Los Angeles and San Francisco are two tremendously developed states of the US. Both have stunning weather, gorgeous nightlife, great cuisines, and jaw-dropping landscapes.
But the reason why residents are moving from SF to LA is because of their incredibly costlier cost of living.
The overall living costs in SF are 40% higher than in LA. However, Los Angeles is quite costly too, but still cheaper than San Francisco, and offers a luxurious quality of life like SF at an affordable price.
So, if you are deciding to jump to the City of Angels, LA from the golden gate city, SF read out our ultimate moving from San Francisco to Los Angeles in 2023 guide to make your relocation to LA easier and more reliable.
Why should you move to Los Angeles?
You should move to Los Angeles from San Fransisco to witness its fantastic weather, beautiful sceneries, rich culture and diversity, and the city of Hollywood.
Besides that, you can also avail vast opportunities for jobs, reliable housing rates, healthy food at restaurants, great educational opportunities, public transportation, and lots of outdoor recreation.
Is LA a good place to move to?
LA is one of the best places in the US to move to pursue your career and grow your business. This place is home to many aspiring research centers and business ventures.
What do I need to know before moving to LA?
The important things to know before moving to LA from San Francisco are
- Wonderful climate and sceneries.
- Affordable cost of living.
- Friendly people all around.
- Different timings.
- Encounter many celebrities on the streets
- Plenty of well-paid jobs.
- Tons of places to visit and explore
- Bad traffic.
- Search for a good neighborhood and apartment for living in.
- Best education.
1. LA vs. SF Cost of Living
The average cost of living in San Francisco is 244 which is 79% more than the national average.
Whereas the cost of living in Los Angeles is 176.2 which is 51% higher than the national average. This means living in SF vs LA is 38.5% more expensive.
While the average cost of living for a family of four in LA sums up to $51,024 per annum, in SF it comes up to $61,714 per annum without rent.
This means that the basic living amenities like food, transportation cost healthcare, utility costs, etc are higher in SF than in LA.
The below tables depict the cost of living indices differences between LA and SF to the national average (100). A value above 100 means more expensive and vice-versa.
| Cost of Living Index | LA | SF | Differences |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall expenses | 176 | 244 | 38.5% more |
| Food & Groceries | 104 | 167 | 12% more |
| Housing | 289 | 596 | 99.9% more |
| Utilities | 94 | 98 | 4% more |
| Transportation | 165 | 158 | 4.3% less |
| Health | 90 | 115 | 28% more |
| Miscellaneous | 105 | 121 | 16% more |
Source: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/eci.pdf
Is San Francisco vs Los Angeles living expensive?
Living in both San Francisco and Los Angeles is quite expensive as well as luxurious. Those moving from SF will feel a bit more cost-friendly than in LA.
How much does it cost to live a month in Los Angeles?
The monthly cost of living in Los Angeles for a single person averages $1200 and for a family of four is about $4500 without rent expenses.
2. SF To LA Moving Cost
The average moving cost charge for Bay Area to Los Angeles movers ranges from $1000 to $6000.
However, this price range varies depending on the moving company’s quote, the time of the move, the number of furniture, the distance of the move, and additional services like packing and unpacking.
On average, moving services from San Francisco to Los Angeles can charge you a quotation of about $2300 to move to LA.
How much money do you need to move to LA?
Moving from SF to LA might cost around $650 – $6000, depending on the type of mover you choose from rental trucks, moving containers, or full-service movers companies.
How much do movers cost in Los Angeles?
Movers in Los Angeles charge around $300 – $3000 based on the type of room size, amount of stuff, type of company, and more.
How much does it cost to move into an apartment in Los Angeles?
The cost of moving into a one-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles ranges from $350 to $750, – for a two-bedroom apartment from $750 to $2,000, and so on.
3. Taxes in LA vs. SF
As for taxes, both LA and SF levy similar income tax rates ranging from 1% to 12.3% for low- and high-income taxpayers.
While the property tax rate of SF is 0.5% higher than in LA, the rest of the other tax indices like sales, gas, and insurance taxes in LA are much higher than in SF.
This means that LA is a higher tax-payer state than SF.
The estimated tax burden in Los Angeles vs San Francisco is as follows:
| Taxes | Rates in LA | Rates in SF |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax | 1% – 12.3% | 1% – 12.3% |
| Sales tax | 7.25% – 10.75% | 0% – 4.75% |
| Property tax | 0.75% | 1.179% |
| Gas tax | 54 cents per gallon | 3 cents per gallon |
| Insurance tax | 4% – 5% | 0.175% – 0.69% |
Source: https://www.cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/Archive-Rates-07-1-2019-12-31-2019.pdf
Is there a city tax in Los Angeles?
The sales tax for the city, state, and country is 9.5% in LA.
What is the LA county tax rate?
The Los Angeles County tax for 2023 is 10.25%. This tax rate is the combination of the state and county sales tax of LA.
What is the Los Angeles property tax?
The property tax rate of LA in 2023 is 0.75%. 2% per year.
4. Housing in LA vs. SF
Housing prices in San Francisco remain over the top and much higher than in LA, making a big difference in living in SF vs LA.
This is because of the unavailability of land to build new houses and its existence near silicon valley.
The average housing price in San Francisco in 2023 is $1,300,000, and the median monthly rent of a one-bedroom home is around $3500.
While in Los Angeles, the average house price is around $1,000,000 and the average housing rent for an apartment is around $2000.
| Housing Cost | LA | SF |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | 303 | 504 |
| Median Home Cost | $1,000,000 | $1,300,000 |
| Rent for a one-bedroom apartment | $1900 | $3500 |
| Rent for a two-bedroom apartment | $2500 | $4300 |
Source: https://pvpar.com/pdf/2023annualforecast.pdf
Is rent in LA expensive?
Rent in LA is quite expensive, ranging from $1800 to $4200 per month, depending on the number of bedrooms and location.
How much does a house in LA cost?
The average cost of buying a house in LA may cost around $650,000 – $1,145,000. A house for a family (2/3/4 BHK) with better facilities, will cost alone $1,000,000 and more.
How do I find affordable housing in Los Angeles?
Los Angeles housing department offers affordable housing opportunities for first-time buyers individuals and families with less income through its Low-income purchase assistance and mortgage credit certificate programs.
To own the eligibility for this program your gross annual income must be less than or equal to 50% of the area median income.
5. Healthcare in LA VS. SF
Healthcare facilities in both LA and SF are quite expensive and advanced. Both cities have some of the finest hospitals in the USA.
These hospitals offer high-quality care, excellent specialists, and world-class treatment within a short waiting period.
So, it’s important to invest in the best private health insurance to avail the best treatment.
In LA, My Health LA offers a free healthcare program for low-income people between the ages of 26 and 49 years.
Whereas, in SF, uninsured residents with income below $73,000 can avail of the Healthy San Francisco healthcare insurance program to avail of the costly treatment in the state’s hospitals.
Is LA more affordable than SF in healthcare?
Healthcare costs are slightly cheaper in LA compared to SF and the national average. This is because LA has a healthcare score of 90, well below the national average (100) and SF (115).
How much does LA spend on health care per year?
Healthcare spending in LA averages $10,500 per person per year, well below the national average of $13,000.
6. Jobs in LA vs SF
Employment rates and job growth in LA and SF have increased by 2.3% and 3.1%, respectively, over the past decade, but in different sectors.
While the major employment industries in SF are tourism, electronics, aerospace, textiles, shipbuilding, and food processing, LA primarily offers career opportunities in entertainment, followed by tourism, manufacturing, technology, hospitality, and business.
Does LA have good job opportunities?
LA provides ample job opportunities in the world of entertainment and shows business.
Is it difficult to find a job in LA?
Finding a healthy job with a handsome income is easy but the competition is tough in all sectors. Unemployed residents and ex-pats are requested to create a good resume and cover letter to make them stand out from the crowd.
7. Safety In Los Angeles Vs. San Francisco
Living in Los Angeles can be safer than in San Francisco but both cities have higher crime rates than the US average.
LA violent and property crime rates are 29 and 35 respectively while San Francisco has 40 and 79 violent and property crime rates in 2023.
| Crime rate (per 100 people) | LA | SF | US average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime | 29 | 40 | 22.7 |
| Violent crime | 35 | 79 | 35.4 |
What is the LA crime rate?
The overall crime rate in LA is 2870 cases per 100,000 people, which is 22% more than the US average.
Is San Francisco safer than Los Angeles?
No, Los Angeles is considered safer than San Francisco. While LA has an overall crime rate of 2870 cases per 100,000 population, SF’s crime rate is 5000 cases per 100,000 population.
8. Education system in LA vs SF
As far as Education is concerned, both LA and SF offer the best universities and colleges with top-notch education systems, best-funded, and high-end facilities in the state.
LA spends $10,700 on education per student while SF spends $9990 per student.
The teacher-student ratio in Los Angeles is 23.6 which is 4% more than in San Francisco and 8% more than the national average.
Is education good in Los Angeles?
Los Angeles is one of the best cities in the world for quality education and pursuing higher qualifications. Public schools in LA recently have a higher demand due to their improved form of education.
The private and international schools are quite well funded and ensure the best possible education and facilities for both normal and disabled children.
What is the average education level in Los Angeles?
The average educational level in LA is high school graduation.
Is studying in Los Angeles expensive?
Studying in Los Angeles can be quite expensive both in terms of tuition fees and the cost of living. However, several scholarships allow for discounted study at major universities in LA.
9. Weather in LA vs SF
The Los Angeles weather is a typical subtropical climate where the summers are dry and hotter and the winters are rainy and pleasant.
But San Francisco weather has a Mediterranean climate with long and dry summers and cold, rainy, and short winters.
Los Angeles gets 16 inches of rainfall on average annually while San Francisco gets 25 inches of rainfall on average per year along with a partly cloudy sky throughout the year.
While San Francisco receives 259 sunny days annually, Los Angeles averages 285 sunny days annually.
Does LA or SF have better weather?
LA has mild warm weather while SF has foggy rainy weather with cooler temperatures.
Is LA hotter than SF?
LA gets much hotter in the summers with an average high of 84°F than that of SF’s sure high of 68°F.
What is the rainy season in Los Angeles?
The rainy season in Los Angeles is from December to March. February is the month when LA is seen as the wettest.
What is the coldest month in Los Angeles?
December is the coldest month in Los Angeles.
Does LA get cold at night?
LA gets cooler at night most often during the summers because of the cold air blowing from the Pacific Ocean to the communities surrounding the City of Angels.
10. Transportation system in LA and SF
While LA lacks in having a good public transportation system and a good traffic system, SF provides Muni buses on the road and above ground and Muni meo trains underground and on rails throughout the city.
This isn’t to say that LA doesn’t have a public transportation system. It provides public transit system of metro trains, dash buses metro buses, and subways to specific parts of cities. Locals mostly use bikes and cars to reach quickly and easily through the busy traffic.
What is the best way to get around Los Angeles?
The best way to get around LA is by car or bike. This is the only way to avoid traffic jams and unreliable public transportation.
What is the most common type of transportation in Los Angeles?
The subway and buses are the most common and cheapest means of public transport in LA.
How is LA public transportation?
The public transportations in LA are affordable and easily accessible. However, they only cover limited routes and services within the city, making the LA public transportation less reliable for getting around the city.
11. SF to LA Flight
As you know, the SF to LA distance is 618 kilometers (5 hours and 50 minutes) and the quickest way to move between the two cities is by plane.
This takes around 1 hour 22 minutes, hardly about 56 minutes in the air.
The airlines available from SF to LA moving include Alaska, United, Southwest, Delta, American, and JetBlue.
How far is LA from SF by plane?
The SF to LA flight is about 542.39 kilometers (54 minutes) alone. It is the fastest and easiest mode of transport to LA.
How much is a flight from San Francisco to LA?
The average price of a flight from San Francisco to Los Angeles will cost around $30 – $45.
Can you fly from Los Angeles to San Francisco?
Yes, you can fly from LA to SF at an average flight ticket costing $40 – $50.
12. SF vs LA Pros and Cons
Here are some pros and cons of living in LA vs. SF to consider in SF and LA before making LA your new home.
| Los Angeles | San Francisco |
|---|---|
| Densely populated (3.8 million people) | Sparsely populated (815,000 residents) |
| The cost of living is less | High cost of living |
| Lower tax rates | Higher tax rates |
| Housing and rental homes are easily available | Difficult to obtain affordable rent or housing |
| Using public transportation can be difficult | Efficient public transportation |
| Hectic traffic jams | Lower traffic jams |
| Fewer job opportunities | Good job opportunities |
| Daunting weather condition | Perfect climate |
| Lower crime rates | Increased crime rates |
| Glamourous nightlife | Liberal nightlife |
Is San Francisco better than Los Angeles?
The City of Angels and the Golden City are both spectacular cities in the US. However, people choose Los Angeles more often than San Francisco because the cost of living is lower in LA.
13. Best Places To Visit In LA
1. Disneyland Park
Disneyland is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. It was designed and built under the supervision of Walt Disney.
The overall rides, foods, and adventures in this amusement park are so overwhelming, leaving both toddlers and elders in love with this magical place.
2. The Getty
The Getty is a museum and a campus that awakens the true spirit of art in the city of Los Angeles.
The museum was opened in 1954 and has an extensive collection of European paintings, drawings, manuscripts, sculptures, and more from the middle ages to modern history.
1. Los Angeles County Museum of Art
LACMA is one of the largest art museums situated in the US. it has a vast collection of art in different forms within the museum that is shared with the world by conducting several exhibitions, public programs, and research projects attracting over a million people annually.
14. Popular Cities/Best Places To Live In LA
1. Santa Monica
It is one of the best destinations to live in LA City. It has beautiful attractions in LA city that make it a tourist’s favorite destination in LA.
The fancy town filled with food and leisure can be experienced by biking around this magnificent town.
2. Los Angeles
LA, the spectacular city with beauty and fun whirling around the city has always been a dream destination for the whole world.
From culinary, shopping to outdoor activities, there is always so much to experience in the City of Angels.
3. Arcadia
From exploring the Angeles National Forest to tasting a local craft beer at Mt. Lowe Brewing Co., there are a lot of things to enjoy in Arcadia.
You can also go for a horse ride at the beach at Arcadia while moving to Los Angeles.
4. Griffith Park
Griffith Park with its majestic mountains is streaked with trails for walking and biking. It is a perfect picnic ground for relaxing and taking a break from the busy life in LA.
5. Venice Canals
A drive through the Venice Canals using a motor-powered boat will feast your eyes on the scenes of endless colors and beauty all around. It is a perfect place to go boating while moving to LA.
6. Grand Central Market
Grand Central Market is the oldest and largest public market in the city. Here you can find many delicious dishes, from wood-fired pizza to BBQ, tempting you to fill your belly more and more.
How can you move from San Francisco to Los Angeles?
Arranging a long-distance move can be a daunting task. From packing your belongings to moving to another city comes up with lots of planning, discussions, manpower, and expenditures.
Also, thinking about which is the better moving option plays an important role in the journey.
Luckily, San Francisco provides various moving options to make inter-state and long-distance travel effortless and hassle-free which is beyond your imagination.
Let’s take a look at the moving services from San Francisco to Los Angeles and their cost offers that can be opted for while relocating from the golden state to the City of Angels.
| Ways to move | Distance from SF to LA | Number of belongings | Moving from SF to LA prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time movers | 612 km | All belongings, transport, packaging, loading, and unloading; include insurance on the damage. | $2000 – $6000 |
| Rental moving trucks | 612 km | Important belongings, transport; including fuel cost, insurance, tolls, allows rent for some days | $600-$1100 |
| Portable moving containers | 612 km | Transport, one-month storage, movers | $2000 – $4000 |
| Airlines | 543 km | 1 extra bag with a personal bag | $90 – $250 |
| Train | 637 km | 2 bags (23 kgs each), 2 personal bags (15 kgs each), and 2 carry bags | $30 – $60 |
| SF to LA Bus (Greyhound) | 638 km | 3-4 bags with personal bags | $45 |
| Car | 616 km | 5-6 bags (25 kgs) | $75 |
Moving From SF To LA FAQs
What is the cheapest way to move from SF to LA?
Bus and train are the cheapest options to move from SF to LA.
What is good about Los Angeles?
Los Angeles’s lifestyle, less cost of living, vibrant culture, opportunities, and outdoor activities of LA are worth experiencing and exploring.
Where should you not live in LA?
The top 5 most dangerous neighborhoods in Los Angeles are Chinatown, Little Tokyo, South Park, Lincoln Heights, Leimert Park, and West Adams.
Is living in Los Angeles stressful?
Life in Los Angeles can be stressful due to the heavy work/life balance, overcrowded population, and endless traffic jams.
Is life in LA good?
Life in LA is pretty great and full of discoveries. There’s plenty of great food and entertainment in the city. From education to building a business, LA has everything you need to advance your career.
The spectacular weather combined with the scenery in the city is something you can never get tired of.
CONCLUSION
Moving from San Francisco to Los Angeles in 2023 is the best decision and can be an exciting experience to make as it offers something for all ages. From stunning landscapes to great weather,
Good education to ample jobs, and vibrant nightlife to sports scenes, the city has many things to access and explore to its core.
If you are ready to become an Angeleno, this guide to moving to Los Angeles from San Francisco will provide you with all facts and tips about LA which will make you knowledgeable and stronger at every step you take from moving to settling in LA.
Now everything rests with you. Share your thoughts and experiences about the relocation to Angel’s city in the comment section below. All the best with your move!