If you are moving to California from New York, you probably know that these two states vary widely in terms of personality and temperament. It’s like going from the high-tech Big Apple to a relaxed beachside where you can surf anytime. However, if you are moving to the bigger metro cities like San Diego, Los Angeles, San Jose, or San Francisco, you may not really miss the NYC element. The best part of all – you will be able to go out for walks without the heavy winter boots and coats for several months in a year.
Before we go ahead with the reasons to move from NYC to California, let’s do some math. The distance between the two states is 2,912.6 miles and it takes approximately 43 hours by road.
#1 Are You Ready For The Lifestyle Change?
When people move from California or other cities to New York, nobody asks the big question…WHY? Mostly because people think that’s the norm. New York is regarded as the city of dreams and legions of people move there every single day to pursue their dreams, find better job opportunities, look for love and so on.
However, when you take the opposite route and head towards the West Coast from a culturally diverse and fast-paced city, people find it perplexing. So, before anybody else bombards you with the questions, ask yourself why you are doing this. This is a bold move, so are you ready to leave a bustling city for the greener grasses?
#2 Low Cost of Living
When talking about California, people usually think about ocean view mansions and million-dollar houses. While the city has some of the most affluent neighborhoods, the cost of living for residents is nowhere close to NYC. In California, you may choose to stay with roommates or rent a room of your own at the same price.
A one-bedroom apartment in downtown cities in California will cost you much less than a room in NYC. Furthermore, the prices will be lesser if you choose to stay in the outskirts of the city. Buying a house in California is also cheaper than buying an apartment in NYC. Besides housing, you will also save in other areas such as utilities, groceries, public transportation, clothes, and so on.
#3 Great Weather All Year Round
This is one of the best reasons why you may consider moving from New York to California! No matter where you live in the NYC, the winters are chilly with snow falls, springs are rainy and summers are humid. It is not difficult to get used to a better and warmer climate. However, California is not all sunny and warm throughout the year. The state has different climates depending upon the specific regions, just not as dramatic as NYC.
The Central Coast is close to Pacific Ocean so you can experience a mild temperature throughout the year with occasional fog. In Los Angeles, the temperature rarely falls below 60 degrees in summer and winters are wet so be ready to wear some fashionable rainy boots.
San Diego boasts a year-round sunny temperature with very little rain. In San Francisco Bay Area, the summers can average 78 degrees and winters usually stay above 50 degrees with foggy weather from May to July.
#4 California Public Transportation
As a New Yorker, you are used to the city’s intricate public transportation network which is one of the best in the world. However, the traffic is NYC makes it difficult to own a car and drive it daily unless you live in the boroughs. The car culture in California may come as a shock as you find a parking space most of the time and they also have bike paths in different locations.
#5 Employment Opportunities
The most thriving industries in California are financial services, transportation, trade, health, education, and manufacturing. Whether you are a management graduate, college dropout, or freelancer, you will have no troubles finding a job in California.
Before moving to California from New York, it is important that you research well about the job and business opportunities available in the state that would appeal to you and your lifestyle.