The Pros and Cons of Living in Los Angeles

Are you considering a move to Los Angeles? It's a great city with plenty of opportunities, but it also has its drawbacks. We've been fortunate enough to call this city home and wanted to provide a complete list of the honest pros and cons of living in Los Angeles, California. In short, these are the HONEST advantages & cons of living in Los Angeles California. The city of Los Angeles reportedly began when the region's 11 descendants of Spanish families created a settlement here.

This group was known as Los Pobladores. Little changed for them in 1848, when California officially joined the United States. It wasn't until 1885, when the transcontinental railroad between Chicago arrived, that the community began to see a rapid increase in interest. Los Angeles is famous for its pleasant climate all year round. In fact, the city gets nearly 300 days of sunshine a year, making it easy for Angelenos to enjoy the benefits of living in the city with outdoor fun.

Beautiful beaches, parks, a variety of hiking trails, outdoor entertainment, outdoor dining and much more are available. Make no mistake, having a car is absolutely necessary for daily life in Los Angeles. The lack of public transport is surprising. After living in Los Angeles, you'll quickly learn to give yourself plenty of time to get from point A to point B. Constant traffic (which isn't just limited to the interstate, mind you) is one of the biggest disadvantages of living in Los Angeles. It's never easy to get a parking space in Los Angeles.

If it's not a general shortage of parking, it's the cost, the location, the valet service, the wait, the... you get an idea. You could face a costly and stressful encounter. If you are unlucky enough to misunderstand a parking notice or you don't fill your parking meter, you will be charged a high parking fee. Housing in Los Angeles is Expensive.

Taxes should be kept in mind when researching whether moving to Los Angeles is right for you, as they will greatly reduce your overall take-home payment. While the labor market in Los Angeles is booming relative to the rest of California and the United States, finding the right opportunity is difficult if you don't know the right places to start looking. Locals and visitors alike agree that the food scene in Los Angeles is incredible and varies from neighborhood to neighborhood, and you won't struggle to find a wide variety of ethnic cuisines. Welcome to Los Angeles County, where one day you can go from celebrity cameos in West Hollywood to beachside bonfires in Santa Monica and everything in between. The San Andres fault line that runs along the West Coast cuts through some of the most densely populated areas of Los Angeles. Year after year, Los Angeles is ranked as one of the 10 most congested cities in the country, with an estimated 103 hours per year dedicated to traffic for the average traveler. Los Angeles is a huge city that spans more than 500 square miles, which means the neighborhoods are far apart and you'll drive everywhere you go. I'll be the first to admit that I don't know what the right solution is for homelessness, but I want to be transparent about it to anyone considering moving to Los Angeles.

If you grew up in the 1980s, then smog stories in the city might be enough to make you think twice about living in Los Angeles. For the price of what you'd pay for a small Manhattan apartment, Los Angeles offers you more space, access to private parking, and a communal pool for you to enjoy. The best advice I received before moving to Los Angeles was to live within the city limits or choose a neighborhood close to work because otherwise the traffic would take up too much time, and man, does that advice sound true? In addition, we will include the necessary tips for living in Los Angeles that will make your new city feel like your hometown. Los Angeles is widely appreciated as a “melting pot of cultures” each of which is welcomed as a member of the wider Los Angeles community.

The pros and cons of living in Los Angeles largely boil down to your own priorities. Everyone wants something different and you can do whatever you want out of it. But keep in mind that while Los Angeles is another big and impressive metropolis it's nothing compared to New York City Chicago DC or even Paris London and Tokyo. That said, the pros and cons of living in Los Angeles don't undermine Los Angeles's unique approach to “big city living”.

Lester Linch
Lester Linch

Wannabe social media practitioner. Subtly charming burrito aficionado. Hardcore food fanatic. Friendly zombie fan. Devoted coffee enthusiast.