City comparison
Yes. Los Angeles's crime index is 158 versus 242 in Orlando, and its violent crime index is 202 versus 241, using 2024-2025 FBI data for Los Angeles and 2022 FBI data for Orlando.
Orlando is cheaper. Median rent is $1,747 a month versus $1,933 in Los Angeles.
Safety is where Los Angeles and Orlando split most clearly. Los Angeles scores 84 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,933 in Los Angeles and $1,747 in Orlando.
This is a genuine split. Los Angeles wins on the job market and safety and Orlando wins on cost of living. Which matters more depends entirely on how you live: remote workers and families weight these categories differently than commuters or single professionals.
The crime gap is citywide. Los Angeles has rougher pockets and Orlando has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Los Angeles and Orlando are 2,198 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,933 a month in Los Angeles to $1,747 a month in Orlando, down $186 a month (10%).
Median household income goes from $81,939 in Los Angeles to $72,336 in Orlando, down $9,603 (12%).
The crime index goes from 158 in Los Angeles to 242 in Orlando, up 84 points (53%).
The move
Orlando and Los Angeles are 2,198 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,747 a month in Orlando to $1,933 a month in Los Angeles, up $186 a month (11%).
Median household income goes from $72,336 in Orlando to $81,939 in Los Angeles, up $9,603 (13%).
The crime index goes from 242 in Orlando to 158 in Los Angeles, down 84 points (35%).
Los Angeles, CA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Orlando, FL
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Los Angeles and Orlando? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
10% cheaper
Orlando rent is 10% cheaper than Los Angeles
Los Angeles
$1,933/mo
Orlando
Winner$1,747/mo
Typical rent runs $1,747 a month in Orlando versus $1,933 in Los Angeles, so Orlando is 10% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $2,232, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Orlando still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Los Angeles.
Planning to buy in Los Angeles? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
13% higher
Los Angeles's median income is 13% higher than Orlando
Los Angeles
Winner$81,939
Orlando
$72,336
Median household income is $81,939 in Los Angeles versus $72,336 in Orlando, so typical pay runs 13% higher in Los Angeles (about $9,603 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Los Angeles is the stronger labor market on paper. Orlando can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
35% lower crime
Los Angeles's crime index is 35% lower than Orlando
Los Angeles
Winner158 (100 = avg)
Orlando
242 (100 = avg)
Los Angeles's crime index is 158 versus 242 in Orlando (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 35% lower in Los Angeles. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Los Angeles is the easier city. Orlando can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Los Angeles and Orlando are about even on typical weather.
Los Angeles
77°F avg · 83°F highs · comfort 100/100
Orlando
71°F avg · 78°F highs · comfort 100/100
Los Angeles averages about 77°F (83°F highs); Orlando averages about 71°F (78°F highs). Los Angeles sits near 77°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Orlando sits near 71°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. On daily comfort these two are close enough that the better fit is whichever season you already know you can live with.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Los Angeles is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 13% higher here ($81,939). Start with Los Angeles if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Los Angeles is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 35% lower than Orlando (158 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Orlando
Orlando is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 10% cheaper here at about $1,747 a month. Choose Orlando if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Bottom line
Crime and safety tilt toward Los Angeles: Los Angeles scores 46/100 versus 33/100 in Orlando, with typical rent at $1,933 versus $1,747. I would vet the exact ZIP in Orlando before trading 13 safety points for housing savings.
Orlando rent at $1,747/month is still below Los Angeles's $1,933, so cost-sensitive households should weigh the lease before the paycheck.
Typical rent stays $1,747 in Orlando and $1,933 in Los Angeles.
Pick Los Angeles when you want the stronger safety signal (46/100). Otherwise, Orlando's case rests on a Orlando ZIP you trust at $1,747 rent.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Los Angeles and Orlando, plus other cities in CA and FL.
