So many people have the fantasy of growing up, leaving where they currently live, and making their dreams become a reality by relocating to a bigger city. New York City and Los Angeles are two of the cities in the United States where these wandering dreamers move to in order to live out their fantasies.

From an outsider’s perspective, both cities appear to be pretty glamorous. Los Angeles has a ton of beautiful celebrities, palm trees, a modern city landscape, and really trendy locations such as restaurants and cafes. New York is known for being a major fashion and entertainment capital.

Walking around the streets of New York, you will see people who clearly make a ton of money at their 9-5 job, women and men dressed in wonderfully beautiful clothes, and there is an air of magic that floats around the city, especially in the winter months.

And while both of these cities are their own form of magic, there are some things that people don’t always expect going into moving to these cities.

While New York City and Los Angeles are both beautiful and famous for their own reasons, are are some not so wonderful things about these cities as well that people who dream of moving there don’t always realize going into it.

For example, New York City definitely does have a homelessness problem and it is common to see people scattered throughout the city holding signs requesting donations. Los Angeles has a pretty decent gang presence, which can be dangerous for those who don’t know the area very well.

For both cities, the expense rate is super high and it is insanely expensive to live the lavish lifestyle that many people expect right off the bat. For example, a simple granola bar that costs $1.30 in Georgia, Florida, or Illinois can cost $4.30 in New York City or Los Angeles.