Move to Los Angeles
United States · Expat Guide for Tech Workers
Rent (1BR)
$2,500
Rent (2BR)
$3,400
Transport
$100/mo
Expat Community
5/5
🌟 Why Los Angeles?
- ✓ Year-round sunshine with beach and mountain access
- ✓ Booming tech scene (Silicon Beach) alongside entertainment industry
- ✓ Incredible diversity of cuisines from around the world
- ✓ Lower cost of living than SF or NYC with competitive tech salaries
🏠 Best Neighborhoods
Santa Monica
Beach lifestyle, walkable, upscale
$3,200/mo
Silver Lake
Hip, creative, coffee shops and boutiques
$2,400/mo
Culver City
Tech-friendly, growing, near studios
$2,600/mo
Koreatown
Affordable, diverse, great food, central
$1,800/mo
✈ Airport
LAX (Los Angeles International), BUR (Burbank)
☔ Weather
Sunny and warm year-round (15-30C). Very little rain. Occasional heatwaves.
🎓 Schools
Many options across metro area
💻 Coworking
Widespread (WeWork, Cross Campus, Industrious)
✅ First Week Checklist
- Get a car or figure out your commute (public transit is limited)
- Get a TAP card for Metro buses and light rail
- Open a bank account and get a California driver's license
- Explore your neighborhood - LA is a city of neighborhoods
- Stock up on sunscreen and get familiar with freeway routes
🏗 Top Industries
Entertainment
Tech
Aerospace
Healthcare
💰 Los Angeles Salary Insights
Is your salary competitive in Los Angeles?
Is $80k good in Los Angeles?
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Top tech salaries in Los Angeles