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Cost of living
in Los Angeles
$3,847
Average cost per month
Distribution of expenses
Housing
52%Healthcare
10%Groceries
12%Utilities
11%Transit
2%Other
14%
Estimated monthly costs for one adult: typical rent across the metro area, USDA's moderate-cost food plan and U.S. government spending data — a typical budget, not a minimum.
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What makes Los Angeles special?
Los Angeles fills a basin between the Pacific Ocean and the San Gabriel Mountains, a spread-out city shaped by its freeways. It is the oldest hub of film and television production, and its port is the busiest in the US by container volume. Olvera Street preserves the oldest part of the city, founded in 1781, and in 2020, 46.9% of residents were Hispanic or Latino.
Monthly costs in Los Angeles
What everyday life costs in each city, side by side.
A full-time minimum-wage job in Los Angeles pays about $3,193 a month, $654 short of these costs.
| Total | |
|---|---|
| Housing | $1,996 |
| Healthcare | $368 |
| Groceries | $471 |
| Utilities | $409 |
| Transit | $77 |
| Other | $526 |
Estimated monthly costs for one adult: typical rent across the metro area, USDA's moderate-cost food plan and U.S. government spending data — a typical budget, not a minimum.
Sources, updated September 2026: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (Regional Price Parities, 2024); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Consumer Expenditure Surveys, 2024; Consumer Price Index); U.S. Department of Agriculture (Food Plans, July 2026); Federal Communications Commission (Urban Rate Survey, 2026); U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (Fair Market Rents, FY2026); U.S. Energy Information Administration (weekly retail gasoline prices); official fare pages of each city's transit agency; Latin America: crowdsourced cost-of-living platforms, used for reference.
Life in Los Angeles
A few things that make Los Angeles more than a number.
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The entertainment capital of the world.
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Compare Los Angeles with…
Side-by-side monthly costs for Los Angeles and each city in the tool.
- Barranquilla
- Bogotá
- Bucaramanga
- Cali
- Caracas
- Cartagena
- Cúcuta
- Cuenca
- Guayaquil
- Lima
- Medellín
- Pereira
- Quito
- Valencia
Cost of living in other US cities
Monthly costs for one person, city by city.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to live in Los Angeles?
About $3,847 a month for one adult, including rent for a one-bedroom apartment ($1,996). That covers housing, healthcare, groceries, utilities, transit and other everyday spending.
How much does a couple need to live in Los Angeles?
About $5,292 a month for two adults sharing a one-bedroom apartment. Rent and home internet are shared, so two people pay less than double.
What is the typical rent in Los Angeles?
A one-bedroom apartment rents for about $1,996 a month, a two-bedroom for about $2,325 and a three-bedroom for about $3,057. These are rents only; utilities are counted separately.
How much are groceries and utilities in Los Angeles?
For one adult, groceries run about $471 a month and utilities about $409, including home internet.
How much does transportation cost in Los Angeles?
About $77 a month for one adult.
Can you live on minimum wage in Los Angeles?
A full-time minimum-wage job in Los Angeles ($18.42 an hour) pays about $3,193 a month before taxes. Typical costs for one adult there are about $3,847 a month. Add your own income on this page to see what would be left.
Is Los Angeles expensive compared with other U.S. cities?
Of the 15 U.S. cities in this tool, Los Angeles is number 2 by monthly cost for one adult (1 is the most expensive).
How is the cost of living measured?
We add up typical monthly costs for one adult in six categories: housing, healthcare, groceries, utilities, transit and other everyday spending. U.S. figures are calculated from government data (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, HUD and the Energy Information Administration) plus transit agencies' published fares. Latin American figures come from crowdsourced cost-of-living platforms, and their healthcare costs are a modeled estimate. Minimum wages are each city's local rate where it has one, otherwise the state rate published by the U.S. Department of Labor. Figures were last updated in 2026.
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