10 Essential Things to Know: Living in NYC vs. Los Angeles

Post Overview: List of similarities and differences between living in Los Angeles vs. New York City.

Most of my friends end up moving from New York City to Los Angeles, more so than any other US city. In a way, the move makes sense, LA is the second-largest city in the country (effectively scratching that big-city itch). But the two cities couldn’t feel more different! So why do folks make the move?

Fed up with unanswered questions (I can’t imagine moving out of NYC) I reached out to a friend that recently relocated in LA from NYC to ask her some questions. She lived in NYC of 9 years before moving to Los Angeles for a new job. We spent a bit of time going over the differences and similarities between living in LA and NYC, and I’d like to share that list with you today. Let’s dive in!

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Living in Los Angles vs. New York City

(Table of Contents)

Daily Life in NYC vs LA (Table of Contents)

• Living in Los Angles vs. New York City
  • The Lifestyles are Completely Different
  • In Terms of Daily Conveniences, NYC Wins Out
  • But in When it Comes to Weather, LA Takes the Cake
  • Living in LA vs NYC: Size Matters
  • Public Transportation vs. Car Ownership
  • Which City is More Affordable? New York City or L.A.
  • Let’s Talk About Diversity in NYC vs. L.A.
  • Access to Nature
  • Wildfire Season in Los Angeles
  • Job Hunting While Living in NYC vs LA
  • The Food Scene is Great in Both Cities
  • Which City is More Beautiful? L.A. or NYC
• Living in New York City vs. Los Angeles (Post Summary)

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The Lifestyles are Completely Different

Let’s start with the obvious: the lifestyle between living in Los Angles vs. New York City, the cities have completely different vibes! Daily life in New York City is a fast-paced affair. Overtime, the rushed nature of living in NYC tends to wear folks down. On the opposite end of the spectrum, daily life in Los Angeles seems slower overall.

I like to think of it this way: If “life is a highway” then New Yorkers are constantly in the passing lane, while LA locals are perpetually locked in cruise control.

Don’t get me wrong: both cities have a ton of excitement to offer but people living in New York City vs. Los Angeles tend to value different things. LA locals are extremely healthy (kale reigns supreme) and put a huge emphasis on appearance. It seems to me that people in LA are swimming in a sea of luxury labels and status.

Whereas in New York City, you could easily rub elbows with a millionaire while grabbing burgers at J.G. Melon without knowing it. At the end of the day, I appreciate the laid back vibes of daily life in LA vs. NYC, while also respecting the exciting break-neck pace of life in New York.

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In Terms of Daily Conveniences, NYC Wins Out

Life in New York City is all about convenience. Isn’t that the reason New Yorkers pay obnoxious rent prices? In NYC, you don’t pay for space, you pay for access and it’s true — one of the biggest perks of living in NYC is having access to anything your heart desires at 2am.

Heck, even the most daunting chore in the world (laundry) isn’t an inconvenience in the Big Apple. You can easily drop it off at 9am and pick it up (washed and folded) by 4pm the same day. It’s absurd and oddly satisfying — as long as you have money while living in NYC, you won’t be inconvenienced.

On the flip side, Los Angeles has a never-ending list of fun experiences to offer but it will never be mistaken as the city that never sleeps. Heck, I’m pretty sure LA takes naps. Life is calmer in California as a whole, so don’t expect your midnight cravings to be satisfied unless you planned ahead. In this regard, living in New York City vs. Los Angeles wins out.

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But in When it Comes to Weather, LA Takes the Cake

Perhaps one of the best things about living in LA is the pleasant weather year-round. It’s hard to complain about living in a city that averages 284 days of sunshine a year. Plus, the Mediterranean climate in California is downright ideal.

You won’t experience winters while living in Los Angeles vs. NYC, but you also won’t have a true spring or fall either. The temperatures in Los Angles tend to hover around the 70-80°F year-round, while NYC temps span the gamut. New York winters are downright brutal and the summer humidity is no joke. So in terms of weather, living in LA vs. NYC is more ideal in my opinion.

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Living in LA vs NYC: Size Matters

New York City is the most-populous city in the country, which means managing crowds becomes a part of the daily routine. Los Angeles has some crowded hot spots (restaurants, bars, clubs, etc), but the waitlist isn’t on the same level.

Population aside, the layout of the two cities varies drastically. NYC is more compact than Los Angeles (talk about urban sprawl). You can easily get between places in NYC without having to sit in traffic because the subway is an efficient way to get around.

• Population of Los Angeles: As of 2024, the population of Los Angles is 3.86 million.
• Population of New York City: As of 2024, the population of New York City is 8.4 million, making it the 11th most populated city in the world.

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Public Transportation vs. Car Ownership

Let’s cut to the chase: you can’t live in Los Angeles without owning a car. On the other hand, owning a car in NYC is a complete headache. You can easily live in NYC without a car because the subway system is so efficient (as mentioned earlier). Plus, you won’t have to worry about car-related expenses like gas, regular vehicle maintenance and car insurance.

Back to Los Angeles. LA’s nightmarish traffic is known the world over and the proof is in the pudding. Year after year, Los Angeles is ranked one of the most congested cities in the nation, the average commuter spend an estimated 103 hours a year sitting in traffic. Plus, California gas prices are some of the most expensive in the country. In terms of transportation, I’d argue that living in New York City vs. Los Angeles is the way to go.

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Which City is More Affordable? New York City or L.A.

I’m probably not the first to tell you that living in New York City or Los Angeles won’t come cheap. Both cities grace the list of most expensive cities in the country, if not the world. There’s one huge fact to consider when deciding between living in Los Angeles vs. New York City: housing prices.

New York City is the 3rd most expensive city in the world (mostly because of housing). For reference, I paid $3,000 for a 400-square foot one-bedroom apartment in the Upper West Side. The high cost of housing is why so many people live with roommates or find themselves far from the heart of the action while living in NYC.

The housing costs in Los Angeles are (slightly) less obnoxious. But I guess it could be argued that you get more for your money while living in Los Angles because you get an apartment and car for the same cost as just the apartment in NYC. In terms of housing affordability, living in Los Angeles vs. NYC is better. But overall costs for daily living (groceries, haircuts, restaurants, drinks, etc) is comparable between the two cities.

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Let’s Talk About Diversity in NYC vs. L.A.

Living in either New York City or Los Angles will expose you to diverse cultures you can’t easily find in American small towns. Los Angeles is one of the few US cities where there’s no ethnic majority: 48% of residents identify as Hispanic/Latino and 28% identify as white. All this to say, Los Angeles is one of the most diverse cities in the country, second only to New York City.

However, segregation is a real thing in LA. Most of the diverse communities are found on the outskirts of the downtown core. It’s a bit harder to find yourself mingling with people from diverse backgrounds in LA vs. NYC.

As for NYC, there’s more than 200 languages spoken on a daily basis on the streets of New York! The habits, food and dress reflect the vibrant diversity of life in the Big Apple, which is one of the biggest joys of daily life in NYC.

In fact, speaking from personal experience, one of my favorite thing about living in New York City is feeling invisible (in a good way!). It feels like no matter what I do, I never stand out. In many ways, it feels like there’s zero judgement in the Big Apple, whereas in LA, status plays a big factor in daily life.

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Access to Nature

Listen, I love city living as much as the next guy, but I’ll be the first to admit that I need an escape to nature every once in a while — thankfully, Los Angeles delivers. Living in Los Angeles means you’re surrounded by beautiful beaches, breathtaking mountains and expansive deserts in every direction. What’s more, since the weather is nice year-round you’ll have ample opportunities to enjoy the great outdoor recreation nearby.

As for living in New York City, well there’s Central Park. Any desire for real nature will require an effort to upstate New York (which entails figuring out the train system or renting a car). The mountains and lakes of upstate New York are beautiful, no doubt, but they don’t hold a candle to the breathtaking wilderness in California.

But I will admit, New York City has some EPIC parks!

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Wildfire Season in Los Angeles

I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t mention the threat of natural disasters while living in Los Angles vs New York City. I’m mostly speaking about the wildfires, which are downright devastating and seem to increase year after year. I’m not saying that NYC is immune to natural disasters (remember the raging fire from 2023?), but they’re less likely to occur. Likewise, NYC gets its fair share of hurricane threats, but most of them miss the city (apart from Sandy in 2012).

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Job Hunting While Living in NYC vs LA

Both Los Angles and NYC have strong job markets, but the types of jobs vary drastically. NYC offers jobs in a plethora of fields (with a strong focus on tech + finance), while Los Angles seems to be more narrowed to the entertainment industry. You won’t find the city streets of LA full of stuffy suits because most folks don’t work standard office jobs.

The healthy work-life balance is a major perk of living in Los Angeles vs NYC. Now, if you’re a Type A personality that takes pride in “7 workdays a week,” then you’ll find yourself rewarded in NYC. Personally speaking, I can definitely see the allure of the slower pace of LA, folks seem more relaxed here and the job market definitely plays a role in that.

• Average salary in New York City: $89,000
• Average salary in Los Angeles: $86,000

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The Food Scene is Great in Both Cities

With 71-starred restaurants, New York City has the 5th highest-concentration of Michelin-Starred restaurants in the world. And sure, you’ll need a trust fund to try them all, but you know the best part? You don’t need to eat at these fancy places to enjoy a memorable meal because NYC’s food scene is epic. From cheap eats to eye-watering price tags, you can easily find a good meal within your price range.

Likewise, Los Angeles has a great food scene as well. Everything from award-winning high-end restaurants to some of the most delicious cheap eats in the country. It’s safe to say you won’t go hungry in either city, so this is a toss-up!

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Which City is More Beautiful? L.A. or NYC

This is a hard question and it’s obviously very subjective, but I think NYC wins in the aesthetic department. There’s no city in the world quite like NYC, but I’ll also be the first to admit it’s very dirty. Los Angeles in beautiful in a different way, much cleaner and more sprawled out, especially in the wealthy areas. Both cities have their fair share of eyesores. For example, there’s definitely parts of LA that feel like glorified strip malls. All told, I prefer the aesthetic of NYC vs. LA, but that’s just personal preference.

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Living in New York City vs. Los Angeles (Post Summary)

In sum, here’s a quick roundup of the difference between Living in Los Angeles vs. New York City.

• The lifestyle is completely different
• In terms of daily conveniences, NYC wins out
• But in terms of weather, LA takes the cake
• Living in LA vs NYC: Size matters
• Public transportation vs. car ownership
• Which city is more affordable? New York City or L.A.
• Let’s talk about diversity in NYC vs. L.A.
• Access to nature
• Wildfire season in Los Angeles
• Job hunting while living in NYC vs LA
• New York City is more beautiful than LA

Cheers!