Anywhere in California will cost you between $800 upwards for a studio/1 bedroom apartment. San Francisco is much more expensive than $800... More like $1200-$1500 start.
Gas is ~$2/gallon, the lowest rated octane
You will need a car in California, public transportation sucks--EVERYWHERE!!! Don't ask why. Beside all of the 5 freeway sucks until it gets into Oregon. And everybody drives very fast out here, so stay in the #4 or #5 lanes if you drive below 65 or 70... And if you are not in those lanes on your cell phone, you will increase your risk of getting hit on purpose and/or shot. And folks cut you off all the time. And merging the right of way--what's that? Oh, and LA traffic... Doesn't matter what time you leave, you will be in traffic--usually the 5, the 10, the 110 and the 405 freeways. There are streets, but, well there are these photo enforced lights--no body like them. I am not from LA, but I know they've got them on Figureoa, Wilshire, Sepulveda, probably Sunset, the Hollywood strip and... Help me out LALAndians.
Depending what you eat, a grocery bill goes for at least a minimum of $50. If you eat out, say for lunch the minimum will be $10 or $20 depending on which part of the state you reside. Dinner, in an A rated establishment... $20 cover, $20 2 drink minimum. Reservations at the newer places if you don't get bumped. That includes the oxygen bars. And the newest places: if you don't know someone that knows someone that knows a movie mogul or the President, you ain't getting in... Most folks eat at Roscoe's. But even that is gettin' crowded. And you guys, don't tell me about Magic's Friday's--been there, done that. Too many armed security guards.
Electricity is crazy. We don't have any. A leveled bill will cost you a minimum of $30 per room... So, like I live in a 2 bedroom townhouse, my bill is leveled, it costs me $60 a month--without air conditioning... I live on a coast. If you were to live in the desert, you air conditioning is a must... And San Fernando Valley is deserty...
Water is ~$12-$15 every two months. And SoCal is not suffering from rationing, yet...
Car insurance premiums--find the best deal...
Registration with the state: $200-$500. That includes the fees, the dr. license, any other incidentals they always tack on... Total B.S.
State taxes: Depending on your income, it seems it's between 15%-25%. I'm always paying taxes for the state. Never to the feds... Hmmmm
You said you wanted to live in LA. Where in LA? The city or the suburbs? Because all the famous suburbs are expensive, such as Beverly Hills, Bel Aire, Malibu--Brentwood... Shoot, even Balwin Hills, Ladera Heights and Inglewood are getting up there... Alot of folks don't live in LA, they commute, daily to LA. Sylmar, West Covina, Long Beach, Orange County, Santa Barbara, Upland (?), San Fernando Valley, Apple Valley, Riverside/Victorville (sometimes) and San Diego... North is just farmland (Sorry Fresnoians).
Paying someone rent is stupid for the price you pay to live there. You may as well buy the damn thing and own it... But usually, folks can't get the down on a FHA loan...
Only LA and San Francisco have super tall skyscrapers. But, I'm afraid to go in there for any length of time 'cuz of the earthquakes... We haven't had one in awhile, thank God. But when it's been "that long", usually the next one is bad--7 on the ritcher scale or there are several short ones at 5... Either way, sometimes they do come in the morning and wake everybody up, setting off alarms and chit. If it's bad, gas lines explode... Especially in LA because they haven't retrofitted yet. Mayoral issues, I guess...
All Californians are probably on medication or need to be... So don't go places by yourself late at night. We don't have a concealed weapon capability like Texas, so, ummmm, there are some crazies out here... And you never know who it is... Besides, if it grows fangs and howls, get the hell outta there!!!
Big City Life
(All Californians are probably on medication or need to be... So don't go places by yourself late at night.) 
Linear Mode
