Moving from Chicago to LA area for work. Need Recommendations!!! (Los Angeles: company, places)

[Coltindyan]

Originally Posted by adr3naline

Like others have said, if you're looking for Chicago in LA, your best bet is DTLA. Otherwise, just stay in Chicago. If you move to LA you'll find that no one cares where you came from and comparisons you'll want to make will be met with rolling eyes. LA is a world of it's own and people like it that way.



An older Studio with an inconvenient (or no) parking situation, yes. A 1-bedroom no. Maybe you can get something <$1600 in the seedy areas around Skid Row, but that will severely degrade your QOL.




w/a $100k salary you would be expected to pay at least $2k on rent. We spend a lot more on housing proportionate to our income than the vast majority of the country. So unless you have misc payments like large student loans, expect to dip into your fun money to pay for rent.



Not sure I would make a quick calc like that. I have family in the Chicago Loop that pay ~$2800 for a 1-bed, which would get you a nice place just about anywhere in LA. The biggest delta in COL between the two areas will likely be the little items that add up. Junk like vehicle registration fees, vehicle insurance. Really just depends on how you currently live.



Yes, but no one really cares. You'll often meet people making $15 an hour that lease brand new German "luxury" vehicles like A5s, 4-series, etc. I have a friend who makes <$35/hr and she spends $675/mo leasing her new 5-series. It's an LA thing.

If you're looking to stick out with an Audi it's going to need to be a 2nd Gen R8. My neighbor has a brand new RS7 and no one even bats an eye at the thing, even thought it's an incredible machine both performance and styling wise. I have a blacked out Porsche Cayman S which turned many heads when I lived in Milwaukee/Chicago, and it's basically a C-class now.



$1600 for a 1-bed in Pasadena is doable. It won't be stuck in the 80's, either.


In summary, LA can be an incredible place to live if you're able to do the research required to carve out the lifestyle you want. Most notably, setting your housing expecations and keeping your commute reasonable.

Thanks adr3naline. I learned a lot about LA and comparisons between two cities. Interesting to hear people who makes less money lease luxury cars. I think i'll stick to chicago little longer and look for jobs near beaches or dtla so i don't have to drive

[Coltindyan]

Originally Posted by kasuga888

BTW, forget the luxury car unless you live/work in the same city or don't mind spending money... you will be hating life when / if gas is 5$ a gallon again (2 years ago) and you get 10-15 mpg siting in traffic which is 7 days a week in LA. Weekends are all day rush hour on the major roads lol. Besides, some idiot will eventually ding your car up in the street/parking lot anyways. I have one before I moved over here, i wish i just gotten a prius or civic.

That's good to know. Thanks

[Coltindyan]

Originally Posted by ryanms3030

Good points. I still don't even think living in DTLA will give OP what he thinks he'll be missing from Chicago. I haven't been to DTLA in a few years but it still seems like it's a blip on the radar as far as what is really happening in LA. I guess there are some destination bars, clubs, restaurants now but I really never hear of anyone going there that doesn't live there unless it's to go to Staples, Nokia/LA Live, Disney Concert Hall or MOCA.

As for cars, when I lived in Glendale every teenage Armenian kid had a modded up M3 or M5 which is the equivalent of the Civic tuner car when I was growing up in Boston. I live in Santa Clarita now (or the burbs as OP would say) and I still see Ferraris, Lambos, Lotus, Rolls, Bentleys up here on a daily basis. Those cars don't even turn my head after 10 years in LA. The only thing that would make me look twice these days is a Veyron or similar exotic car. I used to own a Infiniti but as someone else said it got old when gas was $5/gallon and I could never get it over 40mph because I was always in traffic.

haha so it doesn't matter what you drive no one cares. That's good to know

[Coltindyan]

Originally Posted by nightlysparrow

OP, it really comes down to how much you want to change your lifestyle and environment. It's not just a change of climate, it's a change of everything, including your outlook. Living in a Victorian house -vs- a MidCentury modern -vs- a Spanish bungalow -vs- a high-rise apartment definitely affects outlook.

Even DTLA will not seem like Chicago. The Loop is way more developed, way more cultured, way more a real hub for business and shopping. LA is a string of smaller city-neighborhoods, some contiguous but many are separated by mountains, hills or canyons and are connected only by freeways or twisty mountain roads.

Sky is the predominant view, a lot of open space due to buildings in many places seldom more than a few stories high, a large amount of single family home neighborhoods, and retail concentrated in mini-malls.

I know, that' what i noticed. I want a downtown like manhattan or loop and warm weather and close to beach and mountains. I think it doesn't exist in US. SF may be but their downtown is not as vertical as manhattan or loop.

[Coltindyan]

Originally Posted by Fishtacos

People here have provided more than enough good, patient information for the original poster to make a decision.

You won't ever duplicate one place for another, and why would someone want to do that? There isn't much growth in that. And things are often relative too. Chicago was a much slower pace with less comprehensive transit than NYC and some other places on the East Coast. I adjusted fine. Chicago is a city of neighborhoods where many people are not living in the loop or "Downtown." It is set up nicely for visitors. It is a good place, as are many other places.

When in L.A. I had to work often in Santa Clarita. I chose to live there. It is a nice area. It wasn't my first choice geographically nor for my lifestyle. But I made the best of it and took advantage of work productivity, nearby gym, groceries, shopping, etc...and I had a lot more day trips to other areas for various things and reasons.

If it were me I would choose Pasadena. But you have some choices. Your options and choices aren't going to change. It is what it is. Maybe L.A. isn't for you. Maybe Chicago will still be there if you moved.

Yes, People did provide great information for me to decide. I think i will pass on this job. I will look for jobs in the areas i desire to live so i don't have to deal with commute. Until then i will stay in Chicago

[Coltindyan]

Gentlemen,

Each and everyone of you provided great insight into LA and neighborhoods. I visited Pasadena last time i was in LA. 1 beds in Pasadena are $2200, you can get a 1 bed in 65th floor with a view in Chicago for that. And i found similar comparisons. Honestly, I wasn't super impressed by Pasadena. It's cool and all but i'd take Santa Monica over it. But that's not practical with my job so i have decided to pass on the job.

I have decided to stay in Chicago and enjoy the concrete jungle that i love for little long before i move. I will look for jobs near beaches and DTLA. That way i can live where i desire without having to deal with the commute.

If not for the cold winters, Chicago is the best place to live. I have no desire to live anywhere but Chicago, NYC, LA or SF. I have yet to explore Denver and Seattle. Rest of the country is trash to me Miami meh, Houston no, Boston no thank you, middle america So, I am a picky big city seeker. I guess until i find the perfect skyline with mountains and water front i will stay in Chicago.

Thank you all again for great information.

[afropack-man]

Originally Posted by Coltindyan

Gentlemen,

Each and everyone of you provided great insight into LA and neighborhoods. I visited Pasadena last time i was in LA. 1 beds in Pasadena are $2200, you can get a 1 bed in 65th floor with a view in Chicago for that. And i found similar comparisons. Honestly, I wasn't super impressed by Pasadena. It's cool and all but i'd take Santa Monica over it. But that's not practical with my job so i have decided to pass on the job.

I have decided to stay in Chicago and enjoy the concrete jungle that i love for little long before i move. I will look for jobs near beaches and DTLA. That way i can live where i desire without having to deal with the commute.

If not for the cold winters, Chicago is the best place to live. I have no desire to live anywhere but Chicago, NYC, LA or SF. I have yet to explore Denver and Seattle. Rest of the country is trash to me Miami meh, Houston no, Boston no thank you, middle america So, I am a picky big city seeker. I guess until i find the perfect skyline with mountains and water front i will stay in Chicago.

Thank you all again for great information.

Good Choice.

[ryanms3030]

Originally Posted by Coltindyan

Gentlemen,

Each and everyone of you provided great insight into LA and neighborhoods. I visited Pasadena last time i was in LA. 1 beds in Pasadena are $2200, you can get a 1 bed in 65th floor with a view in Chicago for that. And i found similar comparisons. Honestly, I wasn't super impressed by Pasadena. It's cool and all but i'd take Santa Monica over it. But that's not practical with my job so i have decided to pass on the job.

I have decided to stay in Chicago and enjoy the concrete jungle that i love for little long before i move. I will look for jobs near beaches and DTLA. That way i can live where i desire without having to deal with the commute.

If not for the cold winters, Chicago is the best place to live. I have no desire to live anywhere but Chicago, NYC, LA or SF. I have yet to explore Denver and Seattle. Rest of the country is trash to me Miami meh, Houston no, Boston no thank you, middle america So, I am a picky big city seeker. I guess until i find the perfect skyline with mountains and water front i will stay in Chicago.

Thank you all again for great information.

Look into Vancouver

[Hippityhop]

Originally Posted by ryanms3030

Look into Vancouver

The guy is saying that Pasadena is expensive (though to be fair I'm not sure why one needs to rent a $2200 / mo 1 br to live in Pasadena).

Vancouver is completely insane atm.

[adr3naline]

Originally Posted by Coltindyan

Gentlemen,

Each and everyone of you provided great insight into LA and neighborhoods. I visited Pasadena last time i was in LA. 1 beds in Pasadena are $2200, you can get a 1 bed in 65th floor with a view in Chicago for that. And i found similar comparisons. Honestly, I wasn't super impressed by Pasadena. It's cool and all but i'd take Santa Monica over it. But that's not practical with my job so i have decided to pass on the job.

I have decided to stay in Chicago and enjoy the concrete jungle that i love for little long before i move. I will look for jobs near beaches and DTLA. That way i can live where i desire without having to deal with the commute.

If not for the cold winters, Chicago is the best place to live. I have no desire to live anywhere but Chicago, NYC, LA or SF. I have yet to explore Denver and Seattle. Rest of the country is trash to me Miami meh, Houston no, Boston no thank you, middle america So, I am a picky big city seeker. I guess until i find the perfect skyline with mountains and water front i will stay in Chicago.

Thank you all again for great information.

You're making wise choice and I wish you the best of luck. DT Chicago is a great area so if you're itching for some mountains/beach, I would just use that $ not being spent on LA's higher COL to take a few trips in January. Get it out of your system.