How to Move to California: 5 Important Steps
Around 140,000 to 150,000 people are moving to California in an average year.
If America is the land of opportunity, California has the pot of gold. It’s home to stunning national parks, thriving creative industries, and amazing weather.
Working out how to move to California isn’t very straightforward. You’ve got competition and there are a lot of hoops you need to jump through.
Lucky for you, this simple step-by-step guide tells you all the important things you need to do to become a California resident!
Step 1: Save Some Money
Are you asking yourself, “how much money should I save to move to California?” Well, the answer is as much as possible!
California’s cost of living is one of the most expensive in the country. That includes housing, bills, taxes, food, and everything else. No matter where you decide to live in California, it will be pricey.
Don’t put yourself under financial stress as well as moving stress. Save around three to six months’ worth of expenses before you cross state lines to give yourself a cushion.
Wondering how to move to California with no money? Unless you have a friend whose couch you can crash on and a job lined up, it will be difficult.
Step 2: Decide Where You Want to Go
When you think of California, you might think of beaches and skyrise buildings. And that is accurate! But California is also a very diverse state and you have a lot of options of where to live.
Sure, you have the big cities like San Francisco in the north and San Diego and Los Angeles in the south. But there are also suburbs and remote mountainous regions, too.
Step 3: Buy a Car
California is super spread out. And public transport isn’t great, so you will need a car if you want to figure out how to move to California the best way.
You could start your new life in California with an awesome road trip!
Or if you’d prefer to buy a car in California, you could fly and take airport transportation to your accommodation.
Step 4: Find Housing (And a Job!)
Whether you want to find housing and a job before you leave your home or search on the ground, that’s up to you. But at some point, you will need both.
If you want to work in the film industry, head to LA. But if you want a tech job, San Francisco is the place for you.
Step 5: Update Your Wardrobe
Donate all your winter coats and fur-lined boots because you won’t need them anymore. The weather in California is almost always warm and sunny, so invest in an appropriate wardrobe.
That’s How to Move to California in Five Simple Steps
Figuring out how to move to California might sound simple, but it’s not easy. It will take a lot of hard work and perseverance to be able to afford the Cali lifestyle.
But once you’ve cracked it, boy, will it be worth it.
Need to organize your finances before the big move? Or want more advice on where in California to travel to on your time off? Our website has tons of lifestyle, finance, and travel tips to help you out!