Exterior House Painting cost: Los Angeles vs New York City (2026)
Budget-wise, exterior house painting in Los Angeles ($3,500) runs 7% less than in New York City ($3,750), a roughly $250 spread.
Los Angeles CA
Lower costTypically around $3,500
New York City NY
Typically around $3,750
Los Angeles vs New York City: full breakdown
| Factor | Los Angeles | New York City |
|---|---|---|
| Typical 2026 cost | $3,500 | $3,750 |
| Estimated range | $2,000–$5,000 | $2,150–$5,350 |
| Labor index (vs US) | ×1.11 | ×1.16 |
| Climate zone | Mixed | Cold |
| Climate factor | ×1 | ×1.02 |
| Local permit | None | None |
| Labor share | $2,450 | $2,650 |
| Materials/equipment | $1,050 | $1,100 |
Localized 2026 planning estimates — not quotes. Each city adjusts the national exterior house painting range for local labor, climate and permits.
Is the gap worth worrying about?
That 7% gap is small — for exterior house painting it's usually less than the spread between two local contractors' quotes, so the metro matters far less than who you hire and when you buy.
Exterior house painting by type: Los Angeles vs New York City
Every exterior house painting type gets its own localized price for each metro, using the same labor, climate and permit adjustments — a true apples-to-apples comparison.
| Type | Los Angeles | New York City |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl siding | $1,900–$4,450 | $2,000–$4,750 |
| Wood siding | $2,100–$5,000 | $2,250–$5,350 |
| Fiber-cement | $2,450–$5,650 | $2,600–$6,050 |
| Stucco | $2,450–$5,550 | $2,600–$5,900 |
| Brick | $2,750–$6,100 | $2,950–$6,500 |
These are 2026 planning figures for exterior house painting, localized to each city — not formal quotes.
Exterior house painting by home size: Los Angeles vs New York City
Exterior painting is priced by the siding area, which tracks home size and the number of stories. Expect roughly $1–$4 per square foot of wall area; prep — scraping, sanding, and washing — often costs as much as the paint itself.
| Size | Los Angeles | New York City |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft home (1 story) | $1,650–$3,850 | $1,800–$4,150 |
| 1,500 sq ft home | $2,000–$5,000 | $2,150–$5,350 |
| 2,000 sq ft home | $2,450–$6,100 | $2,600–$6,500 |
| 2,500 sq ft home (2 story) | $3,300–$7,750 | $3,550–$8,300 |
| 3,000 sq ft home | $4,200–$9,400 | $4,500–$10,050 |
| 3,500+ sq ft home | $5,000–$11,050 | $5,350–$11,850 |
Treat these as 2026 localized estimates for exterior house painting, not quotes from a contractor.
What painting pros earn in each metro
About 70% of a exterior house painting bill goes to labor, so wage differences between these two metros matter more than almost anything else. These are real, government-sourced (BLS OEWS) installer wages, not estimates.
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metro · about 15% above the US average installer wage.
New York-Newark-Jersey City metro · about 23% above the US average installer wage.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metro wages for HVAC installers (used as a trade-labor index).
Cheapest time for exterior house painting in either city
Summer's exterior-painting rush is really a weather requirement, not a preference, and prices reflect it. Interior work has no such requirement, making the trade's quiet winter months the cheapest time to book it.
What are you really paying for in a paint job?
A painting bid can look cheap and still deliver a bad result, because the number rarely reflects the prep behind it. Here's how our editors think about it.
The timing case
Interior work in the trade's slow winter season catches the best crews at the best price. Save exterior jobs for dry weather — rushing paint onto a damp or cold wall guarantees a redo.
The prep-first case
Surface prep — patching, sanding, caulking, washing — is most of a lasting finish. A bid that's cheap because it skips prep will peel within a year. Pay for the prep, not the brand name.
The coverage case
Two coats over primer is the honest standard; one-coat bids hide thin coverage. Confirm coats and primer in writing so a "lower" price isn't just less paint on the wall.
Judge a paint quote by prep and coats, not the headline number. Good prep, two coats over primer and the right season beat a cheap bid every time.
Los Angeles vs New York City
Is exterior house painting cheaper in Los Angeles or New York City?
Los Angeles comes out ahead here, at roughly $3,500 for exterior house painting compared with $3,750 in New York City — a 7% ($250) gap as of 2026.
Why does exterior house painting cost more in New York City than Los Angeles?
Labor rates explain most of it — 1.16 in New York City vs 1.11 in Los Angeles. A cold climate versus mixed accounts for the rest.
How much is exterior house painting in Los Angeles, CA?
In Los Angeles, exterior house painting typically runs $2,000–$5,000 in 2026, with most homeowners paying around $3,500.
Do painting pros really charge more in one city?
Real wage data backs this up — skilled installers earn roughly $35.9/hr in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim compared with $38.3/hr in New York-Newark-Jersey City (BLS OEWS). Labor is about 70% of a exterior house painting job, so that wage gap is what mostly drives the price difference.
When is the cheapest time to buy exterior house painting — and does it differ by city?
No, the seasonal pattern is the same in Los Angeles and New York City: book during Winter for interior; dry spring/fall for exterior for about 10–20% (interior, off-season) in savings. Mid-summer (exterior peak) is the priciest stretch in both cities, mostly due to emergency replacements.
Should I choose where to live based on exterior house painting cost?
Not really — the $250 gap is one-time, and smart timing and tighter quotes in New York City can shrink it. Factors that compound over time, like energy prices and home condition, deserve more weight than a single upfront difference.
Compare exterior house painting in other cities
Updated June 2026 · By Serhat Özçelik