Even though California is expensive is it worth living there?

Answer 1

Whoever you are, whatever you are - there's something for you here and you'll love it. It's worth it - I LOVE it. I'd rather have an apartment here than a house anywhere else. I don't want to ever be a bored housewife thats why.


Gas Prices
Currently $3.40 - $3.90

Rent
1 bedroom ranges from $700 - 1400 depending on area
2 bedroom ranges from $900 - 2200 depending on area
Average 1 bedroom is probably $1100, average 2 bedroom probably $1500
To rent a house ranges from $1400-$3000
Use www.craigslist.org
Be sure to get one with central A/C and heat as well as some sort of parking. Parking is important in L.A.

Real Estate
Condos average from $300,000 - $600,000. I have seen some condos for $150,000 - $300,000 but in worse areas or they are something called "co-ops which I am not exactly sure what that is. HOA fees for condos range from $150-500 depending.
Houses also average from $450,000 - $800,000 depending on the neighborhood. In more ghetto areas houses are $300,000-450,000 (or it's a smaller or run-down house). Use www.craigslist.org and www.ziprealty.com to find housing.

Bills
Are suposed to be a little higher than average but I'm not really sure

Traffic
HORRIBLE TERRIBLE HORRIBLE . Taking the bus is many times better - and cheaper. $52 bucks a month gets you unlimited rides. And if you are going to be at UCLA and on the Westside alot then another $60 for the Santa Monica bus. IF you have a car, parking at UCLA is alot. And of course gas and insurance both are terribly expensive out here.



Neighborhoods
I reccomend Glendale area. Glendale is a bit cheaper than the average but also very nice and very safe. Glendale / Burbank / Pasadena is the best area to live in with regards to both price and quality. Glendale has a local bus for a quarter, rent for 1 bedroom is $800-1000 with Pasadena and Burbank being about $900-1200.

Hollywood is nice if you want a bit more excitement and flavor. Hollywood ranges from really cheap to really expensive. North hollywood is really cheap $700 apartment.



Entertainment
Hundreds of clubs, bars, strip clubs, restaurants, malls, movie theatres, complexs, fairs, festivals, events, etc.etc. It is literally IMPOSSIBLE to be bored in Los Angeles. Whatever type of person you are there is something for you. There are hundreds of different neighborhoods and they are all different in some way. Whatever race you are, whatever weird activities you like, whatever music you like - you will never feel weird or alone in Los Angeles. It is a very exciting place to live. BUT the right area can still be good for families. It is possible to raise good well-rounded kids here if you live in the right area and raise them right.

If you are young or going here for college or don't have kids yet, you'll LOVE it here. It is just a paradise to be young in Los Angeles.

The buses run everywhere so despite what you hear you don't really need a car in L.A. It helps of course but it's so expensive these days to drive that it's nice to always have the bus there to fight traffic for you.


Weather
It gets somewhat hot here but I am from Texas and Texas is worse. The winter doesn't get too bad and obviously it doesn't snow except high in the mountains. Many apartments don't have central air and heat they have A/C in the wall like in NYC but be sure to look a bit harder for an apartment with central A/C and heat it's well worth it. It only rains in the winter months. In the summer it hardly ever rains. When I moved here I went like 6 months without seeing rain. Where I grew up in Houston it usually rains at least once a week no matter what time of year. In Los Angeles we have a "rainy season" which is from about November - March. Sometimes it will rain off and on for days at a time. But once March comes you start to miss the rain. Better than having tornandos. There is rarely thunder and lightening. It's really gentle rains not really storms. No hurricanes. Earthquakes occur often but most are so tiny you can't feel them and most are out of the city and don't cause any damage.




Job Market
There are always job opportunities out here. Minimum wage is $6.75 .. Average working-class job is $8-10/ hour (restaurants, coffee shops, stores, etc.) Most office jobs starting entry level pay at least $30,000. My job pays $12/hour in a nice office. To find jobs try www.craigslist.org Use them also for apartments.

Answer 2

California is a huge state, and some parts are obviously more expensive than others. I'm assuming since this question was in the LA section you are talking about living in the SoCal/LA area more specifically.

California is like everyplace else in the sense that some people love living here and others really hate it. Part of it depends on your expectations, part on your personality.

If you can really, truly afford to live here, it is a great place to be. There are beaches and mountains, great colleges and universities, world class museums and theme parks, densely populated areas and wide open spaces.

I can't really imagine living anyplace else, but I also freely admit that if we had to move here now we wouldn't be able to afford it. Unless you are coming from someplace like New York City where it's even more expensive, you may be in for a serious sticker shock. But if you're young and footloose, why not give it a go?

Happy Trails!

Answer 3

Of course California is worth living in. There is always something to do here. Not all parts or expensive. Everything balances out, once you think about it.

Answer 4

See a celeb; drink a drink on a rooftop bar at sunset; wear a pair of custom shoes in an ultra-luxurious shop in Beverly Hills; play at Universal Studios Hollywood design park, examine world-class museums, or party the night time out in a starlet-filled club…..this are just someof what exactly you might find in Los Angeles, find this town with hotelbye . Los Angeles could be the California's liveliest town; is the activity capital of America, with megastar wattage and nonstop activities. Hollywood may be the most-see attractions in Los Angeles. This place draws millions of visitors annually who vacation there to pay for homage with their favorite stars and possibly even catch a view of several popular personalities. And occasionally they're happy!

Answer 5

Some of California is expensive, but not all of it. There are nice places to live/visit that are not overpriced. But it is definitely worth the price of living, no matter where you live. Parts of Northern California are more expensive that parts of SoCal, but it evens out.

Either way, there are TONS of things to do no matter what you're interested in. And beautiful scenery, no matter where you go.

Answer 6

Northern CA is beautiful and the weather is great and It's not as expensive as LA

But then again I was born and raised here for most of my life and I'm just counting the days until I get to move out of state now. It's nothing against CA it's the people that have moved here. Too many and not good.

Answer 7

Yeah,its a great place to live.Except that the rule 'You need to be 18 or older to drive' rule.There aren't hurricanes or tornadoes.Earthquakes appear frequently,but really small ones,that only last for about 2 seconds.Plus,its really pretty.Just find a good neighborhood to live in..I suggest not living in the city, for eg.,Hollywood,LA...maybe San Fransisco..but..it is worth living here in Cali.

Answer 8

I moved to Colorado from Orange County two years ago and I am still homesick. California is wonderful, I love California, I so regret leaving it. But my husband was miserable there.

Answer 9

it is worth every penny. from the weather,to the Beach's, to all the people from around the world that live here and make the place vibrant with there different cultures i believe it is one of the greatest places to live.

Answer 10

California is the worlds largest collection of thieves, fiends, ******, ferries, frauds, and *******.