San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 115.6 → 113.6
Rent Delta: -$311/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $311/mo cheaper rent (2BR)

Cons of Moving

  • - $13K lower median salary

Moving from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont to Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 115.6 to 113.6 (100 = US average), so a San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont salary needs to be multiplied by 0.98 to hold the same purchasing power in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $2,912/month in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont to $2,601/month in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim - a lower monthly bill of $311, or $3,732/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $95,708 in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont versus $82,276 in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim - a raw gap of $13,432 lower. The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim labor market has 6,167,970 tracked jobs against 2,339,300 in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim are 477 and 477 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 21.5:1 at origin versus 21.5:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $17,920/year in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont versus $17,920/year in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim. Our composite verdict - Neutral — Depends on Priorities - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 115.6
RPP 113.6
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$2,912/mo
$2,601/mo
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
💼 Wages
$95,708
$82,276
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
🔒 Crime
477 per 100K
477 per 100K
Tie
🎓 Schools
21.5:1
21.5:1
Tie
👶 Childcare
$17,920/yr
$17,920/yr
Tie
🌿 Environment
17550 violations
17550 violations
Tie

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont to see what you'd need to earn in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
-

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim more expensive than San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim has an RPP of 113.6 compared to San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont's 115.6 (100 = national average). San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim is $2,601/mo vs $2,912/mo in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont.
What are salaries like in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim compared to San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
The median salary in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim is $82,276 compared to $95,708 in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont. That's a -$13,432 difference.
Is Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim safer than San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
The violent crime rate near Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim is 477 per 100K vs 477 per 100K near San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont (state-level data). Both areas have similar crime rates.
How much would I need to earn in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim to match my San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont salary by 0.98. For example, a $75,000 salary in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont would need to be $73,672 in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" means both metros are roughly equivalent across the 7 dimensions. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

Explore PlainRelocate

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)