True Cost Of Living in Los Angeles
The Standard of Moolah in L.A. We all know the cost of living in Los Angeles is HIGH.
How much do you really need to afford the cost of living “comfortably” in Los Angeles?
Update: The 2023 State Income Limits report stated that a family of 4 living in Los Angeles would be considered low-income with incomes below $109,000 per year.
By David Rae Certified Financial Planner™, Accredited Investment Fiduciary™
What does it take to live comfortably in LA
Old joke:
- KID: “Daddy, are we rich?”
- FATHER: “Well, son, let’s just say we’re comfortable.”
So, how much dough a year do you think it takes to live comfortably in my hometown of Los Angeles? Since the notion of comfort is highly subjective and skewed by each individual’s own circumstances – for some, it means a roof over your head. For others, it means a roof over your head in the Hollywood Hills plus another in Aspen or Palm Springs– your educated guesses are sure to vary widely.
I asked my friends on Facebook what they thought it would take, and their answers ranged from an annual low of $45,000 to a high of around $300,000 to be “comfortable” here in Los Angeles. The numbers went up from there for those who wanted to do things like buying a single family home in a ‘good area,’ go all out and lead the ‘good life’ or educate their offspring at a ‘good school.’ In other words, in L.A., it’s all about good.
What is the True Cost of Living in LA?
The website Gobankingrates.com jumped in and did the math for us in their piece, “How Much Money You Need to Live Comfortably in the 50 Biggest Cities”. They calculated an annual income of $74,371 was about right for the average person to live comfortably in Los Angeles. This is all fine and dandy until you look at what things really cost and note that the median income in the Southland is merely $48,682. Again, this is a single person, NO KIDS or stay-at-home spouse.
I couldn’t stop thinking about this and have come up with the most relevant FAQs for those of you who can’t stop thinking about it, either.
How the heck did they come up with that “live comfortably” in LA number?**
Short answer: They used the 50-30-20 rule of personal budgeting (50% of your income goes to basic housing and food, 30% goes towards “discretionary” spending – basically anything fun like going out – and the last 20% goes to savings.) Are you with me so far, or did I stump you on with the 20% savings figure?
What does $75k a year buy you in terms of comfort here in LA?
If you’re happy with renting a 1-bedroom in the city, buying your basics at Costco, not paying too much for transportation in your mid-range automobile (or better yet, learning to navigate our embryonic public transportation system), and carrying a not-so-fancy insurance plan, you’ll be sitting pretty. OK, pretty might be strong; apparently, you will be “comfortable.”
But if you want to live in the best neighborhoods in your own home, drive the nicest cars, and eat at the finest restaurants, $75,000 a year won’t cut it by a long shot. Double that will barely cover it, as a matter of fact. And if you want to save substantially, you’ll probably need to be making somewhere in the neighborhood of $225,000 or more to really afford the cost of living in Los Angeles (and that’s if you don’t have kids.)
Are L.A. people really so skewed (and screwed) when it comes to income?
There are tons of people who would literally starve on the $75,000 per year here. (And I’m not talking about the Beverly Hills Housewives diet of starving on purpose.) In reality, the median income for Los Angeles is “just” $49,682. TRANSLATION: There is a $25,000 gap between what the median person makes and what it “takes” to live comfortably in Los Angeles on average. That $25,000 gap (and for millions of citizens, it’s much larger than that) means many people are probably not living very comfortably in the City of Angels at the moment.
The average rent for a 1-bedroom in L.A. today sits at around $2296 per month.*** Obviously, some people are paying way less while others are paying way more. But to put that in perspective, I have clients in other parts of the country who are building a custom home and even with their mortgage, taxes, and insurance, they’re still shelling out $500 less per month than the average 1-bedroom rentals of my So Cal compatriots.
How are Southlanders balancing their budgets? Can they afford the True cost of living in Los Angeles?
Short answer: Most are not and are not even close. Here’s where financial security gets killed. I’d be willing to bet diamonds to donuts that most people in L.A. are not saving 20% of their incomes. Plus, many are dealing with credit card debt on top of car notes, student loans and the siren’s call of just one more round of Botox.
How do I get my financial act together? Can I do it and live comfortably in LA?
Whether you live in Los Angeles, California or Los Angeles, Texas (yes, there is one), here are a few ways to get your financial house in order so you can get on track to build wealth and achieve financial independence.
-
Spend less money and/or make more money
. In a perfect world, you would probably do a bit of both. (I’ll leave marrying rich, divorcing spectacularly or winning the Lottery for another time.)
-
Look for ways to drop your housing costs
. A roommate, different location or Airbnbing can save or make you thousands of dollars per year. It doesn’t have to be forever, but a few years of slight inconvenience could put your finances in the black.
-
Make smart decisions with your transportation
. LA is all about the car, but you really look lame if you drive that fancy tricked-out BMW but can’t afford the gasoline, let alone insurance. Besides, think how good your backside would look if you bicycled everywhere.
-
Make a point to avoid the death trap of credit card debt
. It will spiral out of control faster than you can order a margarita.
-
Whether are making the big bucks or just scraping by
, make a point to pay yourself first. Paying yourself first means regularly socking away a sum for the future. It may not be as immediately glamorous as other uses of your money, but nothing feels as good as knowing you are secure financially and don’t have to worry about your rent check bouncing. Remember that 50-30-20 I mentioned at the top of this piece? Either way, the suggested budget includes a 20% savings rate. Given enough time, anyone can become a 401(k) millionaire if they invest at least 20% of their salaries.
What do you think, my fellow Angelinos? Could you live comfortably on $75,000 per year anywhere in Los Angeles? Are you spending more than you should? Can you strategize ways to get by on less so that you can save substantially more? What is the real cost of living “comfortably” in Los Angeles for you?
Related: 4 Los Angeles Retirement Challenges.
Is the Cost of Living Los Angeles worth it?
Here’s where the tough love comes in, and it’s an issue that New Yorkers deal with all the time, too. Are you really getting your money’s worth by living here? If you LOVE the city, EMBRACE the city, TAKE ADVANTAGE of the city and are SEEKING YOUR FORTUNE here, then the high dollar costs and emotional investment are worth it. But if you don’t or aren’t, there are (literally) greener pastures elsewhere where your dollar buys substantially more, including (literally) green pastures.
I, for one, am in love with the place. Despite my grumbles, I am happy to fork over every red cent it costs to live here. Of course, I’ve worked my booty off to make sure I can live very comfortably here in LA. Viva Los Angeles!
The Cost Of Being Happy In Los Angeles:
If you want to know how much money you need to make to be happy living in California, the simple answer is “a lot.”
A survey from Purdue University and GoBankingRates.com found that you need a minimum annual salary of $149,310 to be happy in California, citing “California’s notoriously high cost of living.”
What do you think: Are you living comfortably here in Los Angeles? What is your true cost of living in Los Angeles?
Live for Today, Plan for Tomorrow.
DAVID RAE, CFP®, AIF® is a Los Angeles Wealth Manager with DRM Wealth Management, a regular contributor to the Forbes.com Advocate Magazine, and a Huffington Post Blogger. He lives in the Beverly Grove neighborhood with his husband and their 2 chihuahuas. Follow him on Facebook or via his website, www.davidraefp.com.
If you like the “Cost of Living Los Angeles,” you may also like:
Can I Afford A House in Los Angeles?
Connect With David Rae, Financial Planner LA
David Rae, CFP® AIF®
President / Founder DRM Wealth Management LLC
1(323) 905-4380
david.rae@financialplannerla.com
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