Which city is best for me? (Los Angeles, San Diego: rent, how much, find a job)

[hgnmx]

I'm debating San Francisco, San Diego, or Los Angeles.

-I am studying economics and will graduate next may
-I will likely not have a car
-I am gay, male, and white
-I am from Virginia, so culture shock will be a factor
-I am liberal and very open-minded
-My degree will not be from an amazing university, but one that is well regarded locally
-I'm looking for a city with a high demand for business students, preferably a bank
-I don't know how much I'd be getting paid and therefore don't know my rent limit, but am looking for the city that will provide the best opportunities


I have been to California before (San Francisco) and absolutely loved it. I loved the weather, the people, the scenery, the wine and the food.
I know LA requires a car but I'll more than likely get one depending on if there is a demand for business people and I can actually find a job.

Thanks! Also, I'm open to other cities that you may recommend but I'm really looking for a big city with a lot to do and a vibrant community.

[Bulldogdad]

Uh yeah I'm thinking SF/Bay Area for you.

[jeffredo]

No car? SF/N Oakland/Berkeley. Any of the three metro areas would fit your other criteria just fine.

[luckodeirish]

I would look for a job in SF and LA and then go with the best offer.

[west_coastin']

Provided you are able to find employment in all three listed cities, I would recommend checking out both LA and San Diego if you can to get a feel for each respective city so as to help you decide where you would feel most 'at home'. But as others have said, based on your criteria, SF/Bay Area seems to fit the bill.

[txl99]

Los Angeles is a good option.

[Gentoo]

If no car then as jeffredo said, the SF/Oakland/Berkeley area is your best bet. Very easy to get around without a car there. If you do need to get anywhere else, you're basically at the center of the Bay Area there as well and can get to most places.

I will suggest San Diego as well because the areas of University Heights and Hillcrest have a similar feel but SD requires a car much more so than the Bay Area.

[Vinsanity]

Not having a car pretty much automaticaly excludes L.A. and probably San Diego. You'd be perfectly fine in either of these cities if not for that. But hey, at least San Fran has a very strong Financial District.

[roadwarrior101]

My response:

Originally Posted by hgnmx

I'm debating San Francisco, San Diego, or Los Angeles.

-I am studying economics and will graduate next may - SF's financial hub outshadows that of either LA or SD; much better job prospects
-I will likely not have a car - Much easier to get around without a car in SF. LA does have the subway/light rail and SD does have the light rail, but neither are as large and integrated as the public transportation system in the SF bay area
-I am gay, male, and white - All cities have gay areas and are generally accepting, but SF's is much larger than the others. Outside of the gay part of SD (Hillcrest), SD tends to be more conservative and less accepting than the other two
-I am from Virginia, so culture shock will be a factor - SF feels much more like an east coast city than LA or SD. In addition, many east coasters locate in SF and the Bay Area for that comfort level
-I am liberal and very open-minded - LA and SF are better than SD in this regard. SF is best across the board (probably the most liberal area of the US)
-My degree will not be from an amazing university, but one that is well regarded locally - Its a wash. In SD, there's less competition, but fewer job opportunities. In SF, there are a lot more jobs, but tough competition from Stanford/Berkeley and tons of people from Ivy Leagues and top schools across the country. LA is somewhere in between.
-I'm looking for a city with a high demand for business students, preferably a bank - SF is your best bet (called Wall Street West). There are some opportunities in LA and fewer in SD, but both cities pay much less than SF.
-I don't know how much I'd be getting paid and therefore don't know my rent limit, but am looking for the city that will provide the best opportunities - SF is the most expensive but salaries are higher. LA and SD are cheaper but not cheap by any stretch of the imagination. Given that job opportunities are less plentiful, you often have much less disposable cash to deal with there.


I have been to California before (San Francisco) and absolutely loved it. I loved the weather, the people, the scenery, the wine and the food.
I know LA requires a car but I'll more than likely get one depending on if there is a demand for business people and I can actually find a job.

Thanks! Also, I'm open to other cities that you may recommend but I'm really looking for a big city with a lot to do and a vibrant community.

[Visit a Library]

Originally Posted by hgnmx

I'm debating San Francisco, San Diego, or Los Angeles.

-I am studying economics and will graduate next may
-I will likely not have a car
-I am gay, male, and white
-I am from Virginia, so culture shock will be a factor
-I am liberal and very open-minded
-My degree will not be from an amazing university, but one that is well regarded locally
-I'm looking for a city with a high demand for business students, preferably a bank
-I don't know how much I'd be getting paid and therefore don't know my rent limit, but am looking for the city that will provide the best opportunities


I have been to California before (San Francisco) and absolutely loved it. I loved the weather, the people, the scenery, the wine and the food.
I know LA requires a car but I'll more than likely get one depending on if there is a demand for business people and I can actually find a job.

Thanks! Also, I'm open to other cities that you may recommend but I'm really looking for a big city with a lot to do and a vibrant community.

I recommend either Los Angeles, San Francisco, or San Diego.