What Are Your Thoughts On Living In LA?
Saw the thread on SF, so was hoping to hear your thoughts on LA. Currently in NYC, but have always dreamed of living in LA.
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The best Asian and Mexican food. Having a car is helpful, though not a necessity if you live somewhere in central LA. People on Metro are sketchier than the MTA, but on the other hand stations are never crowded. Marginally cheaper than NY. Close access to real mountains, beaches, and the desert.
I can't imagine living in LA without a car. I suppose you could Uber everywhere but it would get pricey. Public transportation is negligible.
Had a buddy doing banking at century city a year or so ago who didn't have a car. Said it was exactly what you did, massive uber charges all around even from living right next to the office.
I agree on this one, although I know a few people living in LA without a car. if all amenities you need are in your area, it might work out. Still, a car is a necessity in Los Angeles.
The city has great weather. There is city as well as beach and national park. The cost is cheaper than NYC. So overall great.
LA is cheaper then NYC? Not from what I've heard. Additionally, LA in recent times has become a shithole, literally. Homeless people are everywhere living in tents, taking drugs too. The drastic increase in homeless people, and crime, and lack of air quality caused by congestion and wild fires had caused Californians to leave in droves. (there are countless "why i'm leaving CA" videos on youtube)
Yup, I live in LA and this place is a dying shithole
San Diego is the move
It’s not going to be all that much different, which is why I said it’s marginally cheaper. I.e you’ll pay a similar rent to live in a desirable part of either city, but for the same price in LA you’re getting a good amount more square footage. IMO food-wise, LA is also cheaper (lots of tacos and burritos if that’s your thing). Also depends on if OP plans on driving a lot because insurance, gas, maintenance all add up. The other stuff is true, but some of what you listed are the same criticisms that people have of NYC. I doubt they are completely unfamiliar to OP.
I bet this is downvoted by Californians, the same Californians that moved to different states to escape the shithole they created, the same ones that claim to be open minded but if you aren't 100% democrat you'll be ostracized.
Lived in LA several times and moving back in '22/'23 - not a prime spot for high finance, but enough finance jobs to get by.
Horrible traffic combined with almost a requirement to drive everywhere (yes, you can live in the central parts, but there are a lot of things to experience where the metro rail won't go). If you enjoy driving, cars/trucks - you should be ok. However, there is traffic almost 24/7.
Rent depends on what quality you are looking for, can be higher or lower than NYC. Some parts in town with low rent won't be acceptable for finance people though. Back in my days I knew people close to FiDi or downtown who paid >4K a month for a small apartment.
Dating: on a different level than most other places. LA is a magnet for industries like high fashion, modeling, TV, movies, content creators/influencers, creative folks, the beauty industry and is also quite outdoorsy. Looks matter in LA.
A lot of my LA friends (who are still there) frequently complain about the superficial lifestyle there; where people are only your friends when they need something from you or if you can bring something to the table. Money, looks, fame, influence, class, etc. seem to play a much bigger role here.
CoL: California is, generally speaking, more expensive to live in than other states. Products are more expensive, services are taxed differently. Just look at the gas prices in LA. I have experienced nights where I paid more in parking, valet and tips than for the actual event or dinner. Parking can be outrageously expensive. So is insurance. And everything else.
But there is something magical about a place where you can go from the beach to the city to the ski slopes all within the same day!
I believe the magical place you're referring to is called Disneyland.
Based on your own description, why are you moving back?
I am sick of rain, cold weather, snow and wind. The climate in California is worth the money, IMO. Also, having worked considerably longer than most others on here, I finally have the money to live comfortably in California (even though the home prices are a joke).
there are more risks due to the heat (wild fires), but I am fine with that.
and yes, you can go from Santa Monica, to downtown to Lake Arrowhead within the same day in December! (I know, Lake Arrowhead is technically not part of LA)
Come to Chicago. Honestly underrated.
Good food, good looking people, superb night life (at least prior to COVID). Experience all the seasons. Excellent public transportation. Relatively expensive, but probably nothing like NYC/LA/SF.
Plenty of high finance jobs, Fortune 500, tech companies (startups and Google/Salesforce/Amazon), real estate, Big Pharma and biotech, Big Law, fashion, arts, and top-tier colleges/universities. Political corruption can be good or bad depending on which side you're on.
Reports of heavy crime in Chicago are greatly exaggerated. Like all inner cities, we've got our problems. We're not Detroit or St. Louis. Homelessness and dirtiness aren't major problems.
As a cherry on top, we don't have to worry about wildfires, hurricanes, tornados, tsunamis, or earthquakes. Worst "natural disaster" for Chicago is a blizzard once in a while. Past few winters have been mild. But icy ground is a bitch, I'll give ya that. And we don't have In-N-Out or Whataburger, but we do have Portillos and the best deep dish pizza and burgers!
You didn’t mention some of the worst and most depressing weather you can get.
Weather can get bad in winter months but that's really only 2 months out of the year
You must be retarded, because Christmas and holidays are super festive in Chicago because of the snow/weather. Why do you think Home Alone was filmed in Chicago and Home Alone 2 in NYC?
Winter lasts for about 4 months. If you're young and not a senior citizen, you'll be fine. I live in a condo and take public transport/Uber, so I'm not typically shoveling snow. But I still own a car as well (but my condo building has an underground heated garage).
It's nice to look forward to changing weather and seasons. Before COVID, in the summer, it's fun to hang out at the beach (Lake Michigan) or checking out new bars/restaurants/clubs. Winter is fun for shacking up with girls or roasting marshmallows with friends around a fireplace. Plenty of hipster shit to do as well-- outdoor gardens, museums, theatre, opera, even architectural boat tours. It's well known that Chicago's skyline is, hands down, the best in the entire U.S. Spring and fall are good transition seasons.
But to each his own.
The caveat is that midwesterners hate outsiders so you are going to be very lonely unless you went to UC, NW or UIUC.
Notre Dame is closer to chicago than uiuc btw. plenty more schools in the midwest than those three, and chicago is a big city that has transplants, not to the extent of ny/sf, but you won't be "very lonely" at all
People shill for Chicago in every single one of these threads lmao. The reality is it's a nice city but there's nothing happening there relative to NYC or LA so it's not really worthy of being in the conversation with those two. It's cold af from November through April, you don't have the depth of nightlife/restaurant offerings that LA/NYC do (though the restaurant scene is pretty great imo), and honestly relative to LA the number of nearby day trips you can take is pretty lacking. Do you wanna go to scenic Cleveland for the day? And yes people from outside Chicago do move there but if you work in Chicago the reality is most of the people there are midwesterners so you don't really get the same diversity of background that you do in LA/NYC
Source: lived in Chicago for 4 years. Have lived in LA and NYC.
Umm, Chicago has better nightlife than LA. Without a doubt. Girls are better, too (i.e. cuter, smarter, professionally driven (not some casting couch shit) and long-term material). LA is not nearly as glamorous as its portrayed on TV, but guess I should've seen that coming.
There's so much to do in the city, no need to take a day trip for entertainment. Lollapalooza. Taste of Chicago. Pop-up events at Millennium Park and Grant Park. Magnificent Mile shopping. Don't get me started on the restaurant/bar/club scene. During normal times, you look forward to Sundays because of Wrigleyville/Cubs.
And since when does winter not exist in NYC? Where can you take a day trip from NYC?
You're literally taking the best parts of NYC/LA against the worst elements of Chicago. But I'm sure you're living the good life in Kansas.
Hottest Korean women in the country.
Weird (and very specific) flex, but OK.
The man's got his preferences laid out tho. Can't knock that haha
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