Median rent is 38% lower in Long Beach ($1,871/mo vs $2,997/mo). Buying is cheaper in Long Beach, where the median home runs $806,600 versus $1,191,500. Households earn more in Irvine ($136,719 vs $87,430 a year).
City A
Irvine, CA
City B
Long Beach, CA
How much would you need to earn in Long Beach, CA to maintain your standard of living from Irvine, CA?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Irvine
California
Long Beach
California
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Renters will find significantly cheaper housing in Long Beach — median rent of $1,871/mo versus $2,997/mo in Irvine, a 38% difference. Home buyers face a steeper market in Irvine: the median home is $1,191,500 versus $806,600 in Long Beach — 32% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Irvine
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Long Beach
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Air quality data is available for Long Beach (avg AQI 65.0) but not yet for Irvine.
Pick Irvine if you prioritize higher median household income ($136,719/yr).
Pick Long Beach if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,871/mo median).
Is Irvine cheaper than Long Beach?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Irvine vs Long Beach?
Median rent is $2,997/mo in Irvine, CA and $1,871/mo in Long Beach, CA. Long Beach, CA has the lower rent by about 38%.
Which has higher salaries — Irvine or Long Beach?
Median household income is $136,719 in Irvine, CA and $87,430 in Long Beach, CA. Irvine, CA has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Air quality data is not yet available for one or both cities.
Which has lower taxes — Irvine or Long Beach?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Long Beach to match my Irvine income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
