Los Angeles is not a city for the mild-mannered. It is a culturally diverse city with a population almost entirely made up of larger than life personalities, hustlers, and dreamers. As one of the largest cities in the United States, Los Angeles brings a lot to the table, but if you are just starting out in life, you may want to hold off hiring a Los Angeles moving company to make your move just yet. While LA has a lot to offer, you should know these facts before you make plans to move to Los Angeles.
Where to live in Los Angeles
Los Angeles is made up of many unique neighborhoods. To find the right place to live here, you will need to consider location, cost of living and access to public transportation. The more popular areas in the L.A. metropolitan area are Silver Lake, Echo Park, Venice Beach, West Hollywood, Brentwood, Burbank, Los Feliz, and Long Beach. Each has its unique features that you might want to look into before you make your selection.
Cost of living is much higher than the national average
The cost of living in Los Angeles is high. In fact it is almost 42% higher than the national average. A small 1-bedroom apartment will cost roughly $1700/month. Moving to Los Angeles means a big financial commitment, but as long as you are willing to work hard and hustle for your goals, it is not undoable. Keep in mind though that the wealth gap in Los Angeles is significant. There is a huge homeless problem in LA and it is not uncommon to come across camps of homeless people living under shopping carts, old blankets and bags.
The Beach is not as readily accessible as you may think
Unless you live near the beach, you can forget about getting to one on short notice. Unless you are made of money, living near the beach is highly unlikely as rents there are astronomical, even for one bedroom apartments. You will most likely only get to get time for fun in the sun on the beach on rare visits to the beaches of Malibu, Santa Monica or Hermosa.
The job market is not exactly peachy
Everyone in LA is hustling all the time. Unless you have a job offer before you move to LA, the chances of you landing one soon after you arrive are quite slim. Getting a steady job can take a long time, so most hopefuls in the city get odd jobs to while the time and keep afloat while they wait. Most people have more than one side gig to support themselves.
Learn about what you are getting into
So before you pack up and get a one-way ticket to Los Angeles, learn all you can about Los Angeles. Los Angeles has the capacity to be warm and loving or cold and unforgiving depending on how you tackle it. While many come here to live their dream life, many also end up spending their entire lives in pursuit of the dream.
