How Much Does It Cost to Live In Long Beach, CA?
Long Beach is a large port city in Los Angeles County in Southern California.
When it comes to areas Long Beach is somewhat different from a lot of American cities because desirable neighborhoods are just blocks away from less desirable ones, or even outright dangerous areas.
The city is extremely diverse and tolerant.
There are many things to do and places to eat, drink, and just chill.
On top of all this, a few years ago Long Beach was rated one of the top 100 cities to live, also rated great for families and great for youth.
United States : Cost of Living by City
- Albany, NY
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- Des Moines, IA
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- Everett, WA
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- Fresno, CA
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- Grand Rapids, MI
- Greensboro, NC
- Hartford, CT
- Honolulu, HI
- Houston, TX
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- Indianapolis, IN
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- Jersey City, NJ
- Kansas City, MO
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- Little Rock, AR
- Long Beach, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Louisville, KY
- Lubbock, TX
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- Wichita, KS
RESTAURANTS
There are actually a lot of good eateries in Long Beach, you just have to seek them out.
You can find all kinds of good cuisines and food places as usual for a city as large as Long Beach.
Usually, people that are not well off do not eat in fancy restaurants, since a meal in an inexpensive restaurant in Long Beach would cost you around 17.5$.
MARKETS
Going shopping for food will definitely cut your expenses.
Spending around 300$ a month is a reasonable range for groceries for a two-person household, and if spent wisely could cover all your everyday food expenses.
The best advice is to ask around for shops that are cheaper and then stick to them.
TRANSPORTATION
Though public transport is well-organized and relatively cheap with single fares at 1.75$, a car is the most convenient way to get around Long Beach.
Most areas of Long Beach have free parking.
The Passport bus service offers four bus routes connecting tourist and shopping sites.
The public transportation system is rather extensive and affordable.
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
Utilities are relatively expensive in Long Beach too, though it does depend on the amount of electricity you use and on the size of your apartment.
For example, for a bit larger apartment, of about 85m2, all basic utilities like heating, cooling, electricity, and gas will cost you around 152$.
SPORTS & LEISURE
There are many beautiful parks and golf courses, dog parks, bike paths and of course the beach so the city offers a plethora of outdoor activities.
A gym or a fitness club membership will cost you around 43$, while going to the cinema and enjoying some movie time has never been more expensive.
Prepare to pay a whopping 15$ per ticket.
CLOTHING & SHOES
Belmont Shore pedestrian district offers a bunch of boutiques and national store outlets.
You can always drive (or bike) around the different neighborhoods during the day and at night if you have the chance and take a look at these stores and prices.
Quality jeans will cost you around 52$, and you won’t find any good running sneakers without cashing out close to 80$.
RENT PER MONTH
Renting prices are freakishly high.
Even a small single apartment in a not-that-great neighborhood will cost you well over $1000.
When you get into nice areas — safe and near the ocean — rent is going to be anywhere from $1600 to over $2000 for a one-bedroom apartment.
It will cost 1200$–1400$ to rent a studio even in the worst areas of Long Beach now.
Cost of Living Averages Table for Long Beach, CA
*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $17.5 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $7.00 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $2.29 | Average Market Prices |
| Milk (1 Liter) | $1.09 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $4.62 |
| Eggs (12) | $6.09 | Average Transport Prices |
| One Way Ticket | $1.75 |
| Monthly Pass | $65.00 |
| Gasoline | $1.34 | Average Utilities Prices |
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $152.24 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.10 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $70.37 | Average Leisure Prices |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $43.33 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $12.33 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $15.00 | Average Clothing Prices |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $52.0 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $29.80 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $79.88 | Average Rent Prices |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $2120.00 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $1650.00 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $3825.00 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Long Beach, CA?
With unbelievably high prices of studios and apartments, the biggest expense of living in Long Beach is rent.
Rent takes up almost half of one’s entire salary.
Food is definitely the second biggest expense for anyone living in Long Beach – but huge amounts of income getting spent on food is the situation in most countries around the world.
Food is an everyday necessity and when it’s not cheap, it amounts to a high monthly expense.
Other significant expenses for the people of Fresno are restaurants (a very high percentage) and transportation, while clothing and shoes draw the least amount of money from their wallets.
Average Costs Breakdown
Long Beach, CA: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
There are many new open jobs in Long Beach, and it’s a city with many opportunities and prices that truly match the standard of any other Californian city.
This basically means that the prices are higher than what is considered average in America, while the jobs aren’t paid well enough.
The usual minimum wage is around 1900$ which is a decent minimum wage, yet taking into account huge rent prices, it could be a bit tricky to stretch this wage to last through a whole month.
An average monthly salary in Long Beach is around 5800$ which is absolutely enough for a comfortable life in this country.
Long Beach Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Long Beach Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW
- MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
- TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM
- SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: MEDIUM
