CITY COMPARISON
Los Angeles vs Seattle Cost of Living: Which Is Cheaper in 2026?
Data updated May 2026. Rent from Zillow ZORI, taxes from the Tax Foundation, cost-of-living index from BEA.
Los Angeles to Seattle moves you up the West Coast and changes the tax picture sharply. California taxes income at a high rate. Washington has no income tax on wages.
Seattle is an expensive city, but its cost of living and rent sit below Los Angeles. Drop the California income tax, lower the housing cost, and the move adds up.
Is Los Angeles or Seattle cheaper to live in?
At a $100,000 salary, moving from Los Angeles to Seattle frees up roughly $16,900 a year in disposable income. At $150,000 the gap widens to about $21,600 a year in Seattle's favor.
Seattle wins for most earners. No state income tax instead of California's high rate, plus lower rent and a lower cost of living. Seattle's high sales tax claws back a little, but the income tax savings dominate.
DISPOSABLE INCOME: MOVING LOS ANGELES → SEATTLE
AT A $100,000 SALARY
in Seattle's favor
AT A $150,000 SALARY
in Seattle's favor
Assumes the same gross salary in both cities (the remote-work case) and a single filer renting at the local median. Positive means Seattle leaves more money after tax, housing, and everyday costs.
Full cost breakdown: Los Angeles vs Seattle
Here is where every dollar goes in each city, at two salary levels. Taxes, housing, and everyday costs are all in.
AT A $100,000 SALARY
| Line item | Los Angeles | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | $100,000 | $100,000 |
| Federal income tax | -$15,000 | -$15,000 |
| State income tax (9.3%) Seattle: (0%) | -$9,300 | -$0 |
| FICA (Social Security + Medicare) | -$7,650 | -$7,650 |
| Housing (median rent) ($2,260/mo) Seattle: ($1,720/mo) | -$27,120 | -$20,640 |
| Other living costs (COL index 161) Seattle: (COL index 153) | -$39,150 | -$37,950 |
| Sales tax on spending (8.85%) Seattle: (9.4%) | -$2,425 | -$2,497 |
| Disposable income / year | -$645 | $16,263 |
AT A $150,000 SALARY
| Line item | Los Angeles | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| Federal income tax | -$27,000 | -$27,000 |
| State income tax (9.3%) Seattle: (0%) | -$13,950 | -$0 |
| FICA (Social Security + Medicare) | -$11,475 | -$11,475 |
| Housing (median rent) ($2,260/mo) Seattle: ($1,720/mo) | -$27,120 | -$20,640 |
| Other living costs (COL index 161) Seattle: (COL index 153) | -$39,150 | -$37,950 |
| Sales tax on spending (8.85%) Seattle: (9.4%) | -$2,425 | -$2,497 |
| Disposable income / year | $28,880 | $50,438 |
Los Angeles vs Seattle: taxes, rent, and schools at a glance
| Metric | Los Angeles | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| State income tax | 9.3% | None |
| Median 1-bedroom rent | $2,260/mo | $1,720/mo |
| Combined sales tax | 8.85% | 9.4% |
| Cost-of-living index (US avg = 100) | 161 | 153 |
| School composite rating (1-10) | 6/10 | 6/10 |
Who should pick Los Angeles?
Stay in Los Angeles if your career is tied to entertainment or you simply prefer the climate. The California tax cost is steep, so the reason to stay should be specific.
Who should pick Seattle?
Choose Seattle if you want a major job market, especially in tech, without a state income tax. Rent is lower than Los Angeles, the savings are real, and the trade is a grayer, wetter climate.
How we calculated this
Disposable income is gross salary minus federal income tax, state income tax, FICA, housing, everyday non-housing costs, and sales tax on discretionary spending. Federal tax uses 2026 effective rates after the standard deduction for a single filer. State income tax is a single-bracket approximation for mid-six-figure earners. Housing is the median 1-bedroom rent. Non-housing costs scale with the BEA cost-of-living index. Sales tax is applied to roughly 70 percent of discretionary spending, since groceries and many services are reduced-rate or exempt in most states.
The numbers on this page assume the same gross salary in both cities. That is the remote-work scenario, and it is the cleanest way to isolate the cost-of-living difference. If a new job would rebase your salary by city, plug both real offers into the tool below.
Run your own Los Angeles vs Seattle numbers
The interactive Move-To-City tool lets you set different salaries for each city, enter your actual rent, switch filing status, and see the full FIRE-timeline impact of the move.
Open the Move-To-City tool →KEEP READING
Educational only, not financial advice. Cost-of-living estimates are modeled approximations from public data and will not match any individual budget exactly. Verify rent, tax, and salary figures for your own situation before making a move.