Moving from Los Angeles to Springfield
You'd keep $1,228 more a month in Springfield
+$14,736 a year for the same registered nurse, the same household size, and the same number of bedrooms.
Los Angeles leftover
$1,697
a month after tax and rent
Springfield leftover
$2,925
+$1,228 vs Los Angeles
| Per month | Los Angeles | Springfield | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $8,750 | $7,672 | −$1,078 |
| Income and payroll tax | $2,378 | $1,944 | −$434 |
| Take-home pay | $6,372 | $5,728 | −$644 |
| Rent | $2,276 | $895 | −$1,381 |
| Getting around | $674 | $539 | −$135 |
| Groceries | $476 | $378 | −$98 |
| Healthcare | $536 | $425 | −$111 |
| Utilities | $298 | $236 | −$62 |
| Everything else | $417 | $330 | −$87 |
| Left over | $1,697 | $2,925 | +$1,228 |
To break even in Springfield, you'd need to earn
$69,500
Household gross, versus $105,000 today. That's the salary that leaves you exactly as much at the end of the month as Los Angeles does now.
The tax difference alone
+$1,372
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 27.2% in Los Angeles, 25.3% in Springfield.
More about Springfield
Los Angeles, CA in full
Perfect weather, deep job market, and a car payment you can't avoid.
Springfield, IL in full
A flat 4.95% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,065 and 204 sunny days; commutes average 20 minutes.
The reverse move
Same two cities, but starting from Springfield on Springfield wages.
Springfield → Los Angeles →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Springfield than Los Angeles?
A one-bedroom is about $2,276 in Los Angeles versus $895 in Springfield. On a one-adult, one-bedroom household, leftover is about $1,228 a month higher in Springfield. Change the job or household on the comparison to see your number.
Does Springfield have state income tax?
Springfield is in Illinois, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Los Angeles to Springfield?
Take-home pay is recalculated under Illinois tax, rent is priced at the same bedroom count, and leftover is the gap. The from-to page also lists IRS households that already made the move, when that data exists.
Rent is Zillow's asking rent for each metro; taxes and living costs are modelled. An estimate, not a quote or tax advice. How this is calculated.