Moving to los Angeles how much money should I save before moving and what should I expect?

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It's not possible to answer a question like this because we don't know what life style is acceptable to you. A small apartment will probably run $1500 to $2000 a month ($1000 or less is possible but it's in a ghetto). A security deposit of at least one month's rent will be also be necessary. Outside of that your expenses will probably only be a little higher than most places in the country unless you are in an area where you have to pay to park your car. Most folks actually live near Los Angeles, not actually in the city.

I can't tell you what to save to move there but I can tell you to save enough to leave if you want to once you are there a while

Nothing worse than being somewhere and can't leave .

So whatever it takes you to get there put the same amount away and don't touch it until you leave

This city is number six on the 25 list of cities with the largest rental increases

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA (16.3% per year)

I would suggest a good in demand degree and employment...

Most people who ask this question are unprepared, unrealistic, with no money, no experience, no skills, and no plan. Simply moving here without a plan is a bad idea. Failing to plan is the same as planning to fail. When you move here, your problems tend to follow you. For folks like you, who fantasize about LA but can't even manage to graduate high school, you're setting yourself up for failure. Out in the streets, masturbating 3 times per day.

You asked this question at an interesting time. The latest report by personal finance site WalletHub finds that L.A. ranks 114th when it comes to "The Best Cities to Find a Job." Last year, it was dead last. Sure, the beaches are great, the weather is great, and there are a lot of pretty people. It has had the worst traffic for decades. But I guess 114th place is an improvement.

https://wallethub.com/edu/best-cities-for-jobs/217...

If you are from outside the US, even from Canada, you will need to get a work visa to live here (unless you are independently wealthy). You either have to have a sponsor, or win the green card lottery. Both those situations are rare in the extreme. http://www.ehow.com/how_4845246_legally-immigrate-...

You need a plan: First item on the agenda is rent. A decent 1BR apartment in LA currently goes for $2000 on the west side, give or take. Nicer areas and areas closer to the beach are much higher. Looking for something “cheap/affordable AND safe/nice”. Sorry, it doesn’t exist.

Next, you will need a car. Los Angeles is VERY spread out, and train service is extremely limited. If you don't have a car, you will have to take a bus, which takes 3 times longer to get anywhere than a car.

All told, it generally takes about $5,000 per month to live here. If you don't have a job that pays that much or skills that can get you that kind of job, stay where you are. If you are unskilled and work for minimum wage (or for tips like bartending or waiting tables), you'll only make about $1200 per month. This is why the math just doesn’t work for people wanting to move here after high school.

Where to live: If you’re asking “Where should I live”, you’ve got it all backwards. First find a job, THEN try to find a good place nearby. If you’re one of those teens who is playing fantasy games here on YA, please post this question in a few years, after you have a college degree or serious job skills. Don't expect to move to Santa Monica and get an apartment on the beach. Or Toluca Lake, or Beverly Hills. Unlike many metro areas, LA is unique in that it extends for nearly 100 miles in every direction. There are no open spaces between towns. So the price tends to stay high until you are 70-100 miles from Los Angeles. As for living in “Hollywood” or some other “fun” place, and “near the beach”, please utilize Google Maps. You will see that Hollywood is about 20 miles from the beach. In any case, grownups use something called a realtor. It’s what they do: You tell them where you want to live and how much you can afford, and then they give your realistic options.

And speaking of jobs, they are rather hard to come by now. Even college grads seeking employment are having a difficult time of it right now, since the job market is flooded with experienced people who were laid off. Unemployment is still 2nd worst in the nation right now. Low and mid-income jobs are the hardest hit. Not exactly the kind of job market you want to move into.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=201305...

Finally, you will need money. Landlords want first month's rent and a security deposit up front. You'll need money for food, transportation, utilities, etc. The consensus in this forum is that you need about $10,000 to start out.

So there's your plan. And please don't tell us that you have dreams of being an actor or singer. We already have a million (literally) wannabe actors in this town. Don’t even get me started. The case of Satara Stratton is so common, it doesn’t even count as news: http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/hol...

Before you think about moving here, take a GOOD look at that face. It could be yours.

Do some research on these sites to see about safety vs. price:

http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/

http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoo...

I don’t write this stuff to be mean. I write it because I see the results of young, dumb kids (sorry, no offense intended) moving out here with no chance of success. They’re barely surviving in the streets, and I’ve had to walk past dead bodies on more than one occasion. Such a waste. I care enough about you to tell you to stay where you are, this place isn’t what you think it is, and it’s more dangerous than you think.

Don’t believe me? Maybe you’ll listen to the local newsradio report. This should be required listening for anyone who wants to move here: http://download.podcast.play.it/media/d0/d0/d1/d8/...

Depends where you live in LA

well tax is high so around plan on $65k-350k