Question 1

Is Detroit or Los Angeles cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Detroit, MI is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $1,973/month less than in Los Angeles, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,411/mo in Detroit versus $2,903/mo in Los Angeles.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Detroit vs Los Angeles?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $78,000/year before tax in Detroit, MI and $122,000/year in Los Angeles, CA — a difference of about $44,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Detroit or Los Angeles 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 $11,266/month in Los Angeles, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Detroit or Los Angeles?

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	Los Angeles47
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,049	$6,022
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,360	$11,266
Salary for comfort	$78,000/yr	$122,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,411	$2,903
Median home value	$76,800	$879,500
Median household income	$39,575	$80,366
Unemployment	10.7%	5.3%
Housing score	62	2
Jobs score	37	25
Safety score	18	47
Climate score	87	100
Amenities score	82	100
Population	636.6K	3.9M
Summer high / winter low	83° / 20°	89° / 47°

Detroit, MI vs Los Angeles, CA