Cost of Living: Salem, OR vs Los Angeles, CA

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,939/mo in Salem, OR versus $3,974/mo in Los Angeles, CA. In the model, rent is about 19.29% of gross in Salem, OR versus 25.99% in Los Angeles, CA, so Salem, OR tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Salem, OR
$3,939/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in Los Angeles, CA
$3,974/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in Salem, OR
19.29%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Los Angeles, CA
25.99%
COLI tier: very high-cost

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Salem, OR and Los Angeles, CA.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Salem, OR
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Salem, OR
  • Lower home prices: Salem, OR
  • Higher median household income: Los Angeles, CA

Cost of Living Index

Salem, OR: 104.2 (U.S. = 100) · Los Angeles, CA: 148.6 (U.S. = 100)

Salem, OR has a lower cost-of-living index than Los Angeles, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Salem, OR: $1,257/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Los Angeles, CA: $1,695/mo

Median rent in Los Angeles, CA is $438/mo higher than in Salem, OR.

Median Home Price

Salem, OR: $382,400 · Los Angeles, CA: $657,700

Median home price in Los Angeles, CA is $275,300 higher than in Salem, OR.

Median Household Income

Salem, OR: $71,900 · Los Angeles, CA: $74,785

Los Angeles, CA has a higher median household income than Salem, OR by $2,885.

Salem, OR overview · Los Angeles, CA overview · Popular comparisons