Discovering Los Angeles

The dominant lifestyle in Los Angeles is a hybrid of glamour and modesty, as the city hosts the epicentre of the entertainment industry along with several other less glamorous utility industries.

The parts of Los Angeles culture to acquaint with first

The first aspect of the city's dominant lifestyle that hits newcomers is a less-pleasant one - the city's heavy traffic. Los Angeles is known as a quintessential “car-centric city”, with a mind-boggling number of cars plying streets and highways at any time of the day, including during weekends.

Another mind-boggling aspect of city life in LA newcomers quickly notice is the hoards of people hanging around in cafes and recreational centres during typical working hours of the day. It turns out that most Angelenos work in the gig economy, and the 9 - 5 work routine is not the norm here.

As you make your way around the city for the first time, you will notice the high proportion of people who speak languages other than English. You will also find many ethnocentric neighbourhoods such as Chinatown, Little Tokyo, etc.

The city is diverse in every sense of the word from food to housing, transportation, jobs, leisure activities, etc., you'll always have an abundance of options to choose from. So many roads that people call them by number, not by names, (101, 126, 134) for easier referencing; so many food markets, the LA Times created a large searchable database for them; so many cuisines (the city is known as one of the best food cities in the world); not to mention trade and commerce activities -- the city's port handles $1.2 billion worth of goods every single day

Be wary of these common myths about Los Angeles

These characteristics have also given rise to many myths about the city. One of the most notorious myths is that nobody walks in the city, given the vastness of the city. But this myth is self-defeating because, given the concentration of shops, cafes, food markets, businesses and public amenities per square meter of space LA, people can easily get all their basic needs within a walkable distance around any neighbourhood.

Another infamous myth resulting from the high-octane nature of city life in Los Angeles is that you can't enjoy your stay in the city if you don't live like a celebrity in a luxurious home and look doled up all the time. Quite the contrary is the truth here -- the majority of residents live on an income that is $20,000 less than the cost of living what could be considered a high-heeled lifestyle.

Preparing for the cost of living in Los Angeles

The cost of living in Los Angeles leaves most residents with hardly any savings from their monthly income. Most LA residents spend over 50% of their income on rent alone. (for a more detailed comparison between buying a home vs renting in LA, read this).

The public transportation system can be frustrating and also quite expensive; it's more convenient to drive. But driving incurs insurance costs and gas expenses that are higher than the national average.

When it comes to education in LA, you can expect to pay an average tuition fee of $3,000 for a private high school, and an average of $7,000 as tuition for community colleges and an average tuition fee of $20,000 for prestigious universities. The average child support cost in the city is estimated at around $13,000 for two kids.

If you have already landed a job before you arrive in the city, then life as a new resident will be relatively seamless for you. Otherwise, you should have a savings of at least $20,000 before leaving for the city to survive for six months without an income. Aside from meeting the cost of living and getting used to the city's heavy traffic, you will hardly find any other challenge as a new resident in LA.