Considering a move to LA area from Washington DC (Los Angeles: apartment, for rent)

[chariega]

Hello LA! I'm considering a move to the west coast (if all goes according to plan with the job situation) and would like to know from those of you who are familiar with Washington, DC/Northern Virginia.

I am curious about how it compares in terms of cost of living, nights out, traffic and free things to do.

I live in Northern VA now on a salary of about 50k and that salary will likely stay the same with the new job. My husband adds another 60k to that since he will be able to take his salary wherever through telecommuting. Right now we pay about 1800 +utilities for a 2bdr 1.5 bath townhouse to rent and about 500-600/month in groceries. Gas here for premium is about 3.00/gallon (avg. about 3.05) and we fill up two cars about once a week for about $40 each.

I know traffic in LA can be miserable but how would it compare to rush hour from DC on 395 or 66 west bound. Those highways can be murder scenes as well, but I'm curious to how it compares.

Going out to dinner or dancing in DC can get pricey. A decent restaurant around here in the city can be anywhere from 12 for a sandwich to 30-45+ per person for a nice meal (steak, seafood, etc.) Drinks can get exp. too, ranging from $5 during happy hour to $18-20 at places like the W.

Ok now that I have rambled on...how does LA compare? You guys definitely have us beat on the scenery, beaches and nice weather. How about prices, etc.?

[inked.hunka]

Hi Chariega, are you particularly looking for a studio apartment in LA or you've not yet decided how it should be ?

[BRinSM]

i've found that LA and DC prices are very similar, at least the areas closer in to DC. i'm not sure you'll find a 2br townhome for under $2,000 in a desirable part of LA though. the distant suburbs probably have better options, but ultimately you'll want to live near your office though because of the traffic you mentioned. you should be able to afford something nice with your household income though, maybe just downsize to 1br instead of having 2.

[uptown_urbanist]

We moved from DC to LA in 2005; granted, prices may have changed, but we found it about equal. I think my husband's company gave him a slight cost of living increase (I think around 5%). Traffic is bad in both places, so the trick is ideally to find somewhere that is within reasonable commuting time to the office. We ended up eating for cheaper in LA, but that might have been because in LA we spent more time at cheaper restaurants (the cheap food scene in LA is excellent), while in DC we spent more time at places like Jaleo and the restaurants in Dupont Circle/Woodley Park/Cleveland Park, which were mostly sort of mid-range. We actually paid less for rent in LA than in DC, but the neighborhoods weren't really an apples to apples comparison. Fresh produce is cheaper and more readily available in LA, and we definitely saw our overall food bill go down. In any case, I think it will be about the same, but given LA's size and the way it's set up I think you'll have to go out a lot farther (or pay more money) if you want a more traditional suburban feel.

[SoCal35]

I grew up in the Los Angeles area but did a stint on the east coast including Wash, D.C. ('98-'02). I agree with BRinSM that DC and LA prices are generally pretty similar.

As for traffic, I think LA is a bit worse but as you noted Wash,D.C. is no walk in the park. The Texas Transportation Institute ranks metro areas by traffic congestion (annual delay per traveler). The LA metro was No. 1 followed by Washington,D.C. as No. 2.

http://mobility.tamu.edu/ums/congestion_data/tables/national/table_1.pdf (broken link)

That said, I never thought D.C. really "felt" that bad as compared to Los Angeles. Perhaps the fact I lived in the district and commuted by Metro my entire time there influenced this view. But I also traveled at peak times by car to places like Dulles Airport and I just never felt it was nearly as bad as LA with regard to traffic congestion.

There are plenty of "free" things to do in Los Angeles (including the Beach, Mountains, Hiking, and cultural sites like The Getty or Huntington Library & Botanical Gardens).

This website provdies a list of 100 free things to do in Los Angeles:
100 Free Things to Do - LA Inc

If you are ok with a 2 Bedroom Apartment (as opposed to townhome) I think $1,800 to $2,000 per month is very possible. Here's a listing for a 2 bedroom apartment in Brentwood (a very desirable area in West LA) for $1,825. Not the prettiest building to be sure but in a good area.

Beautiful, Spacious Newly Renovated unit Close to UCLA (http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/apa/1927213746.html - broken link)

[RoadTripGurl]

hello hello congrats on the transfer! The traffic in LA is a little worse than DC traffic. LA traffic is horrible all times a day whereas DC traffic dies down after rush hour. I was shocked by how much traffic I had to sit in mid-day. The prices are comparable to any metro area: you get smaller less quality for space in the city and more the further away you are you get more for less. The upside is that California as beautiful weather and a more laid back feel than DC, it's just different.

[Jaded]

Congrats on the transfer. I'll agree with the posts on similarity of prices. Your grocery bills will be lower as well as your gas and heating bills however. Also, services are generally less expensive in CA than in DC/VA/MD. I think it's because there are more vendors to choose from (competition).

I am a native Californian and moved to the DC metro area in 2008 with my husband. We hope to move back by 2011 to catch the housing in a down market.

Good Luck. I think you'll enjoy California, if not for the weather alone!

[nighthouse66]

alot of people talk about the traffic in LA and i expected it to be horrific, but it isn't as bad as i feared. i often use surface streets instead of freeways as well- its a good way to get to know the city, actually. definitely more laid back than DC and atlanta has worse traffic according to a recent poll i saw on yahoo (so you know it has to be scientific lol)!

[sirinyat]

I lived in DC and LA. For me, the defining difference was in car ownership. In DC, I was car-free. Here in LA, I share a car with my Sig-O. (Reluctantly, I must note).

[Lumerian Feast]

Baltimore native here, very familiar with DC. LA traffic is very slow, but not nearly as aggressive and nasty as DC and other East Coast cities.

There's a lot to do day or night, but the physical size of the city can be daunting. Putting it in East Coast terms: Baltimore and DC are two separate cities. You usually don't go from one to the other for, say, a Saturday night out. But in LA, Baltimore and DC would basically be two different neighborhoods. I mean that quite literally. I live in La Crescenta; if I want to go to Santa Monica or Culver City or Venice on a Friday night, it takes me 30-45 minutes to get there (or worse, depending on the whims of traffic). Same as Baltimore to DC. This isn't as much of an issue if you live in a more central area, but you will definitely have days where it's like "Damn -- it took me an hour and a half to get across town?" While East Coast traffic can certainly get backed up, the distances just aren't as great.

Restaurants here are a little more expensive than back East, but it depends on where you go. My wife and I joke that, no matter where we eat, our lunch tab is always $32 + tip. Which is almost totally true. But you can find everything from the $12 sandwich lunches like you mention up to hundreds per person. Two people can get stuffed on Cubano sandwiches and cheese rolls at Porto's for $18. But in restaurants that are otherwise comparable in food, atmosphere, fanciness, etc., LA restaurants will be more expensive.

Utilities are cheaper. Rents are more expensive ($1800/mo. won't get you as much here), but it depends where you live. Car insurance, IIRC, is similar. Gas is about the same.