Compare My City
← Compare My City
Cost of living · head to head

Los Angeles, CA is approximately 5% pricier than Boston, MA, using Boston, MA as the comparison base.

Based on overall price levels from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis. 100 equals the national average. Figures represent the wider Boston, MA and Los Angeles, CA metropolitan areas, not city limits.

⇄ Swap / reverse this comparison
Boston, MAoverall index
108.3
Los Angeles, CAoverall index
113.6
Estimated salary equivalent based on regional price levels
in Boston, MA
A salary of $100,000 in Boston, MA has approximately the same purchasing power as $104,894 in Los Angeles, CA, based on regional price levels.
In plain terms: Los Angeles, CA is more expensive than Boston, MA, so you’d need about $104,894 there to match the lifestyle $100,000 buys in Boston, MA — same groceries, same rent level, same everyday spending. That’s ~$4,900 more to cover the higher cost of living, not a real raise.
Before tax. This estimate does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.

Where the difference lies

The headline gap is 5%, but housing is where it really shows. Housing rents in Los Angeles, CA run 15% higher than in Boston, MA (170.4 vs 148.4), while everyday goods and services sit closer together. For most people, housing rents move the most when relocating between these two metros, so weigh that gap more heavily than the overall figure.

Category comparison

CategoryBoston, MALos Angeles, CADifference
Overall108.3113.6+5%
Goods99.7106.6+7%
Housing rents148.4170.4+15%
Utilities148.8158.6+7%
Other services103.6104.4+1%

Los Angeles, CA differs from Boston, MA the most in housing rents — about 15% higher in Los Angeles, CA — while the closest is other services.

Estimated salary equivalent in Los Angeles, CA

$50,000 in Boston, MA$52,447
$75,000 in Boston, MA$78,670
$100,000 in Boston, MA$104,894
$150,000 in Boston, MA$157,341
$200,000 in Boston, MA$209,788

Each row shows the estimated salary equivalent in Los Angeles, CA, based on regional price levels, for the amount earned in Boston, MA.

Before tax. This estimate does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.

Common questions

Is Los Angeles, CA cheaper than Boston, MA?

No — Los Angeles, CA has an overall cost-of-living index of 113.6 versus 108.3 for Boston, MA, making it about 5% more expensive.

What is the estimated salary equivalent for $100,000 in Boston, MA if you moved to Los Angeles, CA?

About $104,894, based on regional price levels — a $100,000 salary in Boston, MA has approximately the same purchasing power as $104,894 in Los Angeles, CA. This is an estimate and does not account for taxes, household size, or personal spending habits.

Is housing cheaper in Los Angeles, CA than in Boston, MA?

Housing rents in Los Angeles, CA score 170.4 versus 148.4 in Boston, MA — about 15% more expensive. Housing rents are often the main driver of differences in overall price levels between metro areas.

What is the cost of living difference between Boston, MA and Los Angeles, CA?

Overall, Los Angeles, CA is about 5% pricier than Boston, MA (index 113.6 vs 108.3), with housing 15% higher. Data is from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024.