Boston vs Los Angeles

Boston and Los Angeles compared across the three travel tiers — budget, mid-range and luxury — for daily costs, hotels, food, things to do and the practical stuff that actually decides which one you should visit.

Boston

United States · North America

America's revolution started here, and the Freedom Trail walks you through it, past Paul Revere's house and the Old North Church. Beacon Hill's brick lanes, Harvard across the river, Fenway Park and a harbour full of lobster and oysters make it the most walkable big city in the United States.

Los Angeles

United States · North America

Eighty miles of coast, desert light and studio backlots stitched together by freeway — LA is less a city than a constellation of neighbourhoods that reward anyone willing to drive between them. Griffith Observatory over the basin at dusk, taco trucks in Boyle Heights, the Getty's travertine on its hilltop, and surf at Malibu an hour from downtown.

Daily cost per tier (USD)

Tier	Boston	Los Angeles
Budget	$75–$130	$70–$130
Mid-range	$200–$360	$200–$380
Luxury	$550–$1200	$550–$1400

At a glance

	Boston	Los Angeles
Country	United States	United States
Currency	USD	USD
Language	English	English
Best months	May–June and September–October; October brings New England's autumn colour. Summer is warm and busy; winters are cold and snowy.	March–May and September–November are warm and clear. June brings "June Gloom" coastal fog that burns off by noon.
Climate	Humid continental: warm summers (26–28°C), cold snowy winters (-2 to 3°C) with nor'easter storms. Autumn is crisp and bright.	Mediterranean: dry warm summers (Jun–Sep, 24–30°C), mild damp winters (Dec–Feb, 14–20°C). Rain falls almost entirely between December and March.
Visa	Visa Waiver Program: most European, UK and Australian visitors need an approved ESTA before flying; others need a B1/B2 visa.	ESTA visa waiver for most European, UK and Australian passports — apply online at least 72 hours ahead. Others need a B-2 visitor visa.
Safety	One of the safest large US cities. The usual big-city care applies late at night around Downtown Crossing and on quiet stretches of the T.	Safe in the neighbourhoods visitors use; petty theft from parked cars is the real risk, so never leave anything visible. Skid Row and parts of downtown are best avoided after dark.
Tipping	Tipping is expected: 18–22% in restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% for taxis and rideshares.	Tipping is expected and effectively part of the wage: 18–20% in restaurants, $1–2 per drink at a bar, 15–20% for rideshare.
Metro	Yes	Yes