Living Cost Compare
Long Beach

California

$1,960/mo est.

vs
Omaha

Nebraska

$1,120/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,960 in Long Beach, CA versus $1,120 in Omaha, NE. Overall, Omaha, NE is roughly 43% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Long Beach, CA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,969 in Long Beach, CA and $72,708 in Omaha, NE — about 13% higher in Long Beach, CA. California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax; Nebraska has a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$1,447
$908
+37% in Long Beach, CA
1 Bedroom
$1,634
$984
+40% in Long Beach, CA
2 Bedroom
$1,979
$1,193
+40% in Long Beach, CA
3 Bedroom
$2,360
$1,437
+39% in Long Beach, CA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$762,200
$230,100
+70% in Long Beach, CA

Income

Median Household Income
$83,969
$72,708
+13% in Long Beach, CA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$55,850
$49,660
+11% in Long Beach, CA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.8 yr
35.3 yr
+1.5 yr in Long Beach, CA
Homeownership
40.9%
57.7%
+16.8 pp in Omaha, NE
Bachelor's+ (25+)
34.8%
40.3%
+5.5 pp in Omaha, NE
Avg Commute
30.0 min
19.6 min
+10.4 min in Long Beach, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
690
358.6
+48% in Long Beach, CA
Property Crime
3,584.4
3,153
+12% in Long Beach, CA

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
64.7°F
51.1°F
+13.6°F in Long Beach, CA
Annual Precipitation
12.3 in
30.6 in
+18.4 in in Omaha, NE

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.89/gal
$4.35/gal
+26% in Long Beach, CA

Area: Los Angeles vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
$1.25
about equal

Adult base one-way fare — Long Beach Transit vs Metro Transit (Omaha) (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
33.4
13.1
+61% in Long Beach, CA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.72
$12.06
+42% in Long Beach, CA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.37
$4.14
+5% in Long Beach, CA
Bread (lb)
$2.10
$1.79
+15% in Long Beach, CA
Eggs (doz)
$2.25
$3.63
+61% in Omaha, NE
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.23
$6.97
+4% in Long Beach, CA
Chicken (lb)
$2.14
$2.15
+1% in Omaha, NE
Bananas (lb)
$0.74
$0.63
+15% in Long Beach, CA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CA / NE)
7.25%
5.5%
+1.8 pp in CA
Income Tax (top rate)
13.30%
4.55%
+8.8 pp in CA

Long Beach vs Omaha — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Long Beach or Omaha?
Omaha, NE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,120 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 43% below Long Beach, CA's $1,960, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Long Beach than in Omaha?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $65,000 a year in Long Beach versus $39,000 in Omaha.
Which has lower taxes, Long Beach or Omaha?
Long Beach is taxed under California's rules (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax); Omaha under Nebraska's (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% 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).