Uprootmap
Boulder vs Los Angeles
Boulder and Los Angeles
Photo: Ron Reiring / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 2.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Los Angeles are under the US rate in this release, 5.4 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Boulder to Los Angeles
In 2022-2023, 243 households filed a move from Boulder to Los Angeles (about 329 people, average adjusted gross income $73,605). 306 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,647 in Boulder and $2,273 in Los Angeles. Boulder has a state tax on wages. Los Angeles has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Los Angeles is 112% of the national level for the same work, against 100% in Boulder.
Los Angeles averages 284 sunny days, with July highs around 84°F and January nights around 48°F. Boulder is 250 sunny days, 73°F in July, 9°F in January. Commutes average 32 minutes in Los Angeles and 23 in Boulder.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
In 2022-2023, 243 households moved Boulder → Los Angeles (about 329 people, average AGI $73,605). 306 households went the other way.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Boulder and Los Angeles changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 979 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $2,900–$5,450
- Container or pod
- $2,050–$3,800
- Rent a truck
- $1,100–$2,050
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Dig into Los Angeles
Questions
Is Los Angeles cheaper than Boulder after tax and rent?
No. Los Angeles leaves about $1,338 less a month, so the cost of living is higher there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,647 in Boulder and $2,273 in Los Angeles.
Does Los Angeles have state income tax?
Los Angeles is in California, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Boulder to Los Angeles?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.