Residential comparison · 13 facts
Los Angeles, CA vs Santa Monica, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Los Angeles needs about $85,500 in Santa Monica to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Santa Monica, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $84,500 in Los Angeles.
A few differences
- Santa Monica is lower on sales tax (8.8% vs 9.5%).
- Los Angeles is lower on groceries index (110 vs 112).
- Santa Monica is higher on median household income ($114,885 vs $80,000).
Los Angeles vs Santa Monica · facet by facet
| Facet | Los Angeles, CA | Santa Monica, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $950,000 | $1,755,500 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $3,100/mo | $2,834/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 9.5% | 8.8% |
| Cost of living index | 149 | 205 |
| Groceries index | 110 | 112 |
| Utilities | $205/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $80,000 | $114,885 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Crime index | 48/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 284 days | 260 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Los Angeles, CA · Santa Monica, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Los Angeles cheaper than Santa Monica?
- Los Angeles has the lower day-to-day cost index (149 vs 205 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Santa Monica equals $85,000 in Los Angeles?
- A household earning $85,000 in Los Angeles needs about $85,500 in Santa Monica to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Santa Monica lifestyle costs about $84,500 in Los Angeles.