

Los Angeles vs Riverside
$308/mo less in Riverside
Los AngelesRiversideAbout 121 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Riverside costs you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
- 269 sunny days
Same paycheck, two cities. $1,392/mo in Riverside. $1,700/mo in Los Angeles. −$3,696 a year.
Los Angeles
$1,700
left each month
Riverside
$1,392
−$308 vs Los Angeles
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 41,500 households moved Los Angeles → Riverside (avg AGI $71,495). 26,275 went the other way. The whole move →
−$308 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Los Angeles | Riverside | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $8,750 | $7,344 | −$1,406 |
| Income and payroll tax | $2,378 | $1,830 | −$548 |
| Take-home pay | $6,372 | $5,513 | −$859 |
| Rent | $2,273 | $1,940 | −$333 |
| Getting around | $674 | $644 | −$30 |
| Groceries | $476 | $424 | −$52 |
| Healthcare | $536 | $477 | −$59 |
| Utilities | $298 | $265 | −$33 |
| Everything else | $417 | $371 | −$46 |
| Left over | $1,700 | $1,392 | −$308 |
Salary to match Los Angeles
$94,000
Gross pay in Riverside that leaves the same amount as $105,000 in Los Angeles.
Tax difference
+$1,569
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 27.2% in Los Angeles, 24.9% in Riverside.
More about Riverside
Los Angeles, CA in full
Perfect weather, deep job market, and a car payment you can't avoid.
Riverside, CA in full
Southern California's affordable option, paid for with a 33-minute commute.
The other way
Start in Riverside.
Riverside → Los Angeles →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Riverside than Los Angeles?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Riverside leaves about $308 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $2,273 in Los Angeles and $1,940 in Riverside.
Does Riverside have state income tax?
Riverside is in California, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Los Angeles to Riverside?
The paycheck is taxed in California. 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 Riverside 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.