10 California Cities We'd Rather Live in Than NYC

If you’re tired of your cramped, overpriced NYC apartment and have started to consider Central Park "the great outdoors," it may be time to consider moving westward to the Golden State.

It’s not that New York is an awful place to live, it’s just that California is a much, much better place. Thanks to superior views, warmer weather, and a more laid back attitude, Cali has everything that New York lacks. It has a lower cost of living and more space to spread out in—not to mention being able to go toe-to-toe with the rich art and culture scene that Gotham thrives on.

Still, we would't leave New York for just any old place. Here are 10 California cities we’d rather live in than NYC. Pack your bags, it's time to trade in the crowded city streets for some CA sunshine.

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Average rent: $803
Lifestyle perk: Sunshine, pools, and palm trees. And babes. Lots of babes.
Total days of sunshine: 269
Average yearly temperature: 89°

Palm Springs sits in a valley with stunning views every in every direction. It's one of those places where it's perfectly acceptable to pop open some bubbly before noon and chill poolside the entire day without being judged—try getting away with that in New York on a weekday. It has all the glamour of Hollywood, except it sits at the edge of a desert, which somehow makes it more glamourous.

Remember that surreal episode in Season 2 of Mad Men when Don Draper turns into Dick Whitman and ditches his L.A. convention in favor of trippy weekend in Palm Springs? Even if you're not quite as freewheeling, New Yorkers that seek endless tennis sessions, turn of the century resorts, and caramel-skinned minxes will feel right at home here.

With an average annual temperature of 89°, Palm Springs is a bit on the warmer side, but that just means you're swim trunks will get more play than your suit and tie. Justin Timberlake, be damned.

Average rent: $1,225
Lifestyle perk: Road trips up and down PCH
Total days of sunshine: 262
Average yearly temperature: 70°

Right off the scenic Pacific Coast Highway, Santa Cruz is prime real estate for New Yorkers ready to give up a hectic life in exchange for one that is filled with endless opportunities for adventure along the central coast of California.

There are waves to be caught here, wine to be tasted, and plenty of more fun to be had under the sun, and under the boardwalk. There are prominent wineries nearby in the Santa Lucia Highlands, along with some notable microbreweries up and down the central coast. Santa Cruz is also known for a serious Boardwalk consistently rated as the best seaside park in the world, that would put Coney Island to shame.

Nearby, eclectic towns like Monterrey, San Luis Obispo, and Pismo await for those who seek adrenaline-packed lives and have a thirst for the cool ocean breeze. Santa Cruz and surrounding areas have some of the best surf on the west coast, along with coastal hiking trails, and spiraling sand dunes that will help you rekindle your love for nature.

Settle down here and you'll forget all about the concrete jungle that is New York City, we promise.

Average rent: $1,542
Lifestyle perk: Party with Mark Zuckerberg and co. in nearby Palo Alto
Total days of sunshine: 257
Average yearly temperature: 70°

As the 3rd largest city in California (and 10th in the U.S.), San Jose is conveniently situated in the heart of Silicon Valley. With a strong sense of entrepreneurship, it's the perfect place to take your Brooklyn-based startup to the next level—we're talking about that high tech moolah. No struggle PR salaries here and second (and third) jobs just to make rent here.

San Jose is conveniently located a stone's throw away from places like San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and Oakland, making it a central hub for Northern California. Weekend jaunts just got a lot more interesting.

The rent, while not cheap, is still well under the whopping 3K New Yorkers pay on average, and the crime rates are lower, too. Plus, there's something to be said about walking down the street without oversized rats rummaging through the trash, and edging you off the sidewalk.

Average rent: $1,857
Lifestyle perk: Legalized herb, sort of
Total days of sunshine: 261
Average yearly temperature: 67°

Located on the eastern end of the Bay Area, Oakland has a notoriously violent past that lingers throughout parts of the city still today. But there's also a vibrant, up-and-coming side to Oak Town that has drawn in younger people by the masses in recent years, as the city continues to flash its rich culture and acclaimed art scene—it's like Brooklyn, but without all the hipsters.

Oakland may not stack up to NYC in terms of cultural prestige per square mile, but the city has plenty of quaility diversions for those hungry for cultural enrichment. The Oakland Museum of California supplies a diverse offering of work centered on local art, history, and natural sciences, like Richard Misrach's 20th anniversary of the Berkeley Fire aftermath series.

Downtown's Lake Merritt will make the Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir seem like an over-used track, while the low crime rate will remind you of your hometown (given that hometown is not NYC).

Oakland has plenty of charming neighborhoods, like the affluent hillside neighborhood of Montcair, Piedmont (a residential neighborhood filled with an eclectic mix of antique and vintage shops), and Fruitvale (yes, the same one from the movie), that won't break the bank, which is more than we can say for your $2,000/month NYC studio.

Average rent: $1,671
Lifestyle perk: 42 miles of beaches, ‘nuff said
Total days of sunshine: 281
Average yearly temperature: 73°

Ever watch the TV series The O.C.? Well the real Orange County is just like that, just without all the drama.

Sure, the O.C. can't compete with NYC in sheer size. After all, what city can? However, it is located right next to the second busiest seaport in the United States in Long Beach (NYC is third), and has an almost Mediterranean climate that the Big Apple could never provide.

Whether it's Laguna, Newport, or Mission Viejo, the O.C. is filled with affluence and beach culture that can only be found on the sunny shores of Southern California. It's a simple equation. You can continue to ride the L train for the rest of your life, or you can ditch your metrocard for a surf board and ride the waves instead. Your move.

Average rent: $1,000
Lifestyle perk: Wine on wine on wine
Total days of sunshine: 260
Average yearly temperature: 72°

With breathtaking views of rolling hills lined with some of the best wineries in the world, Napa Valley redefines the term heaven on earth.

There's never a shortage of things to do in Wine Country. Aside from immersing your taste buds in world-renowned wines and exclusive restaurants like The French Laundry, you can hit up the hot springs in Calistoga to clear your mind and ease your worries. Long Island's vineyards may offer coastal views‚ but it can't hold a candle to Napa Valley's superior wine product.

Napa is a city that promotes farm-to-table culinary habits and outdoor living unlike any other place on the globe. Brooklyn locavores, the gauntlet is officially thrown.

Average rent: $2,898
Lifestyle perk: Less hipster, more hippy
Total days of sunshine: 260
Average yearly temperature: 57°

What's not to like about San Francisco—it's laid back, diverse, has sports teams that actually win, and is just an all-around postcard-type city that anyone would be happy to call home. Yes, even a hardened New Yorker who hasn't smiled in 364 days.

San Francisco rent isn’t much cheaper than NYC's. Still, the City by the Bay is the mecca for liberal artists, forward thinkers, outdoor enthusiasts, and perhaps most importantly, foodies. There are 42 Michelin-starred restaurants spread out in the greater San Francisco area, including Bar Tartine in the Mission, and Zero Zero in SoMa. While you’re in SoMa, check out the StrEat Food Park, where you’ll find dozens of food trucks ready to serve up gourmet fare at a street price. One stop here, and you’ll find yourself coming back again and again.

With a population of 825,863, Frisco is just a fraction of the size of New York. Still, its dense population and dynamic layout offer that big city feel without all the stress attached with it.

Average rent: $1,221
Lifestyle perk: Surfing, brah
Total days of sunshine: 283
Average yearly temperature: 69°

Sunshine, palm trees, and panoramic views and are just some of many reasons why we'd ditch the grimey streets of NYC for the sandy beaches of Santa Barbara. An hour north of L.A., Santa Barbara is home to some of the country's wealthy elite (what up Oprah), as well as a culturally-diverse college population, for the perfect balance of high-brow and fun-loving.

New York City may have more options when it comes to food, but in terms of quality, Santa Barbara is the clear cut winner. Enjoy the "best burrito of your life" on the regular at one of many top-notch mexican joints like Los Agaves or Freebirds, or hit up downtown for some R&R and fine dining.

At 4.2%, the unemployment rate in Santa Barbara is half that of New York City. So you can forget about having to wait in an interview line for days on end. Finding a job out here isn't a struggle. Though, it may be a struggle to leave the sunny beaches and actually show up for work once you're there. Don't say we didn't warn you.

Average rent: $1,637
Lifestyle perk: Partying with the stars
Total days of sunshine: 292
Average yearly temperature: 66°

It's already been established that Los Angeles is better than New York. But, if you need it, here's further proof.

L.A. has immaculate weather, beautiful people, ample outdoor activities (hiking, surfing, sun bathing) and entertainment options (movies, concerts, sports), phenemonal food (tacos!), and above all, more laid back people. Forget the rat race that is NYC, and instead, enjoy life the way it's meant to be enjoyed—with sunshine, history, and amazing food trucks. Don't act like you couldn't get used to that.

The capital of showbiz, L.A. is the place artists and hustlers alike go to dwell amongst the stars. Whether it's the posh hills of Beverly, the eccentric West Hollywood, or the laid back Santa Monica, L.A. offers everything that New Yorkers only dream about. It's no wonder that one New York winter night in 1963, John Phillips of The Mamas and The Papas came up with the hit California Dreamin'.

Yes, the L.A. traffic can be miserable, but it's only car traffic. In comparison, New York has car traffic and foot traffic, and awful congestion on the subway.

Bonus points: L.A. is a car ride away from Vegas. Let the mistakes begin!

Average rent: $1,445
Lifestyle perk: Perfect weather year-round
Total days of sunshine: 263
Average yearly temperature: 69°

On one hand, you have New York City: painfully hot and humid in the summer, and painfully cold in the winter. On the other, there's San Diego: clear, sunny, never humid, and 70 degrees year-round. Go ahead, take your pick.

The weather is just one reason to leave behind the eat-or-be eaten mentality of NYC and hit up SD for some seriously laid back living. Enjoy scores of the finer things in life, including sailing, surfing, and dining. Hit the historic Gaslamp District for the city's finest restaurants, clubs, theatres, concert venues, and art galleries. Spend one night in the quarter and you'll forget all about the West Village.

If clean-cut fun is what you're after, there's SeaWorld, and the famed San Diego Zoo (regarded as one of the best in the world). With plenty of beaches and gorgeous people, it's also a great place for singles to do their thing. Take the short drive to nearby La Jolla for pristine beaches and some of the most stunning views of the Pacific coastline you'll ever come across. Stay classy in San Diego, and you'll being saying sayonora to NYC in no time.