Median rent is 28% lower in Salem ($1,400/mo vs $1,933/mo). Buying is cheaper in Salem, where the median home runs $416,900 versus $921,200. Households earn more in Los Angeles ($81,939 vs $75,487 a year).
City A
Los Angeles, CA
City B
Salem, OR
How much would you need to earn in Salem, OR to maintain your standard of living from Los Angeles, 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
Los Angeles
California
Salem
Oregon
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 Salem — median rent of $1,400/mo versus $1,933/mo in Los Angeles, a 28% difference. Home buyers face a steeper market in Los Angeles: the median home is $921,200 versus $416,900 in Salem — 55% more expensive.
Metric
Los Angeles
Salem
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.
Los Angeles
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Salem
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Both cities have similar air quality: Los Angeles averages 31.0 AQI (Good) and Salem averages 32.0 AQI (Good).
Pick Los Angeles if you prioritize higher median household income ($81,939/yr).
Pick Salem if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,400/mo median).
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
Median rent is $1,933/mo in Los Angeles, CA and $1,400/mo in Salem, OR. Salem, OR has the lower rent by about 28%.
Median household income is $81,939 in Los Angeles, CA and $75,487 in Salem, OR. Los Angeles, 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 32.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: June 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
