Although they’re both United States cities in warm, tropical locations, Miami and Los Angeles each have a unique culture, style, and feel.
There are also other comparisons between the two cities that make them both worth exploring or learning more about.
This article explores many of the similarities and differences between Miami and Los Angeles including the following:
- World location
- Size
- Population
- Real estate
- Cost of living
- Income
- Languages
- Weather
- Education
- Sports
- Transportation
Location
Miami is located in Florida, in the southeastern portion of the U.S. along the Atlantic Ocean. The city sits between the Everglades to the west and Biscayne Bay to the east.
The city’s area also includes several artificial barrier islands.
Los Angeles is located on the opposite side of the country, on the western coast of southern California. The city borders the Pacific Ocean.
Size
Los Angeles covers a total of 501.55 square miles, while Miami covers a total of 56.07 square miles.
Los Angeles’ area is made up of about 469.49 square miles of land area and 32.06 square miles of water.
Miami, on the other hand, covers about 36 square miles of land area and about 20.08 square miles of water.
Population
As of 2020, Miami had a population of just over 442,240 people. That same year, Los Angeles recorded a population of about 3,898,745 people.
Miami is the 44th largest city in the U.S., although it’s the second-largest city in Florida.
Los Angeles, on the other hand, is the largest city in California and the second-largest city in the entire country.
Real Estate
California is known for having some of the highest real estate prices in the United States. On average, people can expect to spend about $554 per square foot on housing.
Miami offers somewhat more affordable housing. On average, renters or buyers can expect to spend about $227 per square foot.
Cost of Living
If you don’t include the cost of rent or mortgage payments, a single person in Miami can expect to spend about $1,128 per month on essentials such as groceries and utilities.
This is just slightly more than the cost of living in Los Angeles. A single person in Los Angeles will usually spend about $1,080 on living expenses, not including rent or mortgage payments.
Income
As of 2019, the average income for a single person in Los Angeles was about $28,072. This is equal to about $584.83 per week.
The average income for one person in Miami is about $21,800, which is equal to about $454.17 each week.
Languages
English is the official language spoken in Miami. However, many people from Spanish-speaking countries have immigrated to Miami or visit the area often, so Spanish is frequently used in the city as well.
About 60% of Miami’s people speak Spanish or both English and Spanish.
Like Miami, English is the official language spoken in Los Angeles, with Spanish coming in at a close second.
The area also has a large Asian population, and other common languages in the area include Korean, Chinese, Filipino, and Persian. Armenian is also a common language in the city.
Weather
Miami has a tropical monsoon climate. Summers are long and warm, with temperatures in the mid to high 80s. From June to September, the area sees about 10 days of rain per month.
The winters in Miami are short and mild, with temperatures dropping into the low 70s or high 60s during the day.
Los Angeles’ climate is classified as a Mediterranean climate, and it’s much drier than Miami’s climate, although temperatures throughout the year are about the same.
Los Angeles’ summers are slightly cooler, with most daytime temperatures hovering around 83 degrees Fahrenheit.
Rain is more common during the winter months in Los Angeles, although even then, there are usually only about 4 days of rain per month.
During the summer, it’s common to see a stretch of up to four months without rain.
Education
The Los Angeles Unified School District serves about 800,000 students and covers almost the entire Los Angeles area, although some public schools in L.A. fall within the Inglewood and Las Virgenes Unified School Districts.
The city is also home to three public universities as well as many private colleges and universities, including the American Film Institute Conservatory, Los Angeles Film School, Marymount College, and the University of Southern California.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools cover the primary and secondary schooling of children in Miami and serve about 385,655 students within the county.
The city itself has some of the best high schools in the U.S., including the MAST Academy, Coral Reef High School, Design and Architecture High School, and the New World School for the Arts.
The city is also home to several excellent colleges and universities, including the University of Miami, Talmudic University, Broward College, and the Miami International University of Art & Design.
Sports
Miami is home to five professional sports teams. These teams include a hockey team called the Florida Panthers, a football team called the Miami Dolphins, a baseball team called the Miami Marlins, a basketball team called the Miami Heat, and a soccer team called the Inter Miami CF.
Los Angeles has 11 professional teams, although some teams play in nearby towns despite using Los Angeles for their names.
The teams include two baseball teams called the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Angels, two football teams called the Los Angeles Chargers and the Los Angeles Rams.
There are two hockey teams called the Anaheim Ducks and the Los Angeles Kings, two basketball teams called the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers.
The women’s basketball team is called the Los Angeles Sparks, and there are two soccer teams called the Los Angeles FC and the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Transportation
Driving is the most common form of transportation in Miami, with about 72% of the population using only driving to commute.
Other forms of common transportation include Metrorail and commuter rail systems and buses. The city’s main airport is the Miami International Airport, although many travelers to and from the city also use the nearby Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
Driving is also common in Los Angeles, but there can be frequent lengthy delays caused by heavy traffic in the area.
Because of this, many Los Angeles residents choose to utilize the city’s subway or light rail systems. Buses are also very popular in Los Angeles.
The city’s main airport is the Los Angeles International Airport, more commonly called LAX.
