Even though La Quinta seems upscale, it's affordable compared to other places in Southern California. You can find decent housing prices, whether you want to buy or rent. Plus, there's a nice mix of shopping and dining. The cost of living in La Quinta, CA, differs greatly from cities like LA. In this post, we will compare the living costs between these two cities.
Palm Springs Real Estate Market Watch
As of June 2024, the median sale price for homes in La Quinta was $725,000. However, real estate trends are always changing. Contact Geoffrey Moore for help buying and selling homes in the Palm Springs area.
The Cost of Living in La Quinta CA vs. LA
1. Housing
La Quinta is a sweet spot if you're looking for luxury homes and golf courses. Housing costs are higher than the national average but much lower than the state average. When compared to LA, they look even more favorable. LA is famous for its high housing costs, challenging market, and lack of choices—especially in the popular neighborhoods. But in La Quinta, you have many more options and generally lower prices. For most buyers, it means you can get a larger and better home than you could afford in LA.
2. Restaurants
If you like dining out, La Quinta will be easier on your budget. You'll find cheap meals are about 25.1% less expensive. If you're dining out with someone, mid-range meals for two are a whopping 43.1% cheaper. Even fast food like a McDonald's combo is around 16.7% cheaper. Regarding drinks, domestic beers are 12.5% cheaper, and imported ones are about 20% cheaper. You can snag a Coke or Pepsi for 29.3% less. Water is 8.1% cheaper. However, the average cappuccino costs about 2.4% more in La Quinta. But overall, eating out in La Quinta is more affordable.
3. Transportation
La Quinta is car-dependent. That means you won't find many public transportation options. Conversely, Los Angeles is a traffic nightmare, and you'll spend more time getting around. Transportation costs in La Quinta vary compared to Los Angeles. A one-way ticket in La Quinta is 185.7% more expensive, and taxi rates are 113.7% higher. However, gasoline is 5.6% cheaper in La Quinta. Purchasing a Volkswagen Golf is 15.0% cheaper in La Quinta, while a Toyota Corolla is 4.8% more expensive. While public transportation and taxis are costlier, car-related expenses can be more affordable in La Quinta.
4. Utilities
Utilities in La Quinta are more expensive than the national average. However, they're cheaper than what you'd find in most of California. They're about 7% higher than the national average but around 4.7% lower than the state average. If you live in an 85m² apartment, your essential utility bills will be about 25.7% cheaper than in Los Angeles. Plus, mobile phone plans are 30% cheaper, and internet costs are about 10% lower. It makes La Quinta more affordable when it comes to paying your bills.
Note: All the statistics given above are as of July 2024.
As you can see, La Quinta is generally more favorable for its cost of living. However, the cost of living depends on many factors. Local income levels can also matter. Higher housing costs or utility rates may seem more reasonable if the average person makes more money. Various market factors can also cause costs to shift over time.
Are you interested in moving to La Quinta? Contact Geoffrey Moore to learn more about the city. He is a local real estate expert with extensive knowledge of the Palm Springs area. Reach out now for help buying or selling homes.
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Posted by Jim Cronin on
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