Median rent is 3% lower in Long Beach ($1,871/mo vs $1,933/mo). Buying is cheaper in Long Beach, where the median home runs $806,600 versus $921,200. Households earn more in Long Beach ($87,430 vs $81,939 a year). Overall, the two cities have a nearly identical cost of living index (114.7).
City A
Long Beach, CA
City B
Los Angeles, CA
How much would you need to earn in Los Angeles, CA to maintain your standard of living from Long Beach, CA?
Equivalent salary in Los Angeles, CA
$75,000
Costs are about the same in both cities.
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
Long Beach
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: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rents are similar in both cities: $1,871/mo in Long Beach and $1,933/mo in Los Angeles. Median home values are within 12% of each other: $806,600 in Long Beach and $921,200 in Los Angeles.
Metric
Long Beach
Los Angeles
Software Developer
Registered Nurse
Elementary Teacher
Electrician
Accountant
Higher wage highlighted · BLS OEWS 2023 (metro-level data)
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Long Beach
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Los Angeles
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Los Angeles has cleaner air on average: 31.0 AQI (Good) compared to 65.0 AQI (Moderate) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Long Beach if you prioritize higher median household income ($87,430/yr).
Pick Los Angeles if you prioritize cleaner air quality (avg AQI 31.0).
Long Beach is cheaper overall, with a cost of living index of 114.7 versus 114.7 (US average = 100). That means prices run about 0% lower in Long Beach.
Median rent is $1,871/mo in Long Beach, CA and $1,933/mo in Los Angeles, CA. Long Beach, CA has the lower rent by about 3%.
Median household income is $87,430 in Long Beach, CA and $81,939 in Los Angeles, CA. Long Beach, CA has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Los Angeles, CA has better air quality on average: 31.0 AQI versus 65.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
To maintain the same purchasing power, a salary of $100,000 in Long Beach, CA is equivalent to roughly $100,000 in Los Angeles, CA (using the BEA Regional Price Parity ratio). Use the salary calculator above for any income amount.
Data last updated: June 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
