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Los Angeles vs Washington: cost of living, pay and jobs compared
Washington is the cheaper place to live: overall prices run 4% lower than in Los Angeles, and housing runs 13% lower. Washington pays more in dollars (a typical official wage of $71,000 against $56,000), and after local prices are counted the typical paycheck goes further in Washington ($65,500 against $49,000 in average-US dollars).
The short answer
- Prices: Los Angeles runs 4% higher than Washington overall, and housing runs 13% higher.
- To keep the buying power of $100,000 in Washington, you need about $104,500 in Los Angeles. To keep $100,000 from Los Angeles, you need about $96,000 in Washington.
- Official median wage for all jobs: $56,000 in Los Angeles, $71,000 in Washington.
- Median pay listed in open postings: $157,500 in Los Angeles, $156,500 in Washington.
- Open postings in our data: 10,784 in Los Angeles from 844 employers, 3,856 in Washington from 540 employers.
- Unemployment: 4.8% in Los Angeles, 3.8% in Washington (BLS).
Los Angeles and Washington side by side
| Measure | Los Angeles | Washington | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (US = 100) | 113.6 | 108.9 | Washington |
| Housing price level | 170.4 | 151.1 | Washington |
| Official median wage, all jobs | $56,000 | $71,000 | Washington |
| Paycheck power (wage adjusted for prices) | $49,000 | $65,500 | Washington |
| Median pay in open postings | $157,500 | $156,500 | About the same |
| Postings that list pay | 62.4% | 61.2% | About the same |
| Open postings in our data | 10,784 | 3,856 | – |
| Employers hiring in our data | 844 | 540 | – |
| Unemployment rate (BLS) | 4.8% | 3.8% | Washington |
| Postings open more than 60 days | 41.1% | 37.7% | Washington |
| Median days a posting has been open | 44 | 37 | Washington |
| Entry-level share of postings | 9.4% | 8.5% | – |
| Remote share of postings | 3.9% | 7.3% | – |
| Indeed postings index vs Feb 2020 | -15.6% | -17.2% | Los Angeles |
"Edge" shows which area looks better on that measure (lower prices, higher pay, lower unemployment, fewer stale postings); counts and shares have no edge. Within 2% counts as about the same.
Cost of living
Los Angeles prices sit 113.6 against a US average of 100 and Washington at 108.9. The biggest difference is housing: 170.4 in Los Angeles against 151.1 in Washington. Utilities are 49% higher in Los Angeles. The index covers goods and services including rent and home costs, so it measures what a typical household spends, not what your own budget looks like.
| Price level (US = 100) | Los Angeles | Washington | Los Angeles vs Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 113.6 | 108.9 | 4% higher |
| Housing | 170.4 | 151.1 | 13% higher |
| Goods | 106.6 | 104.8 | 2% higher |
| Utilities | 158.6 | 106.7 | 49% higher |
| Other services | 104.4 | 102.3 | 2% higher |
What a salary is worth in each place
Each row keeps your purchasing power the same. The left half moves a salary from Washington to Los Angeles; the right half moves it the other way. "If only housing moved" uses the housing price level alone, for someone whose biggest cost is rent or a mortgage.
| Salary in Washington | Matching salary in Los Angeles | If only housing moved | Salary in Los Angeles | Matching salary in Washington | If only housing moved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $52,000 | $56,500 | $50,000 | $48,000 | $44,500 |
| $75,000 | $78,000 | $84,500 | $75,000 | $72,000 | $66,500 |
| $100,000 | $104,500 | $113,000 | $100,000 | $96,000 | $88,500 |
| $125,000 | $130,500 | $141,000 | $125,000 | $120,000 | $111,000 |
| $150,000 | $156,500 | $169,000 | $150,000 | $144,000 | $133,000 |
| $200,000 | $208,500 | $225,500 | $200,000 | $192,000 | $177,500 |
As hourly pay (2,080 hours a year): $100,000 a year is about $48.10 an hour; the matching figure is about $50.14 an hour in Los Angeles for someone earning $100,000 in Washington.
Pay for the same job
Across the 58 occupations that the Bureau of Labor Statistics measures in both areas, the median wage is higher in Los Angeles for 28 and higher in Washington for 30. After local prices are counted, Los Angeles comes out ahead in 14 and Washington in 44. The widest gap among the 15 largest occupations is registered nurses: $135,600 in Los Angeles against $102,700 in Washington.
| Occupation (15 largest) | Los Angeles median | Washington median | Los Angeles adjusted for prices | Washington adjusted for prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $34,300 | $38,500 | $30,200 | $35,400 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $42,100 | $34,600 | $37,100 | $31,800 |
| General and Operations Managers | $125,800 | $156,500 | $110,800 | $143,700 |
| Retail Salespersons | $37,700 | $36,600 | $33,200 | $33,600 |
| Cashiers | $37,000 | $35,500 | $32,600 | $32,600 |
| Registered Nurses | $135,600 | $102,700 | $119,400 | $94,300 |
| Office Clerks, General | $48,100 | $51,900 | $42,400 | $47,600 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $42,400 | $42,600 | $37,300 | $39,100 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $38,700 | $37,800 | $34,100 | $34,800 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $35,900 | $46,000 | $31,600 | $42,300 |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | $82,800 | $104,800 | $72,900 | $96,200 |
| Software Developers | $160,900 | $154,900 | $141,700 | $142,300 |
| Security Guards | $40,000 | $46,800 | $35,200 | $43,000 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $38,700 | $37,900 | $34,000 | $34,800 |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,400 | $102,100 | $83,100 | $93,800 |
Median annual wage for everyone in the occupation, all employers, May 2025 (BLS). "Adjusted" divides the wage by the area's price level (BEA, US = 100), so dollars are comparable.
Pay employers are offering right now
The wages above are what people earn in jobs they already hold. Open postings show what employers are offering today. In the job families where both areas have at least 15 postings that list pay, the median listed salary is higher in Los Angeles for 5 of 12 and higher in Washington for 7. Posted pay tends to run above the all-worker median because it leans toward hiring for experienced roles at larger employers.
| Job family | Los Angeles median listed pay | Postings | Washington median listed pay | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software developers | $193,000 | 482 | $193,000 | 163 |
| Sales | $109,000 | 327 | $166,500 | 155 |
| Operations and logistics | $146,000 | 313 | $132,000 | 77 |
| Software engineering | $185,000 | 166 | $156,000 | 135 |
| Security and IT | $170,000 | 160 | $175,000 | 97 |
| Marketing | $160,000 | 145 | $165,000 | 64 |
| Legal and compliance | $165,500 | 138 | $197,500 | 66 |
| Finance and accounting | $150,000 | 147 | $141,000 | 51 |
| Product and design | $154,000 | 140 | $164,500 | 38 |
| People and recruiting | $127,500 | 92 | $170,000 | 18 |
| Nursing and clinical care | $159,000 | 44 | $155,000 | 36 |
| Data and analytics | $151,500 | 52 | $135,500 | 20 |
Only postings that list a salary are counted. Median of the middle of each listed range. Job families need at least 15 such postings in both areas to appear.
Who is hiring
Los Angeles's postings lean toward manufacturing & industrial (27.5%), while Washington's lean toward software & technology (28.2%). The mix matters because pay and hiring conditions differ a lot by industry.
- Largest posters in Los Angeles: Anduril Industries (1,554), SpaceX (750), Relativity (297), Rocketlab (267), K2spacecorporation (207).
- Largest posters in Washington: Accenturefederalservices (266), Anduril Industries (184), Leidos (162), AstraZeneca (121), Veterinaryemergencygroupst (76).
Counts are open postings on each employer's own career page in our data; one big employer can shape a local market.
The job market
- Postings have been open a median of 44 days in Los Angeles and 37 in Washington; 41.1% and 37.7% have been open more than 60 days.
- Entry-level roles are 9.4% of postings in Los Angeles and 8.5% in Washington; senior and above are 48.7% and 45.1%.
- Fully remote roles are 3.9% of postings in Los Angeles and 7.3% in Washington.
- Indeed's postings index sits 15.6% below its February 2020 level in Los Angeles and 17.2% below in Washington.
- 62.4% of postings in Los Angeles list pay, against 61.2% in Washington.
Which is better for you?
- If you can keep your current salary and move, the place with the lower price level (Washington) stretches it further: $100,000 in Los Angeles has the buying power of about $96,000 in Washington.
- If you will be paid the local going rate, Washington comes out ahead after prices on the typical wage ($65,500 against $49,000).
- Software developers: median listed pay is $193,000 in Los Angeles and $193,000 in Washington, which is $170,000 and $177,500 in average-US dollars.
- If housing is your biggest cost, the gap there (170.4 vs 151.1) matters more than the overall index.
No place is better for everyone. Taxes, commute, schools, climate and your own spending are not in these numbers.
Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Los Angeles or Washington?
Washington is cheaper. Overall prices run 4% lower than in Los Angeles, and housing runs 13% lower (BEA regional price parities, 2024, where the US average is 100).
How much do I need to earn in Los Angeles to match $100,000 in Washington?
About $104,500 a year, using the ratio of overall price levels (113.6 in Los Angeles, 108.9 in Washington). Prices only; taxes are not included.
Which city pays more, Los Angeles or Washington?
Washington has the higher typical wage across all jobs: $71,000 against $56,000 (BLS, May 2025). After local prices, Washington has the higher paycheck power: $65,500 against $49,000 in average-US dollars.
Which has more job openings?
In the postings we read from employers' own career pages, Los Angeles has more: 10,784 against 3,856. This is a sample of employer postings, not a census of every job.
Where do these numbers come from?
Prices come from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, wages and unemployment from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and postings from employers' own career pages, collected October 2026. Every figure on this page is in a table or chart above.
More on these places
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: all the data
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: all the data
- Compare them in the interactive tool
- Cost-of-living ranking · Paycheck power ranking
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Updated October 2026. Prices only: taxes and personal spending are not included. Price levels: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities, 2024. Wages and unemployment: Bureau of Labor Statistics (wages May 2025). Postings: employers' own career pages, October 2026. Methodology