Arlington vs Los Angeles
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026 Data
Arlington
Los Angeles
💡 The Verdict
Arlington is 37% cheaper than Los Angeles overall. A $75,000 salary in Arlington is equivalent to $119,712 in Los Angeles.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values for Arlington (left) vs Los Angeles (right). National average = 100.
Detailed Price Comparison
Estimated item-level prices in Arlington versus Los Angeles. Differences shown from Arlington perspective.
| Item | Arlington | Los Angeles | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Bed Rent | $1,100/mo | $1,990/mo | $-890.00 |
| 2-Bed Rent | $1,430/mo | $2,700/mo | $-1270.00 |
| 3-Bed Rent | $1,880/mo | $3,660/mo | $-1780.00 |
| Bread (loaf) | $2.35 | $3.14 | $-0.79 |
| Milk (gallon) | $3.19 | $3.91 | $-0.72 |
| Eggs (dozen) | $3.08 | $3.25 | $-0.17 |
| Coffee (latte) | $5.05 | $6.16 | $-1.11 |
| Gas (gallon) | $3.44 | $3.64 | $-0.20 |
| Restaurant Meal | $17.81 | $24.46 | $-6.65 |
💰 Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Arlington has the same purchasing power as $119,712 in Los Angeles.
Conversely, $75,000 in Los Angeles equals $46,988 in Arlington.
💼 Take-Home Pay Comparison
Estimated annual take-home pay on a $75,000 salary after federal, FICA, and state income taxes.
The $900 difference is driven by California having a higher state income tax rate. Virginia details → · California details →
Reading These Numbers: Arlington (104) vs Los Angeles (166)
Arlington at 104 is 4% above the US average, while Los Angeles at 166 is 66% above average. There is a meaningful cost gap between these two cities that affects day-to-day budgeting.
In Arlington, the composite index of 104 reflects a weighted calculation where housing carries the most influence at 105, followed by groceries (89), utilities (110), transportation (107), and healthcare (98). Costs are fairly balanced across categories.
For renters: With median rents of $1,430/mo in Arlington and $2,700/mo in Los Angeles, the annual rent difference is approximately $15,240.0. Over a 5-year period, that compounds to $76,200.0 in savings by choosing the more affordable city.
For homebuyers: The $519,000.0 difference in median home prices between Arlington and Los Angeles translates to meaningful differences in mortgage payments at current rates. Factor this into your budget alongside property taxes and insurance, which also vary by location.
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Making Your Decision: Arlington vs Los Angeles
Choosing between Arlington and Los Angeles involves more than just comparing index numbers. Consider how each category aligns with your personal spending patterns. If you work from home, transportation costs matter less than housing and utilities. If you eat out frequently, the groceries index may understate your actual food spending — look at the restaurant meal prices in the detailed comparison table above instead.
The cost gap between Arlington and Los Angeles reflects thousands of individual pricing differences across housing markets, grocery chains, utility providers, and healthcare networks. No two households experience the same effective cost of living even in the same city, which is why the category breakdown matters more than the headline number. Adjust the lifestyle weighting sliders above to see how your spending priorities shift the comparison between these specific metros.