Example household · Lake Havasu City, AZ · $83,730 · same pay · 1 adult

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Lake Havasu City vs Los Angeles

Lake Havasu City 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.

Same pay in both cities. One adult, one bedroom.

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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 Lake Havasu City to Los Angeles

In 2022-2023, 262 households filed a move from Lake Havasu City to Los Angeles (about 409 people, average adjusted gross income $70,344). 779 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.

A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,039 in Lake Havasu City and $2,273 in Los Angeles. Lake Havasu City 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 82% in Lake Havasu City.

Los Angeles averages 284 sunny days, with July highs around 84°F and January nights around 48°F. Lake Havasu City is 273 sunny days, 106°F in July, 35°F in January. Commutes average 32 minutes in Los Angeles and 20 in Lake Havasu City.

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.

How we figure this

Who already made this move

In 2022-2023, 262 households moved Lake Havasu City → Los Angeles (about 409 people, average AGI $70,344). 779 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 Lake Havasu City and Los Angeles changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.

What the move itself costs

About 330 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.

Full-service mover
$2,100–$3,900
Container or pod
$1,400–$2,650
Rent a truck
$600–$1,150

Movers in Los Angeles and how to hire one →

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Questions

Is Los Angeles cheaper than Lake Havasu City after tax and rent?

No. Los Angeles leaves about $1,808 less a month, so the cost of living is higher there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,039 in Lake Havasu City 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 Lake Havasu City 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.