Median rent is 4% lower in Los Angeles ($1,879/mo vs $1,958/mo). Buying is cheaper in La Mesa, where the median home runs $738,800 versus $879,500. Households earn more in La Mesa ($84,337 vs $80,366 a year).
City A
La Mesa, CA
City B
Los Angeles, CA
How much would you need to earn in Los Angeles, CA to maintain your standard of living from La Mesa, 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 city's metro area. A rough estimate of overall purchasing power, not tax or take-home pay.
Metric
La Mesa
California
Los Angeles
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: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rents are similar in both cities: $1,958/mo in La Mesa and $1,879/mo in Los Angeles. Median home values are within 16% of each other: $738,800 in La Mesa and $879,500 in Los Angeles.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
California's top income tax rate is 13.30% versus 13.30% in California, so Los Angeles is more tax-friendly for high earners. Sales tax is 7.25% in California and 7.25% in California; Los Angeles has the lower rate (local add-ons may apply in both).
La Mesa
Income tax: 13.30%
Sales tax: 7.25%
Los Angeles
Income tax: 13.30%
Sales tax: 7.25%
Air quality data is available for Los Angeles (avg AQI 77.0) but not yet for La Mesa.
Is La Mesa cheaper than Los Angeles?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in La Mesa vs Los Angeles?
Median rent is $1,958/mo in La Mesa, CA and $1,879/mo in Los Angeles, CA. Los Angeles, CA has the lower rent by about 4%.
Which has higher salaries — La Mesa or Los Angeles?
Median household income is $84,337 in La Mesa, CA and $80,366 in Los Angeles, CA. La Mesa, 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 — La Mesa or Los Angeles?
California's top income tax rate is 13.30% and California's is 13.30%. Los Angeles, CA has the lower rate.
What salary do I need in Los Angeles to match my La Mesa income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2024 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology