Los Angeles's median home price sits at $895,000, 113% above the $420,000 national median. On a $76,000 median household income, that puts the price-to-income ratio at 11.8x, or 11.8 years of gross pay for the purchase price alone.
Los Angeles's 0.74% property tax rate runs below the 1.1% national average. That's $552/month on the median home here, not a rounding error against the mortgage payment.
Between the $5,542/month mortgage payment and California's state income tax, your real housing cost calculation needs your after-tax number, not your gross salary.
Beyond housing, Los Angeles's cost of living index sits at 164 (national average = 100), running above the national baseline for groceries, transportation, and everyday services.
Los Angeles's median home price runs 3% higher than nearby San Diego: $870,000 there versus $895,000 here.