Head to head
Los Angeles, CA vs Seattle, WA
Seattle is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $538/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $19,000 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child, Los Angeles is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and childcare varies even more sharply between cities than rent does.
| Metric | Los Angeles49 | Seattle59 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $5,329 | $4,791 |
| Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare) | $12,135 | $12,749 |
| Salary for comfort | $105,000/yr | $86,000/yr |
| Typical rent | $2,903 | $2,501 |
| Median home value | $879,500 | $912,100 |
| Median household income | $80,366 | $121,984 |
| Unemployment | 5.3% | 4.7% |
| Housing score | 1 | 34 |
| Jobs score | 20 | 35 |
| Safety score | 47 | 40 |
| Climate score | 100 | 92 |
| Amenities score | 100 | 90 |
| Population | 3.9M | 741.4K |
| Summer high / winter low | 83° / 48° | 76° / 37° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
Los Angeles, CA
Seattle, WA