Living Cost Compare
Cleveland

Ohio

$940/mo est.

vs
Los Angeles

California

$2,010/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $940 in Cleveland, OH versus $2,010 in Los Angeles, CA. Overall, Cleveland, OH is roughly 53% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Los Angeles, CA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $39,187 in Cleveland, OH and $80,366 in Los Angeles, CA — about 51% higher in Los Angeles, CA. Ohio has a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax; California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax.

Cleveland, OH
Los Angeles, CA

Rent

Studio
$678
$1,468
+117% in Los Angeles, CA
1 Bedroom
$732
$1,688
+131% in Los Angeles, CA
2 Bedroom
$903
$2,148
+138% in Los Angeles, CA
3 Bedroom
$1,081
$2,489
+130% in Los Angeles, CA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$94,100
$879,500
+835% in Los Angeles, CA

Income

Median Household Income
$39,187
$80,366
+105% in Los Angeles, CA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$50,140
$55,850
+11% in Los Angeles, CA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.3 yr
36.9 yr
+0.6 yr in Los Angeles, CA
Homeownership
41.2%
36.3%
+4.9 pp in Cleveland, OH
Bachelor's+ (25+)
21.3%
37.8%
+16.5 pp in Los Angeles, CA
Avg Commute
22.9 min
31.1 min
+8.2 min in Los Angeles, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,582
730.3
+54% in Cleveland, OH
Property Crime
4,531.3
1,501.4
+67% in Cleveland, OH

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
52.7°F
67.0°F
+14.3°F in Los Angeles, CA
Annual Precipitation
36.4 in
21.2 in
+15.1 in in Cleveland, OH

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.18/gal
$5.40/gal
+29% in Los Angeles, CA

Area: Ohio vs Los Angeles.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$1.75

Adult base one-way fare — — vs LA Metro (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
19.5
33.3
+70% in Los Angeles, CA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$22.83
$20.72
+9% in Cleveland, OH

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.82
+12% in Los Angeles, CA
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$2.04
+23% in Los Angeles, CA
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.19
+40% in Cleveland, OH
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$7.36
+9% in Los Angeles, CA
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$2.01
+4% in Cleveland, OH
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in Los Angeles, CA

Average prices — Midwest vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (OH / CA)
5.75%
7.25%
+1.5 pp in CA
Income Tax (top rate)
2.75%
13.30%
+10.6 pp in CA

Cleveland vs Los Angeles — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cleveland or Los Angeles?
Cleveland, OH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 53% below Los Angeles, CA's $2,010, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cleveland than in Los Angeles?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $29,000 a year in Cleveland versus $68,000 in Los Angeles.
Which has lower taxes, Cleveland or Los Angeles?
Cleveland is taxed under Ohio's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax); Los Angeles under California's (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).