

Los Angeles vs Waterloo
$1,063/mo more in Waterloo
Los AngelesWaterlooAbout 1,503 miles apart, a flight.
- Waterloo leaves you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
- Real winters
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,763/mo in Waterloo. $1,700/mo in Los Angeles. +$12,756 a year.
Los Angeles
$1,700
left each month
Waterloo
$2,763
+$1,063 vs Los Angeles
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
+$1,063 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Los Angeles | Waterloo | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $8,750 | $6,875 | −$1,875 |
| Income and payroll tax | $2,378 | $1,555 | −$824 |
| Take-home pay | $6,372 | $5,320 | −$1,051 |
| Rent | $2,273 | $788 | −$1,485 |
| Getting around | $674 | $510 | −$164 |
| Groceries | $476 | $347 | −$129 |
| Healthcare | $536 | $391 | −$145 |
| Utilities | $298 | $217 | −$81 |
| Everything else | $417 | $304 | −$113 |
| Left over | $1,700 | $2,763 | +$1,063 |
Salary to match Los Angeles
$63,500
Gross pay in Waterloo that leaves the same amount as $105,000 in Los Angeles.
Tax difference
+$3,212
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 27.2% in Los Angeles, 22.6% in Waterloo.
More about Waterloo
Los Angeles, CA in full
Perfect weather, deep job market, and a car payment you can't avoid.
Waterloo, IA in full
A flat 3.8% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $938 and 204 sunny days; commutes average 17 minutes.
The other way
Start in Waterloo.
Waterloo → Los Angeles →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Waterloo than Los Angeles?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Waterloo leaves about $1,063 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $2,273 in Los Angeles and $788 in Waterloo.
Does Waterloo have state income tax?
Waterloo is in Iowa, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Los Angeles to Waterloo?
The paycheck is taxed in Iowa. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Los Angeles and Waterloo changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.