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

Which city costs less?

Los Angeles, CA has a modeled overall cost index 23.6% higher than Salem, MA.

Salem, MA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,560 / month
Los Angeles, CA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,660 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Salem, MA and Los Angeles, CA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Salem, MA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $2,476/month in Los Angeles, CA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $179,714 in Los Angeles, CA

Regional cost estimates: Salem, MA uses Boston, MA. Los Angeles, CA uses Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 23.6%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$2,476

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$29.7K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Salem, MA

Population:45K

Cost Index:

140.2

100 = national average

Typical Home:$590K

Los Angeles, CA

Population:3899K

Cost Index:

173.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$885K

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Salem, MA

The Bay State

45K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Massachusetts, this city has a population of 45K residents.

Los Angeles, CA

The Golden State

3.9M

Population

State Tax

Yes

Climate

Mediterranean

Notable Facts

•Entertainment capital of the world
•Major Pacific Rim trade center
•Diverse metropolitan area

Major Industries

EntertainmentTechnologyInternational TradeTourism

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Salem, MA vs Los Angeles, CA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Salem, MA	Los Angeles, CA	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,231/mo	$5,606/mo	↑ $2,375more	73.5%
Transportation	$1,246/mo	$1,561/mo	↑ $316more	25.3%
Healthcare	$522/mo	$401/mo	↓ $121less	23.2%
All Utilities	$502/mo	$403/mo	↓ $99.06less	19.7%
Other	$1,242/mo	$1,252/mo	↑ $10.39more	0.8%
Groceries	$757/mo	$753/mo	↓ $4.71less	0.6%

Housing

↑ 73.5%

Salem, MA

$3,231

Los Angeles, CA

$5,606

Difference

$2,375

Transportation

↑ 25.3%

Salem, MA

$1,246

Los Angeles, CA

$1,561

Difference

$316

Healthcare

↓ 23.2%

Salem, MA

$522

Los Angeles, CA

$401

Difference

$121

less

All Utilities

↓ 19.7%

Salem, MA

$502

Los Angeles, CA

$403

Difference

$99.06

less

Other

↑ 0.8%

Salem, MA

$1,242

Los Angeles, CA

$1,252

Difference

$10.39

Groceries

↓ 0.6%

Salem, MA

$757

Los Angeles, CA

$753

Difference

$4.71

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$2,040

To$1,910

↓ $130

1 Bed

From$2,160

To$2,135

↓ $25.00

2 Bed

From$2,560

To$2,660

↑ $100

3 Bed

From$3,080

To$3,370

↑ $290

Salem, MAZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,160–$2,160/mo

Los Angeles, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,630–$3,130/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Salem, MA

$9,976

Monthly in Los Angeles, CA

$2,476

Difference

Home Values

Salem

Los Angeles

$590K

Median Value

$885K

↑ +1.1%

YoY Change

↓ -3.4%

↑ +30.8%

5-Year Change

↑ +13.1%

$590K

Price Range

$531K - $3.01M

Homes in Los Angeles are 50% more expensive than Salem

Calculate payment - Salem Calculate payment - Los Angeles

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $3.1K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$261

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

2.1%

Rate difference

Salem, MA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Massachusetts State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.7%

$44.5K

Take-Home Pay

$8,791/month

$105.5K

Los Angeles, CA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

California State Tax

Effective: 7.1%

$10.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.8%

$47.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,530/month

$102.4K

Additional Tax Information

Salem, MA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.3%

Property Tax:1.2%

Los Angeles, CA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:10.5%

Property Tax:0.8%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Salem, MA: No data yet

Los Angeles, CA

22/100

1.2% sidewalk tags · 5.5% cycling tags

Environment

Salem

Los Angeles

36 Good

Air Quality

80 Moderate

79.5%

Good Air Days

10.4%

94 Moderate

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🌊🌅🌀

Top Hazards

🔥🌊🌅

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.6°F

6 days

Heat Days >95°F

17 days

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.6°F

6 days

Heat Days >95°F

17 days

Before moving from Salem, MA to Los Angeles, CA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Los Angeles, CA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Salem, MA. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Salem to Los Angeles moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Los Angeles, CA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Salem, MA vs Los Angeles, CA

How do the cost estimates for Salem, MA and Los Angeles, CA compare?

Los Angeles, CA has a modeled overall cost index 23.6% higher than Salem, MA. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Salem, MA, the model estimates $179,714 in Los Angeles, CA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Salem, MA and Los Angeles, CA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,560/month in Salem, MA and $2,660/month in Los Angeles, CA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Massachusetts and California on TaxTakeHome.com