Question 1

Is Arlington or Los Angeles cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Arlington, TX is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $1,911/month less than in Los Angeles, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,723/mo in Arlington versus $2,903/mo in Los Angeles.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Arlington vs Los Angeles?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $72,000/year before tax in Arlington, TX and $122,000/year in Los Angeles, CA — a difference of about $50,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Arlington or Los Angeles cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Arlington, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,857/month in Arlington and $11,266/month in Los Angeles, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Arlington or Los Angeles?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Arlington costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Arlington73	Los Angeles47
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,111	$6,022
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,857	$11,266
Salary for comfort	$72,000/yr	$122,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,723	$2,903
Median home value	$276,400	$879,500
Median household income	$73,519	$80,366
Unemployment	4.1%	5.3%
Housing score	60	2
Jobs score	58	25
Safety score	65	47
Climate score	96	100
Amenities score	73	100
Population	394.8K	3.9M
Summer high / winter low	94° / 35°	89° / 47°

Arlington, TX vs Los Angeles, CA