Question 1

Is Detroit or Long Beach cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Detroit, MI is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $1,960/month less than in Long Beach, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,411/mo in Detroit versus $2,903/mo in Long Beach.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Detroit vs Long Beach?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $78,000/year before tax in Detroit, MI and $121,500/year in Long Beach, CA — a difference of about $43,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Detroit or Long Beach cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Detroit, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,360/month in Detroit and $11,302/month in Long Beach, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Detroit or Long Beach?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Detroit 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	Detroit59	Long Beach46
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,049	$6,009
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,360	$11,302
Salary for comfort	$78,000/yr	$121,500/yr
Typical rent	$1,411	$2,903
Median home value	$76,800	$762,200
Median household income	$39,575	$83,969
Unemployment	10.7%	5.1%
Housing score	62	5
Jobs score	37	27
Safety score	18	41
Climate score	87	100
Amenities score	82	91
Population	636.6K	458.5K
Summer high / winter low	83° / 20°	82° / 46°

Detroit, MI vs Long Beach, CA