City comparison
Los Angeles, CA vs San Francisco, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Francisco, CA are 1.8% higher than in Los Angeles, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Los Angeles, CA would need about $101,800 in San Francisco, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,977 a month in San Francisco, CA versus $2,085 in Los Angeles, CA. On $100,000, that's 48% of take-home pay in San Francisco, CA and 34% in Los Angeles, CA.
- Both are in CA, so estimated state income tax is the same: $5,070 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.2% moving from Los Angeles, CA to San Francisco, CA ($124,085 → $133,060), while prices change by +1.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.3% in real buying power.
- Los Angeles, CA: price level 113.6 (much pricier)
- San Francisco, CA: price level 115.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Los Angeles, CA | San Francisco, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 113.6 | 115.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,802 in San Francisco | $98,229 in Los Angeles |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,085/mo | $2,977/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 34% | 48% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,850 | $74,260 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Los Angeles | San Francisco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 170.4 | 194.7 |
| Goods | 106.6 | 108.5 |
| Utilities | 158.6 | 172.6 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 106.2 |
| Overall | 113.6 | 115.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Los Angeles, CA → San Francisco, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.8%; rent takes 48% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
28 Weak offer
San Francisco, CA → Los Angeles, CA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 34% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Los Angeles, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; San Francisco, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Los Angeles, CA to San Francisco, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Los Angeles, CA | San Francisco, CA | Real change, Los Angeles → San Francisco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $77,161 | +5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $93,358 | +5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $111,896 | +5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $133,060 | +5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $157,236 | +5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Los Angeles, CA | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco pay in Los Angeles dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,860 | $101,860 | $100,057 (−1.8%) |
| Software Developers | $160,920 | $186,640 | $183,335 (+13.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,360 | $110,730 | $108,769 (+15.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $135,560 | $186,610 | $183,306 (+35.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.