Living in Berkeley, California:
Tips for Moving and Visiting

Someone moving to Berkeley, California should know that they’ll be moving to a university city and one conveniently near San Francisco, a international city. Berkeley is a diverse, progressive city with a known history for being at the forefront of social movements, such as women’s rights and the push for organic, local foods. Beauty abounds as views of the bay and the surrounding hills will render every vantage point interesting and varied. Lastly, it’s important to know Berkeley can be an expensive city, but markedly less expensive than San Francisco and with a high quality of life, given its extensive access to renowned national parks and natural spaces, very kind climate, diversity and variety of local restaurants and businesses, and advantageous location.

Berkeley is predominantly a college town, although its reputation far exceeds the college. At the same time, its reputation finds its roots in the college: the student protests that occurred in the 1960s defined Berkeley’s culture and set the town on a course toward progressivism, activism, and idealism. The city is ripe with injustice, however in nearly all cases someone will stand to challenge it. On a completely different note, the cost of living is exorbitantly high.

The cost of living in Berkeley is quite high; however, it’s a wonderfully interesting and well-located city. You can easily access San Francisco by taking a train or bus. To the north, there are beautiful parks with miles of hiking trails. If you enjoy both urban living and nature, Berkeley is a great place.