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

Los Angeles, CA is approximately 10% pricier than Phoenix, AZ, using Phoenix, AZ 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 Phoenix, AZ and Los Angeles, CA metropolitan areas, not city limits.

⇄ Swap / reverse this comparison
Phoenix, AZoverall index
103.3
Los Angeles, CAoverall index
113.6
Estimated salary equivalent based on regional price levels
in Phoenix, AZ
A salary of $100,000 in Phoenix, AZ has approximately the same purchasing power as $109,971 in Los Angeles, CA, based on regional price levels.
In plain terms: Los Angeles, CA is more expensive than Phoenix, AZ, so you’d need about $109,971 there to match the lifestyle $100,000 buys in Phoenix, AZ — same groceries, same rent level, same everyday spending. That’s ~$10,000 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 10%, but housing is where it really shows. Housing rents in Los Angeles, CA run 41% higher than in Phoenix, AZ (170.4 vs 121.2), 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

CategoryPhoenix, AZLos Angeles, CADifference
Overall103.3113.6+10%
Goods95.0106.6+12%
Housing rents121.2170.4+41%
Utilities93.3158.6+70%
Other services104.0104.4+0%

Los Angeles, CA differs from Phoenix, AZ the most in utilities — about 70% higher in Los Angeles, CA — while the closest is other services.

Estimated salary equivalent in Los Angeles, CA

$50,000 in Phoenix, AZ$54,985
$75,000 in Phoenix, AZ$82,478
$100,000 in Phoenix, AZ$109,971
$150,000 in Phoenix, AZ$164,956
$200,000 in Phoenix, AZ$219,942

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

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 Phoenix, AZ?

No — Los Angeles, CA has an overall cost-of-living index of 113.6 versus 103.3 for Phoenix, AZ, making it about 10% more expensive.

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

About $109,971, based on regional price levels — a $100,000 salary in Phoenix, AZ has approximately the same purchasing power as $109,971 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 Phoenix, AZ?

Housing rents in Los Angeles, CA score 170.4 versus 121.2 in Phoenix, AZ — about 41% 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 Phoenix, AZ and Los Angeles, CA?

Overall, Los Angeles, CA is about 10% pricier than Phoenix, AZ (index 113.6 vs 103.3), with housing 41% higher. Data is from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024.