

Los Angeles vs Rochester
$829/mo more in Rochester
Los AngelesRochesterAbout 2,256 miles apart, a flight.
- Rochester leaves you more
- Property tax 2.40%
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,529/mo in Rochester. $1,700/mo in Los Angeles. +$9,948 a year.
Los Angeles
$1,700
left each month
Rochester
$2,529
+$829 vs Los Angeles
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 140 households moved Los Angeles → Rochester (avg AGI $69,886). 152 went the other way. The whole move →
+$829 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Los Angeles | Rochester | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $8,750 | $7,500 | −$1,250 |
| Income and payroll tax | $2,378 | $1,888 | −$491 |
| Take-home pay | $6,372 | $5,612 | −$759 |
| Rent | $2,273 | $1,208 | −$1,065 |
| Getting around | $674 | $526 | −$148 |
| Groceries | $476 | $372 | −$104 |
| Healthcare | $536 | $419 | −$117 |
| Utilities | $298 | $233 | −$65 |
| Everything else | $417 | $326 | −$91 |
| Left over | $1,700 | $2,529 | +$829 |
Salary to match Los Angeles
$74,500
Gross pay in Rochester that leaves the same amount as $105,000 in Los Angeles.
Tax difference
+$1,440
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 27.2% in Los Angeles, 25.2% in Rochester.
More about Rochester
Los Angeles, CA in full
Perfect weather, deep job market, and a car payment you can't avoid.
Rochester, NY in full
The highest effective property tax rate in the country, on very cheap houses.
The other way
Start in Rochester.
Rochester → Los Angeles →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Rochester than Los Angeles?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Rochester leaves about $829 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $2,273 in Los Angeles and $1,208 in Rochester.
Does Rochester have state income tax?
Rochester is in New York, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Los Angeles to Rochester?
The paycheck is taxed in New York. 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 Rochester 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.