Planning a long-term vacation or a business trip to America? Well, probably you will face the following questions: ‘How much money do I need to comfortably live in the US’? What’s the average price for food? How much can I spend for entertainment?
All these questions can be answered in different ways, as everything depends on the specific city of living. In one destination it will be enough to have $3000 per month for comfortable and hassle-free residence, but in another even $7000 can be insufficient amount to live there for 1 month.
Well, despite the fact that the definition of comfort for each person is different, we’ve tried to highlight the major items of expenditure and calculated the approximate amount of money required per month to live in Los Angeles and feel quite comfortable.
Apartment Rental ($1500-2300)
This is the most significant monthly expense item. Housing prices depend directly on the specific area, the year of construction of the building and the proximity to Hollywood or the coastline.
In a newly built building, apartments will cost you between $ 1800-2000 per studio flat and $ 2000-2300 for a one-bedroom apartment. In fact, it’s a two-room apartment including a bedroom and a hall.
Of course, quite comfortable apartment can be rented from $ 1500 per month. If you want to save, then at a cheaper price you will be offered with corresponding housing conditions – either a separate room in the apartment, or an old studio flat.
Utilities expense will cost you from $ 80. However, get ready to pay about $120 for an average monthly bill.
Transport ($100-900)
Los Angeles features a very developed network of public transport. Unlimited Metro card costs about $100, or $1.75 per one trip.
Also, you can use UBER – the average price of one trip will cost you $10-18 depending on the distance.
Honestly, in this city it’s simply impossible to move around comfortably without a car! Therefore, the best and the most reasonable choice is car rental in Los Angeles. The average car rental price is about $150 for 3 days. Car rental insurance and fuel are already included. However, long-term car rental is even more profitable in terms of price. If you rent a car for 1 month, then 1 day of rental of economy car will cost you only $ 30-35.
The average price of gasoline is $2.7 per gallon ($0.7 per liter).
Foodstuffs ($600-1000)
The purchase of food in a supermarket of LA takes about $600-1000 per month for 2 persons, but the exact price will depend on what products you prefer and where exactly you live. After all, the same chicken can cost $4-10 per kilo in the same store, depending on the quality of the product. Among the cheap places to buy foods in Los Angeles are Trader Joe’s, Farmer’s Fair and Walmart – one of the cheapest supermarkets in America.
In case you want to eat in a café, main dishes, snack/dessert, taxes and gratuities will cost about $40, and if it’s a dinner with alcohol – $60-70. The price c for cheap lunch for one person is about $15. For a cup of cappuccino in Los Angeles you will have to pay $4, and a glass of beer will cost you $5.
Chinese eateries is another way of cheap eating out in LA – for a portion of noodles with a meat side dish you will pay only $4-10.
Clothing and Footwear ($200-400)
What will pleasantly surprise you in Los Angeles are the prices for clothes. For example, at $200 you can buy several t-shirts, slippers and shorts.
The average prices for clothing in LA:
- Levis Jeans- $48
- Zara Dress – $32
- Nike Sneakers – $78
- T-shirts – $5-20
- Sweatshirts – $15-60
- Shoes – from $70
- Jackets – from $50
Sports, entertainment and other expenses ($10-200)
Sports activities in America will cost you about $50 per month. However, you can find cheaper options – Just Fitness – $10 per month, 24 Hour Fitness – $30, Bally Sport – $38, and more expensive gyms – Krav Maga at $300. The cost of classes with an individual coach is $25-30. Remember that when you break a contract with a fitness club, you’ll be charged additionally.
Also, it should be noted note that in many fitness centers the first month is more expensive than the following. For example, in 24 Hour Fitness the price for the first month is $200, and in the future you need to pay only $30. In La Fitness sports center the corresponding prices are $120/$39.
Decided to visit a beauty salon? Prepare to pay at least $14 for a haircut and $25 for the most modest set of care procedures.
If you want go to the cinema, you will have to pay $12-20 for a ticket, and visiting the museum costs about $10-30. In general, California has many things to spend money on in terms of leisure and entertainments. There are many parks, national reserves, and ski resorts.
Summing it up, you will have to spend an average of $3,000-4,000 to live in the City of Angels for 1 month. This amount includes studio apartment, own rental car, regular eating out with periodic visits to cafes, sports, leisure, entertainment, and clothing costs. Of course, the total price can be several times smaller if you decide to live in the suburbs of Los Angeles but not in the city itself.
