🇺🇸 United States · A realistic 2026 budget for newcomers — rent, food, transport, and what a month actually costs.
Wondering how far your salary goes in Long Beach? Here’s what everyday life costs, in local prices — the numbers that matter when you’re deciding to move or negotiating a package.
What things cost
One-bed apartment, downtown, East Village or Alamitos BeachUSD 2,000–2,600 / month
One-bed apartment, central Long Beach, Wrigley or Cambodia TownUSD 1,650–2,050 / month
Car — insurance, fuel and parkingUSD 380–560 / month, and a residential parking permit in the dense central districts
Groceries, one personUSD 380–500 / month
Electricity and gas, one-bedUSD 90–170 / month — low, because the coastal climate needs almost no heating or cooling
Good to know
Population
≈450,000 — California's seventh-largest city and the second-largest in Los Angeles County
Languages
English; Spanish, Khmer and Tagalog are all widely spoken — the city has the largest Cambodian community outside Cambodia
Currency
United States dollar (USD)
Time zone
Pacific Time — GMT-8 in winter, GMT-7 on daylight saving from mid-March to early November
Power plug
Types A and B, 120 V / 60 Hz
Climate
Coastal Mediterranean — mild all year, morning marine layer from May to July, and roughly 320 mm of rain, almost all of it between November and March
Sales tax
10.5% — among the highest in California, and legislatively exempted from the state's own 10.25% cap
Utilities
Water, sewer and gas are city-owned through Long Beach Utilities; electricity comes from Southern California Edison
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.
A note on budgeting
Rent is usually the swing factor — location and whether bills are included move the number most. Build your estimate from the rent band above, add a monthly living figure, and keep a buffer for one-off setup costs (deposits, a residence permit, a local SIM, first-month transport). Globe Quest turns this into a personalized Long Beach checklist so nothing setup-related catches you off guard.
Plan your move to Long Beach
A free, AI-personalized plan — the language, culture, and setup steps timed to your move date.