New York vs Los Angeles — Where would you live? (2024)

FAQs

What is a better place to live New York or Los Angeles? ›

New York City has a higher safety index and better career opportunities. However, it has a higher cost of living and a smaller land size too. Los Angeles, on the other hand, has a lower cost of living with a more comfortable and stable climate. The city also has an affordable transport system.

The population density of the Los Angeles urbanized area is indeed greater than that of the New York urbanized area, with 7,009 people per square mile versus 5,239 people per square mile.

In conclusion, Los Angeles is a city that offers a warm and sunny climate, a diverse job market, a rich cultural scene, beautiful beaches, a thriving food scene, and unparalleled shopping and entertainment opportunities.

The cost of living in New York, NY is 22.7% higher than in Los Angeles, CA. You would have to earn a salary of $73,597 to maintain your current standard of living. Employers in New York, NY typically pay 4.7% more than employeers in Los Angeles, CA.

Downtown LA

In DTLA, you'll find the big city feel of New York and sub-neighborhoods like the trendy Arts District, the Financial District, Chinatown, and Little Tokyo.

Which City Is More Affordable: Los Angeles or New York City? Both NYC and LA are among the most expensive cities in both the U.S. and the world. However, the average cost of living in LA is also 24-27% lower than that of NYC.

LA has a stable and more comfortable climate, an affordable transport system, and a lower cost of living. Meanwhile, there are better job opportunities and a higher safety index in NYC, although with a higher cost of living. With these factors in mind, we can say that LA is better than New York City.

Crime Rate

There is a higher crime rate in LA than in NYC. According to the 2021 reports, violent crimes, including murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, LA scored 29.1, and NYC has 28.2. And, for property crimes, including burglary, theft, and arson, LA stood at 35.1 and NYC at 24.9.

Overall, LA is about 24% less expensive than NYC. The cost of living in LA is lower than in NYC thanks to far lower housing prices. On average, housing in LA is 34% cheaper than in New York City. Additionally, prices for groceries, as well as restaurant prices, are lower in Los Angeles than in NYC.

One of the things everyone knows about Los Angeles is that it's an expensive place to live, but few cities in the U.S. offer as much as LA does for residents—diverse art and culture, incredible year-round weather and outdoor recreation, amazing views of the ocean, and some of the best dining and entertainment in the ...

What is the nicest part of LA to live in? ›

There are many reasons why people from around the world decide to move to Los Angeles. They range from chasing a dream job in entertainment or tech or have a fresh start in a different city with a temperate climate.

According to the study, a Los Angeles resident without children would need to make $76,710 after taxes to live comfortably. The study is based on the MIT Living Wage Calculator, which uses the cost of housing, food, transportation, medical care and more.

How much should I save to move to LA? Generally speaking, you should save about $20,000 to move to LA. There's a lot of variance in this number, so we'll break this down into cost subcategories so you can more accurately calculate how much you want to save: Moving costs.

New York has a more diverse population compared to LA. It is bigger than most east coast cities with a land size of 304 square miles and a population of about 70,000 people per square mile. Los Angeles has a land size of 472 square miles.

1. Bel-Air. The richest neighborhood in Los Angeles is Bel-Air. Making its claim to fame on the popular series The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, this neighborhood is located directly across from Sunset Boulevard and is considered one of the most exclusive residential areas in Los Angeles.

The City of Los Angeles is approximately 472 square miles in size, with a population of 3,694,820. The City of New York is 304 square miles in size, and has a population of 8,008,278.

New York City has been marked as the most expensive place to live as a single person, according to a new study by the real estate firm Zillow.

Los Angeles, California

While high living expenses make L.A. one of the most expensive cities to live in the U.S., median annual incomes are a paltry $655 above the national level. And yet the allure of the nation's second-largest city remains strong.

Why is NY so expensive? ›

There are many reasons why everything is expensive in New York City. Some of the key factors include the high demand for housing, high taxes, high transportation costs, and the city's status as a global economic and cultural hub.

The new survey finds that Los Angeles has overtaken New York as the city with the largest homeless population. In New York, where most people experiencing homelessness are in shelters, the total number declined to less than 62,000 this year from nearly 78,000 in 2020.

The biggest factor: money. "The cost of housing and rent in the three coastal counties, LA, Orange and San Diego, has gotten ridiculously high," said economist John Husing. Anecdotally, Riverside-based Burgess Moving and Storage general manager Ed Coelho has heard similar reasons for people moving.

Most celebrities prefer Los Angeles because that's where the television and movie industry is centered. For those not in the entertainment business, but still celebrities in other ways, New York City is the preferred residence — but it is INSANELY expensive.

Los Angeles was ranked the second grimiest city with a dirtiness index of 317.8, but it's still a lot cleaner (and sunnier) than New York. It has half the pests and almost half the litter.

The most popular and safe places for tourists include West Hollywood, Silverlake, and Santa Monica. These three cities are favorite spots for anyone looking to check out the Los Angeles scene and some of the best areas to look for a place to stay.

The New York City area officially has the worst traffic in the country, according to the latest survey for Texas A&M's Transportation Institute. The survey says a New York-Newark driver spent an average 56 hours stuck in traffic last year. Compare that to the 46 hours on average per driver for the year in Los Angeles.

Stunning Scenery. One of the things that makes California unique is its gorgeous scenery. Californians get to look at miles of beautiful beaches, majestic mountains, towering cliffs, and the rolling hills of wine country. This incredible landscape is more than enough to impress new residents moving from New York City.

Practicality aside, it turns out moving to California probably won't make someone happier. The problem lies in the word itself. According to Nobel prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman, there are two different ways of looking at well-being: current mood and overall satisfaction.

Many of the newcomers choose to move to NYC because it offers plenty of new job and career opportunities. If you want to make a step forward in your career and move from another country or state to NY, you've come to the right place!

Are people in Los Angeles happy? ›

Eyewitness This: LA County residents are slightly less happy than rest of country, study says. A new study revealed people living in Los Angeles County are slightly less happy with their lives and less optimistic about the economy than most Americans.

particularly in L.A. are perceived as active, outdoorsy, health-conscious and liberal, leading the way for the latest social trends in technology. Before your trip to the Golden State, take a look at our tips and experiences for living the L.A. lifestyle.

The state's openness to immigration, combined with its sheer size and concentration of innovative companies, institutions and investors in tech hubs like Silicon Valley and Los Angeles, goes a long way in explaining why so many fortunes have been built there.

The richest city in California is Los Altos Hills. With a median income of $254,000 at the beginning of 2023, the town just edges out Woodside and Hillsborough. Los Altos Hills has been the wealthiest in California since 2019 (prior, it was in fourth place).

Where in LA do most celebrities live? The L.A. area encompasses a wide variety of lavish residential areas. Some of the most popular places celebrities live in greater L.A. include Malibu, the Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, Bel Air, Beverly Hills, Studio City, Los Feliz, Sherman Oaks, and Downtown L.A.

The hottest month is August, with an average high of 85 degrees; the coldest month is December, with an average overnight temperature of 48 degrees and a high in the 60s. The best time to visit Los Angeles is between March and May or September and November for the fantastic weather conditions.

The weather is tolerable year-round and allows you to enjoy the great outdoors or meet with friends for after-work drinks regardless of the season! Another perk of living in LA is that the city doesn't get humid and muggy! If you've ever lived in a muggy city, you'll know exactly how big of a perk this is.

More and more people are leaving California's urban areas like Los Angeles and moving into less-expensive communities like the Inland Empire - or exiting the state altogether. "The main reason is people are looking for where their money goes a little further than here," Coelho said.

Hollywood stars, the TV & movie industries, and gorgeous beaches all make LA a famous city and a popular vacation spot. Check out our guide below on what makes Los Angeles famous.

In Fremont, the median household income is $155,968, and a middle-class income ranges from $104,499 to $311,936. Los Angeles ranks 37th among large cities for middle-class income, with a range from $47,149 to $140,744. The median income was $70,372.

How much is considered rich in LA? ›

In Southern California (which the survey grouped Los Angeles and San Diego), the threshold for what is considered wealthy is $3.9 million. It's the second-highest total in the survey, trailing San Francisco, where the "wealthy" net worth is $5.1 million.

In Los Angeles, you'll need to earn $135,373 or more to be considered a “rich” person in the top 20% of the city's nearly 4 million residents. The ultra-rich, or the top 5% of earners in LA, make way more: $516,961 on average, according to the analysis.

In conclusion, Los Angeles is a city that offers a warm and sunny climate, a diverse job market, a rich cultural scene, beautiful beaches, a thriving food scene, and unparalleled shopping and entertainment opportunities. However, it also faces challenges such as heavy traffic and a high cost of living.

Living in L.A. on a budget is possible!

But choosing your neighborhood wisely, being frugal with your entertainment choices, and living with roommates can all help you keep your bank account in check while you live in Los Angeles.

The cost of living in Los Angeles, CA is 8% higher than the state average and 51% higher than the national average. Los Angeles, CA housing is 140% more expensive than the U.S average, while utilities are about 11% pricier.

New York City has a higher safety index and better career opportunities. However, it has a higher cost of living and a smaller land size too. Los Angeles, on the other hand, has a lower cost of living with a more comfortable and stable climate. The city also has an affordable transport system.

The distance between the two cities is approximately 2800 miles and can take around 41 hours if you drive directly from NY to LA. Moving from coast to coast might be a once in a lifetime event. If you have the time, it might be an opportunity to take the scenic route and make a few stops along the way.

New York and Los Angeles are 1 day 16 hours far apart, if you drive non-stop . This is the fastest route from New York, NY to Los Angeles, CA. The halfway point is Kellyville, OK.

Los Angeles has a larger film and television industry compared to New York, which means that there are more job opportunities for actors in these industries. However, competition can still be tough, especially for actors who are just starting out.

Depending on your lifestyle preferences and budgetary limitations (or lack thereof), you may find that it's still worth it to live in a city with a higher cost of living. Some reasons: Better job opportunities, broader range of public and private schools or easier public transportation systems.

Is New York and Los Angeles the most expensive city in the world? ›

According to the new Worldwide Cost of Living 2022 report from the Economic Intelligence Unit, LA tied Hong Kong for fourth place. New York City and Singapore tied for the world's most expensive place to live, followed by Tel Aviv, Israel.

Is LA more expensive than NYC? Overall, LA is about 24% less expensive than NYC. The cost of living in LA is lower than in NYC thanks to far lower housing prices. On average, housing in LA is 34% cheaper than in New York City.

The most common city for people in entertainment to live in is (Duh!) Los Angeles—specifically Hollywood. (Shocker, right?) However, there are other places that have also gained a strong celebrity following.

As you might expect, California and New York continue to be the best states for media, movies, and the people who work in that industry— which, given the glitz and glam of those locations, should not come as a great surprise!

To the surprise of just about nobody. It's an unofficial law of the New York land: if you're going to live here, you're going to have to deal with a modicum of stress—and a new study by research firm William Russell has now confirmed that.

People love living in New York City for a variety of reasons. The city is filled with culture and entertainment, from its incredible food scene to its bustling nightlife. You can find fantastic shopping opportunities and lots of diverse activities to enjoy.

New York seems to be more ethnically diverse and have more inter-ethnic mixing. This can be seen in the food and the culture. If LA is as diverse, I would say that people from different countries might stick more closely to particular neighborhoods. Otherwise, they're fairly separated.

With a population of roughly 3.9 million residents within the city limits as of 2020, Los Angeles is known for its Mediterranean climate, ethnic and cultural diversity, being the home of the Hollywood film industry, and its sprawling metropolitan area.

What is the most expensive state to live in the US? ›

According to several studies on cost of living, Hawaii is the most expensive U.S. state to live in. Prices are typically double in Hawaii compared to those on the mainland, and the continued rise in inflation is making costs ranging from housing to health care much more expensive.