Possible Job in Los Angeles

GTE

Hey all,

I am applying for a job in LA and I was wondering if anyone could help me out in terms of cost of living.

The websites that let you check what average rent is and food costs seem to be much more expensive than when doing manual rental searches for example, but I do not know the lay of the land too well.

I was hoping some members here could help.

The job would be a 40 hour a week gig with a $49,000 salary, approx. $23 an hour.

If I were to rent on my own in a nice place, at least to begin with, what kind of rent would I be talking about?

Any insight into the cost of living for food, utilities and internet?

The research I have put in so far would give the following per month costs:
Rent would be around 900, monthly public transport would be around 100, Utilities would be 100, Internet would be 50 and food would be 100.

Would I be close to real life here?

Thanks

ProudDUB

Apartments.com is a good source of info for apartment rental rates.

http://www.apartments.com/los-angeles-ca/

Speedwell

bbk wrote: »

Hey all,

I am applying for a job in LA and I was wondering if anyone could help me out in terms of cost of living.

The websites that let you check what average rent is and food costs seem to be much more expensive than when doing manual rental searches for example, but I do not know the lay of the land too well.

I was hoping some members here could help.

The job would be a 40 hour a week gig with a $49,000 salary, approx. $23 an hour.

If I were to rent on my own in a nice place, at least to begin with, what kind of rent would I be talking about?

Any insight into the cost of living for food, utilities and internet?

The research I have put in so far would give the following per month costs:
Rent would be around 900, monthly public transport would be around 100, Utilities would be 100, Internet would be 50 and food would be 100.

Would I be close to real life here?

Thanks

My mom used to rent an apartment in Sherman Oaks, and my uncle lives in a bungalow in West Hollywood. There are so many sub-towns and neighborhoods in LA that there is no way you can even begin to guess unless you can say where your job is and where you can live nearby within a reasonable commute.

I would say that, assuming you rent by yourself, your estimate for rent should be increased by at least half, and you should budget for renter's insurance. Public transport might be OK if you rent where you can walk or bicycle to most of your amenities (shops, things to do, etc.), utilities should be more like 300-400 (you cannot live without air conditioning in the summer, water is always costly in southern California, etc.), you will be lucky to get Internet for 50 a month and it will not normally include a landline phone or cable TV, and 100 per month on food? More like 400. For one person. You will not be able to enjoy LA without eating out, even if it is just your morning coffee and bagel. Do not forget to budget for any health/dental/life insurance, co-pays (your part after the insurance covers their part), and savings. Allow for payroll deductions (about twenty percent of the check will go for federal deductions, another seven to ten or so for state and/or city tax deductions, and whatever your company requires for health insurance premiums). Do not under any circumstances assume that you will qualify for or receive public assistance if things go badly.

Sorry to be the bringer of bad news, just, you know, I couldn't see you go off unprepared. You can likely be OK on 49K, even if (especially if) you don't bother owning a car, or you find a compatible housemate.

GTE

Speedwell wrote: »

Sorry to be the bringer of bad news, just, you know, I couldn't see you go off unprepared. You can likely be OK on 49K, even if (especially if) you don't bother owning a car, or you find a compatible housemate.

No need to be sorry, this is exactly what I am looking for.

The job would on Sunset Blvd. so it looks like that would help with respect to public transport and renting costs. Holywood/Vine seems to be the closest Metro stop to where the job would be so I have been looking around the Red Line stops and rent looks to be around 1700 per month.

According to an online tax calculator, I would have 3345 after tax per month so after all those figures you mention, thats around 600 to 700 a month left over.


The brief detail on benefits I have gotten says it includes health care options and 401k.

ProudDUB

Some of your numbers are way off. $100 per month for food is approx $3.33 per day. There is no way that is gonna work.

Utilities will be gas and/or electricity, water, sewage & trash disposal (may be included in your rent, or it may be a stand alone fee) broadband, cable telly, landline phone (don't presume you can Skype everyone back home, that you want to keep in touch with) & a mobile phone plan with a data package. There is no way your monthly bills for all those, will be a mere $100-150 per month.

Once you know where you want to live, email some of the apt complexes in the area and find out who the onsite utility providers are on the property. Once you have company names, you can go on their websites to see what setting up service with them will set you back.

Factor buying a car into your plans. LA's public transport isn't as bad as its reputation makes it out to be, but it is a very big and sprawling city and its public transport network is poor, for a city of its size. Doing day to day things like grocery shopping, going to mall, hanging out with friends, going to the gym etc etc are hard, if you don't have a car.

silja

That is quite a low salary for LA. Haven't lived there in years, so going to let others comment more, but check out if that is truly a good salary for whatever type of job you are looking to get.

Also, check out the visa situation.

myate

$100 per month for food is approx $3.33 per day. There is no way that is gonna work.

Agree...food has got really expensive over in the US...and that's whether you shop in places like CostCo or cheaper as opposed to the nice places like WholeFoods or somewhere else.
Interesting thread & best of luck!

GTE

myate wrote: »

Agree...food has got really expensive over in the US...and that's whether you shop in places like CostCo or cheaper as opposed to the nice places like WholeFoods or somewhere else.
Interesting thread & best of luck!

Thanks for the context on food prices. My speciality in student budget cooking may not pass off over there :-P

I emailed a professional in my field out of the blue, and the nice man he is, he got back to me which was really nice.

He said that rent (shared or single), car and basic living expenses would be around 2250 USD. After tax, I'd have around 3000 so I wouldn't be floating in wads of dosh by any means.

He recommended Korea Town to stay close to Hollywood and find the cheaper rent or Echo Park and Valley for cheaper rents in general.

It looks like Echo Park rent could be 900 to 1200 if I found flatmates, 3 or 4 bed type thing, which I probably wouldn't at the beginning but could be an option down the line.

GTE

Does this look right?



Tax Type.....Marginal Rate...Effective Rate.........Tax Amount
Federal.......25.00%............11.09%.................$5,434
FICA..........7.65%..............7.65%...................$3,749
State.........8.00%..............3.56%...................$1,743
Local.........0.00%..............0.00%...................$0
Total Income Taxes.........................................$10,926

Source https://smartasset.com/taxes/california-tax-calculator#BtGfGf7o2o

Speedwell

bbk wrote: »

Does this look right?



Tax Type.....Marginal Rate...Effective Rate.........Tax Amount
Federal.......25.00%............11.09%.................$5,434
FICA..........7.65%..............7.65%...................$3,749
State.........8.00%..............3.56%...................$1,743
Local.........0.00%..............0.00%...................$0
Total Income Taxes.........................................$10,926

Source https://smartasset.com/taxes/california-tax-calculator#BtGfGf7o2o

Nothing about that stands out as wildly off the mark, bbk. I'm assuming that you will be taxed as a resident, and will be claiming one standard deduction (yourself) and that you are not blind or over 75 and have no dependents (you really must get experienced tax help your first February from an accountant who works regularly with immigrant tax issues so you can file your return paperwork). Don't forget that you are also assessed tax at the point of purchase for things you buy that are subject to sales tax (no VAT in the US).

http://california-sales-tax-rate.insidegov.com/d/d/Los-Angeles (to determine which level of sales tax add-on applies in your locality)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sales_and_use_taxes_in_California (to see generally what is and is not subject to sales tax)

There is a retirement tax treaty between Ireland and the US, so your credits for working in the US will by and large be counted toward your retirement benefits in Ireland, and vice versa.

InTheTrees

Craigslist is where you'll find accommodation, cars, jobs etc.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/

InTheTrees

bbk wrote: »

Thanks for the context on food prices. My speciality in student budget cooking may not pass off over there :-P

I emailed a professional in my field out of the blue, and the nice man he is, he got back to me which was really nice.

He said that rent (shared or single), car and basic living expenses would be around 2250 USD. After tax, I'd have around 3000 so I wouldn't be floating in wads of dosh by any means.

He recommended Korea Town to stay close to Hollywood and find the cheaper rent or Echo Park and Valley for cheaper rents in general.

It looks like Echo Park rent could be 900 to 1200 if I found flatmates, 3 or 4 bed type thing, which I probably wouldn't at the beginning but could be an option down the line.

I've never lived in LA but I've been there a lot, If it were me...

I would rent a small room in a nicer area. As a broad general rule stay close to santa monica blvd. There are some LA neighbourhoods you seriously dont want to even walk into let alone live, so be careful just going for the cheapest rent you can find.

GTE

So far, I have been trying to base myself near the Red Metro line as the possible place of work is very near one of the stops on that line, so would that be all that bad? I can imagine if I was relying on a number of connections that I would be in for a shock. That said, that is only an assumption.

EDIT:

I found a place quite close to Sunset blvd. and where the job would be, a basic studio which looks nice for 1100. There would be no 100 quid a month public transport cost for that as it is a short walk away from where I need to be. In essence, the rent could be seen as 1000 a month as everything else I have seen is based on the Metro and would have been priced at 100 per monthly ticket.

Then I looked into a car. A 2002 diesel VW (same model as the one I have over here, funnily enough) would cost 4000 to buy, ranging from 460 to 1100 to insure with Progressive Direct and 700 or so to do 12,000 miles in diesel costs. Are there any other costs for owning a car in LA?

Internet wise, some providers on comparison sites seem to be as low as 45 per month for middle of the road speeds. I could live without TV, though would there be a TV license style charge for watching things on the internet?

For utilities, this site is giving around 200 for top end utility costs.
http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/city_result.jsp?country=United+States&city=Los+Angeles%2C+CA

Are these numbers making sense?

Speedwell

Your location sounds good but I still think you are lowballing the rent a bit. I concur with everyone's recommendation to get a car. Public transportation, while available and not expensive, is seen as the resort of the poor and low-class. Trying to use it in the summer can be miserable, and it can be unsafe.

Parking for the car is not generally an issue in LA because it is pretty spread out and all the shops have generous parking. I can't remember ever having had to pay for parking in LA, even in Hollywood where my mother's buried. Of course there are streetside parking meters and private parking garages, but nothing you will need to specially budget for.

A 2002 car is a beater in the US. They don't last as long as they do here and you'll notice way fewer older cars on the road. I would personally not buy a car more than 10 years old, but if you are handy with cars you will do OK. You will need to get a California driving license within a few months of arrival, but if you study the rules of the road you will do more than well; it is a doddle to pass and you can basically take the day off and walk in to get it done. Once you purchase the car, there will be additional sales tax (and this is significant), and charges to transfer the title over and purchase your tags (which you do periodically in the US). There is also a yearly road tax and inspection similar to what they do here, but it should not be costly for the kind of car you are thinking of driving. The major way you might pay for a car in California is the truly abusive fines for tickets. If you do any highway driving, and you will if you are going to be where I think you are, your other major cost will be in time spent waiting in traffic jams.

No TV license fees are charged in the US. However, the Internet bill will not normally include phone or "cable" (TV service). I've found that going with a reliable and high-rated local Internet service is far superior than going with a major national brand like Time Warner or Comcast (and the customer service is invariably better). Ask at your studio who people recommend. Since there's no TV license fees, by the way, there's nothing in the world preventing you from using your broadband connection to stream on-demand programming, so have at it.

You will pay more than that for your electricity, particularly if you have electric heat/hot water and electric cooking. You will need air conditioning in the summer, no kidding. You can ask your electric provider for a plan to balance your bills over the year so you aren't hit with huge bills in the summer. Some apartment complexes have central boilers, which is nice but not particularly important. You might have gas (kerosene) heating and/or cooking. You may pay separately for water and wastewater and trash disposal, or it might be included in your rent (rentals have been switching over from included utilities nationwide over the past few years). Speaking of water, in LA I highly recommend you get a point of use filter for your drinking water if possible (I used this one, cheaper on Amazon, and it purified even Houston's notorious municipal water: http://www.waterchef.com/store/products/WaterChef-C7000-Premium-Countertop-Water-Filtration-System.html). Sales taxes are normally charged on utility bills, including Internet, phone, cable, electricity, gas, water/wastewater, and trash pickup. You may be required to separate recyclable waste.

Wherever you rent, make sure you have a secure deadbolt; this should be standard but is sometimes not on older or low-end properties. You will always sign a lease for a fixed period of time and renew it at the end of the term. Renewals are not automatic (typical notice is 30 to 60 days depending on the applicable clause in the lease) and you are not fully protected without a lease. You will likely incur extra fees/deposit if you have a pet or a waterbed. Sometimes only part of the deposit is refundable.

Oh, something that hasn't been mentioned: You will quickly tire of I LOOOOOOVE YOUR ACCENT WHERE ARE YOU FROM OH MY GOD I LOVE IRELAND I'M PART IRISH.

(Edit: I just realized I assumed you were being recruited by a TV/film/animation/entertainment studio of some sort. An educated guess, lol. I agree with the other poster who said to make sure your visa paperwork was being handled by the employer. It is not easy to get in that way. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you be required to cover the cost of your visa, even in part, even as a reimbursement to the employer, even as a payroll deduction... in fact it's illegal to make you.)

InTheTrees

Speedwell wrote: »

They don't last as long as they do here and you'll notice way fewer older cars on the road.

I'm not so sure. The fact that there's nothing like the NCT, just an emissions check (which cars pre-1975 are exempt from!), and that americans are slow and deliberate drivers means vehicles last a lot longer, and I think you see far more older cars on the road than you do in Ireland.

Just do a google streetview on any LA freeway.

A $4000 budget is plenty. Diesel is probably going to be more expensive and your choice will be more limited. You might find petrol is actually more practical. I'd have confidence in a mid-90's or newer $2500+ honda/toyota/nissan with up to 120,000 miles on it. Get an inspection done.

Speedwell

InTheTrees wrote: »

I'm not so sure. The fact that there's nothing like the NCT, just an emissions check (which cars pre-1975 are exempt from!), and that americans are slow and deliberate drivers means vehicles last a lot longer, and I think you see far more older cars on the road than you do in Ireland.

Just do a google streetview on any LA freeway.

A $4000 budget is plenty. Diesel is probably going to be more expensive and your choice will be more limited. You might find petrol is actually more practical. I'd have confidence in a mid-90's or newer $2500+ honda/toyota/nissan with up to 120,000 miles on it. Get an inspection done.

I'm an American who has been a licensed driver in the US in multiple states for 30 years, and has driven in Los Angeles. Google yourself.

InTheTrees

Speedwell wrote: »

I'm an American who has been a licensed driver in the US in multiple states for 30 years, and has driven in Los Angeles. Google yourself.

Yikes. Sorry.

Credentials? ok. 30+ years. Multiple state licenses. Plus British and Irish licenses.

I've slept in my tr6 in Santa Monica and i've had my MG towed in big sur.

GTE

InTheTrees wrote: »

I'm not so sure. The fact that there's nothing like the NCT, just an emissions check (which cars pre-1975 are exempt from!), and that americans are slow and deliberate drivers means vehicles last a lot longer, and I think you see far more older cars on the road than you do in Ireland.

Just do a google streetview on any LA freeway.

A $4000 budget is plenty. Diesel is probably going to be more expensive and your choice will be more limited. You might find petrol is actually more practical. I'd have confidence in a mid-90's or newer $2500+ honda/toyota/nissan with up to 120,000 miles on it. Get an inspection done.

Handy thing about the diesel VW I found is that I service my own one, so perhaps a penny saver there as I'd know the wagon. That and diesel is drilled into me from Ireland :-P

Thanks for the advice.

TeaBagMania

Lots of good info here. LA is expensive; the few people I know pay north of 1400 for a small two bedroom apartment. The public transport in LA has improved over the years. I regularly fly into LAX and catch the train and bus to within a block of where I need to be, but to live with it every day would be a struggle

I lived near the ocean and never needed AC, in fact the apartment didn t even have AC, we did have a central boiler so that was nice, utilities were almost nothing.

49K a year is going to be a tight budget for LA. Had a job offer with similar salary about 12 years ago in Santa Barbara, I declined it. You could survive on that salary but not live

él statutorio

TeaBagMania wrote: »

Lots of good info here. LA is expensive; the few people I know pay north of 1400 for a small two bedroom apartment. The public transport in LA has improved over the years. I regularly fly into LAX and catch the train and bus to within a block of where I need to be, but to live with it every day would be a struggle

I lived near the ocean and never needed AC, in fact the apartment didn t even have AC, we did have a central boiler so that was nice, utilities were almost nothing.

49K a year is going to be a tight budget for LA. Had a job offer with similar salary about 12 years ago in Santa Barbara, I declined it. You could survive on that salary but not live

I think you'd have lived pretty well here 12 years ago on $50k.

It wouldn't get you far now though :mad:

dave2pvd

TeaBagMania wrote: »

You could survive on that salary but not live

That's pretty much it - well said.

It would be fun for a while, then get a bit miserable, I suspect. And are you not tied to your sponsoring employer? So no way to move from this job to a better one.

Honestly, it sounds like a great deal for the employer.

TeaBagMania

l statutorio wrote: »

TeaBagMania wrote: »

Lots of good info here. LA is expensive; the few people I know pay north of 1400 for a small two bedroom apartment. The public transport in LA has improved over the years. I regularly fly into LAX and catch the train and bus to within a block of where I need to be, but to live with it every day would be a struggle

I lived near the ocean and never needed AC, in fact the apartment didn t even have AC, we did have a central boiler so that was nice, utilities were almost nothing.

49K a year is going to be a tight budget for LA. Had a job offer with similar salary about 12 years ago in Santa Barbara, I declined it. You could survive on that salary but not live

I think you'd have lived pretty well here 12 years ago on $50k.

It wouldn't get you far now though :mad:

You would think so but LA has always been over the top expensive I was there 99 to 01 and a small house in a nice area was 300K, you might be able to make that work on a single income 50K job but you would have little left to spend elsewhere. similar areas are now ranging from 500K to 750K, its crazy

There was always the possibility of living in the hood with the gangbangers

él statutorio

TeaBagMania wrote: »

You would think so but LA has always been over the top expensive I was there 99 to 01 and a small house in a nice area was 300K, you might be able to make that work on a single income 50K job but you would have little left to spend elsewhere. similar areas are now ranging from 500K to 750K, its crazy

There was always the possibility of living in the hood with the gangbangers

We're looking to buy here and to be honest I'd be delighted if we could find something in the $750k category in Santa Barbara. It's one of the craziest housing markets I've seen anywhere.

ProudDUB

él statutorio wrote: »

We're looking to buy here and to be honest I'd be delighted if we could find something in the $750k category in Santa Barbara. It's one of the craziest housing markets I've seen anywhere.

Every year Forbes magazine come out with their rankings of the top 10 per capita income counties (and therefore the highest house prices too) in the US.

Top of the list is always Greenwich County, CT, where all the Wall Street hedge fund trillionaires live. Second is always Marin County, CA where George Lucas and all the Sillicone Valley trillionaires live. Third is usually Santa Barbara. Where you (and Oprah Winfrey) live. Good luck to anyone, who isn't a Hollywood moguel, wanting to buy a house there.

él statutorio

ProudDUB wrote: »

Every year Forbes magazine come out with their rankings of the top 10 per capita income counties (and therefore the highest house prices too) in the US.

Top of the list is always Greenwich County, CT, where all the Wall Street hedge fund trillionaires live. Second is always Marin County, CA where George Lucas and all the Sillicone Valley trillionaires live. Third is usually Santa Barbara. Where you (and Oprah Winfrey) live. Good luck to anyone, who isn't a Hollywood moguel, wanting to buy a house there.

Yes and no.

Montecito is where Oprah and all the celebs live. It's in Santa Barbara county but not the city per se. Splitting hairs as it's only a few miles south of Santa Barbara proper, but still.

Now that place is off the charts expensive, SB is more affordable (by comparison) and Goleta (a few miles north) is cheaper again.

But, I digress.

rockonollie

Good resource

https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/los-angeles