Los Angeles is the most populous city in California and the second-largest city in the US after New York City. This colorful city with the Mediterranean climate is home to Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Venice Beach, Sunset Boulevard, and five major film studios (Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, and Walt Disney Studios).
Despite its glamour and attractiveness, Los Angeles has some drawbacks: the lack of rains, the smog season that lasts from May to October, high traffic, and a high rate of homelessness.
IT salaries
The average IT salary in Los Angeles is $79,180 per year ($6,600 per month).
Average IT salaries in Los Angeles depending on the specialization (USD per year / per month):
- Software developer: 83,020 / 6,920
- Back-end developer: 92,940 / 7,745
- Front-end developer: 83,180 / 6,930
- Full-stack developer: 91,000 / 7,580
- DevOps engineer: 109,440 / 9,120
- Database administrator: 84,670 / 7,060
- Web designer: 55,330 / 4,610
- System administrator: 70,480 / 5,870
- Project manager: 69,880 / 5,820
- QA engineer: 72,100 / 6,010
- Technical writer: 58,080 / 4,840
- Security analyst: 80,090 / 6,670
Read more:
→ IT jobs market in the United States: mid-2020 data
Economy
In the Global Financial Centres Index, Los Angeles is ranked as having the 3rd most competitive financial center in the United States (after New York and San Francisco). The city is also the largest manufacturing center in the country.
The unemployment rate in Los Angeles is 4.5% — slightly higher than the national average of 3.5%.
Important economic sectors in Los Angeles include:
- Aerospace
- Design services
- Engineering
- Fashion
- Finance
- Health care
- International trade
- Music
- Petroleum
- Telecommunications
- Television and motion pictures
- Tourism
- Transportation
- Video games
More than 368,500 workers are employed in the high-tech sector within Los Angeles County, and the total number of tech companies in the city exceeds 6,000. Popular tech industries include consumer web, digital media, and eCommerce.
The largest technology companies present in Los Angeles include:
- Activision Blizzard
- Hulu
- Riot Games
- Snap Inc.
Cost of living
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the overall price level in and around Los Angeles for housing, goods, and services is 17% higher than the price level across the nation.
Monthly costs without rent in Los Angeles are $1,000 for a single person and $3,630 for a four-person family.
Consumer prices comparison (including rent) in other US cities vs. Los Angeles:
- Austin: 18% lower
- Boston: 6% higher
- Chicago: 7% lower
- New York: 35% higher
- San Francisco: 37% higher
- San Jose: 11% higher
- Seattle: 2% higher
The average prices in Los Angeles (USD):
- Meal at McDonald’s: 6–11
- Meal at another inexpensive restaurant: 10–35
- Average food basket (milk, bread, eggs, cheese, chicken, apples, potatoes, water, beer): 42
- Monthly fee at a fitness club: 30–90
- Monthly pass: 75–120
- Monthly rent (1 bedroom): 1,400 – 3,000
- Monthly rent (3 bedrooms): 2,500 – 6,000
- Property prices per square meter: 3,800 – 10,760
- Utilities: 70–220 per month
Travel
The city’s main international and domestic airport is Los Angeles International Airport. It serves flights to many US cities as well as to Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Bogotá, Calgary, Chengdu, Dublin, Frankfurt, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Istanbul, London, Montreal, Moscow, Munich, Nanjing, Paris, Rome, Seoul, Shanghai, Shenyang, Taipei, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, Toronto, Vienna, Warsaw, and other destinations.
Entertainment
Los Angeles is one of the top-5 most visited cities in the US and the second-largest city in the country. It’s nicknamed “The Entertainment Capital of the World” due to a large number of movie studios, theaters, celebrities, art galleries, more than 840 museums (the highest number per capita in the US), various festivals and shows. Los Angeles is also dubbed the “Creative Capital of the World” as one in every six of its residents works in a creative industry.
Notable events held in Los Angeles include the Academy Awards, Grammy Awards, Primetime Emmy Awards, and other entertainment shows. If you’re a music enthusiast, you’d love to visit the Los Angeles Music Center — one of the three largest performing arts centers in the US and the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Tired of city life? Los Angeles surrounding towns offer 15 beaches, and you’ll find an abundance of hiking trails in the San Gabriel Mountains.