City comparison
Los Angeles, CA vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 16.1% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $116,100 in Los Angeles, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,085 a month in Los Angeles, CA versus $1,507 in Richmond, VA. On $100,000, that's 34% of take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA and 24% in Richmond, VA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $5,070 a year in CA and $4,936 in VA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.4% moving from Los Angeles, CA to Richmond, VA ($124,085 → $111,183), while prices change by −13.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.0% in real buying power.
- Los Angeles, CA: price level 113.6 (much pricier)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Los Angeles, CA | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 113.6 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,168 in Richmond | $116,052 in Los Angeles |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,085/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 34% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,850 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Los Angeles | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 170.4 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 106.6 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 158.6 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 113.6 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Los Angeles, CA → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$135/yr.
100 Strong offer
Richmond, VA → Los Angeles, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.8%; rent takes 34% of take-home; state tax +$135/yr.
24 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Los Angeles, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Los Angeles, CA to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Los Angeles, CA | Richmond, VA | Real change, Los Angeles → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $64,475 | +4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $78,009 | +4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $93,499 | +4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $111,183 | +4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $131,385 | +4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Los Angeles, CA | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Los Angeles dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,860 | $61,290 | $71,128 (−30.2%) |
| Software Developers | $160,920 | $132,120 | $153,328 (−4.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,360 | $84,220 | $97,739 (+3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $135,560 | $93,580 | $108,601 (−19.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.