danj26

Appreciate the uber idea might be a bit naive and overcrowded but will keep my options open. Have learnt a lot from this forum that LA is expensive. When you talk about the cost of living in LA are you talking in terms of rent/mortgage? Perhaps there are other costs I haven’t considered? Thanks, Daniel.

Pulaski

Under most circumstances your non-US credit history is as much use as a chocolate teapot.

Some mortgage lenders will review the credit reports of recent immigrants, and some car manufacturers have expat finance schemes, but both these areas are going to require solid jobs/income, so not really relevant when you're still looking for career employment.

Pulaski

When the cost of land is high, it spills over and makes everything else more expensive too, and people need higher salary/wages, so that also spills over and makes everything else more expensive, and taxes in CA are relatively high - for example, expect to pay around $3-$3.50 for gas - much of the US is currently paying between $2.20 and $2.60!

Another example of high cost of living you won't have seen as a visitor, is that you should expect to pay around $250/person/mth for groceries and household supplies (paper products, cleaning supplies, toiletries, etc.) Certainly that is our experience in NC, but someone in Florida (who apparently lives alone) recently reported paying $400/mth for groceries and supplies, and Florida is generally cheaper than CA.

danj26

Dam okay ‘at least 1 year USA driving experience’ so as an expat from UK (had my full licience for over 9 years) please confirm? Re an actual US drivers licence - can you show your full UK license and just get a US equivalent? Or do you need to take exams? (Re California state only) Thanks, Daniel.

Noorah101

Confirmed that you need a US license for 1 year. The UK one doesn't count.

No.

This. For all states.

Rene

danj26

Wow that is quite an increase - didn’t expect that. What about food? I know LA has ‘Ralphs’ & ‘Trader Joe’s’ are such similar elsewhere in the states. I know ‘whole foods’ are massively expensive so will avoid that place. Thanks, Daniel.

Pulaski

You will need to take a "written" (computer) test. Download a copy of the CA DMV Drivers Manual, read it paying special attention to things like drink driving limits and penalties, and rules for driving (stopping) near school buses.

Then you will need to do a road "test", which is an utter farce! Make sure that you stop at STOP signs and red lights, avoid running over more than one pedestrian, and the license is as good as yours!

Pulaski

I added imformation about the cost of food/groceries to my post above that you quoted while you were replying.

BenK91

As you may have seen I've spent around 42 days there since early September! So I basically said to my employer I was frustrated with travelling to the office there so frequently that I may just make the move.

Rent is very, very expensive. I'm pretty familiar with NoHo (North Hollywood) and Burbank/Pasadena and they're all very, very expensive. Nice places though don't get me wrong.

Gas and groceries are expensive, sales tax on items is expensive. Even cigarettes (disgusting habit I know) - I buy 4/5 packs here in Colorado for $6/7 so I don't have to pay $12/13 in LA. I can't even begin to imagine what car insurance premiums are like in LA as they're expensive here in Colorado. I haven't looked in terms of mortgages as I'm not in that sort of financial position but I'm sure someone else may be able to answer that for you.

tom169

You're right, NC is north Carolina.

Beneficial? Maybe? I didn't and worked out fine.

60% is the take home pay. State and federal Tax arent the only deduction.

Others include medicare, social security, insurance, HSA, 401k.

dj6372

Hi Dan, welcome to BE!

As a LA resident I can give you my opinion of good n bad.

For the combined salary you are quoting you can certainly live in LA, a nice area, unlikely, but don't forget LA is huge, I work in Alhambra and although not classed as LA, there is a sign maybe a metre away that says City of Los Angeles, now you could probably live there on the salary quoted, would I? Hell no!! Its rough as my backside, and in the summer the heat is fierce it easily hits 120, I live in Marina Del Rey which is 25 miles away and I easily see a 20-30 degree drop in temperature!
As many posters have quoted it is hellishly expensive, but I note your girlfriend/wife to be lives here already so I'm guessing she has a good idea of prices??
Mrs DJ and I are lucky we have good paid jobs, but my eyes still water at our monthly rent (1000 sq ft Apt).
Gas prices really pee me off, we have a gas price forum here, and I'm regularly paying $1 -$1.50 a gallon more than the mid west/east coasters.

Some of my costs, for 2 cars $400 a month in gas, car insurance $160 a month, 2 cell phones with unlimited $100 a month, cable telly $100 (I have a lot of channels), we are leasing 1 car at $550 and buying 1 at $375 a month...............the list goes on, can you live cheaper absolutely, would I want to?? Not in SoCal/LA

As far as credit goes, as soon as I arrived I got a joint credit card and picked up my wife's credit, the only box not ticked is length of credit which can impact certain things.
I bought my car brand new from the dealer with nothing more than an offer letter from my new job, and a temporary DL.

Grocery prices vary widely, but generally I say they are high.

I think you will struggle to get a job with your skillset (open to be proven wrong) and also think Uber is not going to work immediately for you.

Now that I've been Billy Downer, do I like living here? Yes I love it, but i'm lucky we have a good standard of living, will I stay here? Unlikely!

But only you and the lady know what you want from LA, my opinion is just that......mine.

I'm happy to answer or try to answer any LA/Cali questions you have.

S Folinsky

For Ralph's, it is best to go to a "Fresh Faire" store. There is also Von's and Albertsons.

The cheapest gasoline is usually Costco, which requires a membership. Their stations look scary due to the lines, but they move quickly. Their are certain things that are best at Costco. Their Kirkland brand house blend coffee beans are $10 for a true 2 lbs bag. (In the US, the "one pound" of coffee has been shrinking over the years from 16 oz to 13 or even 11 oz - an annoyance). I like Kirkland almonds 3lb bags. A hot dog and a soda is $1.50. Must be a loss leader.

There is getting to be some decent public transit in LA. This may be part of the equation in work and living locations. There are still some "reverse commutes."

Do note that LA has many different micro-climates. This is especially true in the summer time. The San Fernando Valley gets hot in the summer. (BTW, US does not use Celsius).

On purchase of vehicles, in the past few years "crossover" SUV's have become quite popular. As a result, four door sedans coming off lease are reasonably priced as these things go.

On furniture, Ikea has a large presence.

Moses2013

Lucky you aren't there now: Return of powerful winds poses 'extreme fire danger' across Southern California - LA Times

BigT103

I have found that Ralphs and other stores in LA differ in price massively, unfortunately its not like the UK where they price match other supermarkets, I bought a pack of Kerrygold butter in Jons and it was double in Ralphs. I find food expensive in LA but if you shop around it helps.

Pulaski

Actually Walmart does price-match - if you register and scan your receipts they will credit you with the difference between what you paid and what other local merchants sell the same product for. My wife collects several dollars each month in store credits for things that she could have bought cheaper locally.
You pay a lot more for "fancy" groceries too, such as imported butter. Regular Land O' Lakes butter is just fine for most occasions and is much cheaper.

This is especially true for eggs. Basic eggs are less than $1/doz. Free range eggs are $2-$2.50/doz (white are cheaper than brown), store brand organic eggs start around $3.50, but fancy "premium" free range, organic eggs are $5-$7/doz. That's in NC, so I would assume more in CA.