · San Francisco, CA
Los Angeles is 24% cheaper than San Francisco overall.
Home Price
Los: $860,000
San: $1,350,000
Monthly Rent
Los: $2,050/mo
San: $3,498/mo
COL Index
Los: 173
San: 214
Median Income
Los: $76,000
San: $131,000
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 $123,699 in San Francisco — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in San Francisco are 57% cheaper (-$490,000 less). That's a significant down payment and monthly payment difference.
Renting
Renting in Los Angeles saves you $1,448/month — $17,376 per year. Median rent: $2,050/mo in Los Angeles vs $3,498/mo in San Francisco.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Los Angeles owners pay roughly $6,278/year in property taxes vs $8,505/year in San Francisco. That's a $2,227 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $76,000 in Los Angeles and $131,000 in San Francisco. Los Angeles residents earn 72% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 32 minutes in Los Angeles vs 34 minutes in San Francisco. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Los Angeles to San Francisco, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Los Angeles | Equivalent in San Francisco | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $61,850 | +$11,850 |
| $75,000 | $92,775 | +$17,775 |
| $100,000 | $123,699 | +$23,699 |
| $150,000 | $185,549 | +$35,549 |
| $200,000 | $247,399 | +$47,399 |
* 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
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Los Angeles Calculators
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Related Comparisons
Los Angeles vs San Francisco: Common Questions
Is Los Angeles or San Francisco cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Los Angeles is cheaper overall. Los Angeles has a COL index of 173 while San Francisco scores 214 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Los Angeles and San Francisco?
The median home price in Los Angeles is $860,000 vs $1,350,000 in San Francisco — a difference of $490,000 (57%).
What salary do I need in San Francisco to match my Los Angeles income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Los Angeles is equivalent to $123,699 in San Francisco in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
San Francisco has a lower property tax rate (0.63% vs 0.73%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $6,278/year vs $8,505/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.