Popular cities
Los Angeles vs New York cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐บ๐ธ Los Angeles
๐บ๐ธ New York
At a glance
- Where Los Angeles is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (49%โ), Transit (42%โ), Studio rent (month) (36%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
New York is easier to travel (1.6 vs 2.0). Biggest gap: getting around โ Los Angeles 3 vs New York 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Los Angeles | New York | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | $ 18$18 | $ 20$20 | Los Angeles โ10% |
| Street food1 item | $ 11$11 | $ 10$10 | New York โ9% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | $ 48$48 | $ 55$55 | Los Angeles โ13% |
| Coffeeone cup | $ 5.5$5.5 | $ 6$6 | Los Angeles โ8% |
| Beerone bottle | $ 9$9 | $ 9$9 | similar |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | $ 17$17 | $ 19$19 | Los Angeles โ11% |
| Bottled water | $ 2$2 | $ 2$2 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | $ 3$3 | $ 3$3 | similar |
| Taxi5 km in town | $ 18$18 | $ 23$23 | Los Angeles โ22% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | $ 10$10 | $ 14$14 | Los Angeles โ29% |
| Transitone ride | $ 1.75$1.75 | $ 3$3 | Los Angeles โ42% |
| Scooter rentalper day | $ 35$35 | $ 68$68 | Los Angeles โ49% |
| Hotel night3-star | $ 200$200 | $ 270$270 | Los Angeles โ26% |
| Studio rent (month) | $ 2,100$2,100 | $ 3,300$3,300 | Los Angeles โ36% |
| Laundry | $ 4$4 | $ 4.5$4.5 | Los Angeles โ11% |
| SIM card1 week data | $ 26$26 | $ 30$30 | Los Angeles โ13% |
| Haircutcut | $ 30$30 | $ 42$42 | Los Angeles โ29% |
| Massage1 hour | $ 75$75 | $ 100$100 | Los Angeles โ25% |
| Half-day tourper person | $ 75$75 | $ 80$80 | Los Angeles โ6% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | $ 28$28 | $ 30$30 | Los Angeles โ7% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Los Angeles or New York?
Los Angeles is 26% cheaper than New York. Daily budget $368 vs $467; a month $7,222 vs $10,297.
Which is easier to travel, Los Angeles or New York?
New York is easier: New York 1.6/5 vs Los Angeles 2.0/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Los Angeles and New York?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Los Angeles is about $7,222 and New York about $10,297 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.