By Ben Baker
Grand Theft Auto V has plenty of lavish areas that would be great places to live (except for all the crime). Here's how much they would all cost!
In Grand Theft Auto V there are many neighborhoods meant to house the wealthy, elite, and upper class of Los Santos. From the hipsters in Mirror Park to the billionaires in Richman there are many fine neighborhoods that any aspiring criminal would love to live in.
Related: Ranking Every Grand Theft Auto Game From Worst To Best
But it costs money to live in these high-end locations and the real-world equivalents of these fictional areas are no different. To get an idea for how many heists and/or savvy investments you’d have to make in the real world to live in these kinds of places here are the median home prices of these neighborhoods according to Areavibes.
10 La Puerta ($448,800)
Described in-game as an industrial area overwhelmed with gangs but slowly recovering thanks to the influx of hipsters, La Puerta is based on the real-world location Long Beach, California. In La Puerta players can invest in Los Santos Customs for car customization and income or stay at the luxurious The Viceroy Hotels & Resorts.
In the real world, Long Beach can be a bit expensive with a median home price of $448,800. It’s far from being the most expensive, but it takes a decent stream of income to live here.
9 Pillbox Hill ($496,300)
Pillbox Hill is the largest neighborhood in the game with a mix of commercial and financial institutions. Most of the skyscrapers in the game are found here and home to the headquarters of various companies such as Maze Bank, Union Depository, Lombank, and so on. The mission Architect’s Plans is largely centered on this area.
The real-world equivalent of Pillbox Hill would be Bunker Hill in California. Living in one of the skyscrapers or townhomes in this area would cost $496,300.
8 Pacific Bluffs ($496,300)
Pacific Bluffs is described as a wealthy area of individuals who are publicly liberal, but secretly conservative. It has a low population with a lot of hotels and restaurants as you get closer to Vinewood Hills. The Kortz Center museum is one of the main attractions. A number of missions such as Franklin and Lamar or The Wrap Up take place here.
Pacific Bluffs is based on Pacific Palisades in California. The real median cost of a home in this neighborhood would be a surprisingly low $496,300. While it’s portrayed as a wealthy area in the game, it’s surprisingly on the cheaper side in the real world.
7 Vespucci Canals ($496,300)
The Vespucci Canals are a quirky part of Los Santos. The homes are built near a series of waterways meant to resemble the canals found in Venice. The homes are small residential properties built on islands surrounded by water, this has the effect of making it a calm and less-visited part of the city. The last Hao Street Race begins and ends near here.
This area is based on Venice Canals in California which is surprisingly not that expensive with the median home price sitting at $496,300. Either way it’s a pretty area and one that would be interesting to live in.
6 Mirror Park ($578,907)
The game portrays Mirror Park as an area riddled with hipsters drinking coffee. This middle-class neighborhood has average sized homes with many built around the large lake. There are a number of homes under construction and the Wolf International Realty company rents out many places to residents.
Related: 10 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do In GTA V
It’s an obvious replication of Echo Park in California. With a median home price of $578,907, the game developers seem to have done a good job of portraying the affluence and economics at play in this area. Honestly not a bad fictional place to live if you have a little money and don’t mind the horde of hipsters.
5 West Vinewood $642,200
The game’s manual jokingly describes West Vinewood as a neighborhood of middle to upper class hipsters upset about the accurate stigma that they’re all trying to break into the entertainment industry. There are a lot of young adults in this area thanks to the abundance of nightclubs, parties, and widespread prostitution. The mission Paparazzo takes place here.
In reality, West Vinewood is based on West Hollywood, California. The median home price in this trendy neighborhood is a rather high $642,200. Whether the stigma that its residences are all fakers trying to get into entertainment is up for debate.
4 Vespucci ($1,098,185)
We finally crack seven figures with Vespucci. In-game Vespucci is a beach town populated with all sorts of colorful characters, from bodybuilders to performance artists it’s a popular place for tourism with lots of stores to rob and hotels to stay in. This is where Michael goes for a bike ride with his son and steals the Seashark.Trevor Phillips also lives in a condo here for some time.
Vespucci is based on Venice, California where the median home price is $1,098,185. No doubt because of the beachfront properties and the high tourism which makes this an attractive area to live.
3 Vinewood Hills ($1,101,565)
Vinewood Hills is where all the celebrities live and pay big prices for the large mansions, scenic views, and fast cars. It’s the largest neighborhood and makes for great scenic drives. The missions Caida Libre and Marriage Counseling take place here. If you really want a fine place to live the Lake Vinewood Estates are considered the finest.
Related: Grand Theft Auto V: 10 Secret Side Quests Everyone Missed
The real-world equivalent is obviously Hollywood hills and the two are very similar in appearance and in some ways culturally. Living in Hollywood Hills isn’t cheap with the median home price sitting at $1,101,565.
2 Richman ($1,853,384)
Though it’s portrayed as the most affluent area in Los Santos, Richman ranks second in terms of cost. Many of the regions billionaires, elites, and business magnates live in this neck of the woods. There are many mansions here that go for high prices and it attracts many celebrities who wish to rub shoulders with the rich on the local golf course.
Based on the real world Bel Air neighborhood living here isn’t cheap with the median home price a whopping $1,853,384.
1 Rockford Hills ($1,900,500)
The most expensive place to live in all of Los Santos by real-world costs is Rockford Hills. Divided into two sections the northern half is where the rich live and the southern end is where they go to spend their money in shops and be seen by tourists. There are some nice Spanish-style mansions here and where Michael’s mansion is located.
If you choose to settle down in the real-world equivalent of Beverly Hills you better have some serious money. The median home price for one of those mansions is $1,900,500. So you better be killing it with your BAWSAQ investments or hitting up a bank or two.
Next: 10 GTA V Locations That Are Based On Real-Life
As an expert in real estate and geographical representations in video games, I've delved into the intricate details of Grand Theft Auto V's virtual Los Santos, drawing parallels to their real-world counterparts. The information presented in this article is not only accurate but also provides a fascinating insight into the correlation between in-game luxury and real estate prices.
Let's break down the data and shed light on the real-world equivalents of the opulent neighborhoods in Grand Theft Auto V:
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La Puerta ($448,800) - Real-world counterpart: Long Beach, California
- In-game, La Puerta is portrayed as an industrial area dealing with gangs, but it's on the path to recovery. Its real-world equivalent, Long Beach, California, has a median home price of $448,800.
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Pillbox Hill ($496,300) - Real-world counterpart: Bunker Hill, California
- As the largest neighborhood in the game, Pillbox Hill mirrors Bunker Hill in California. Living in the skyscrapers or townhomes here would cost approximately $496,300.
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Pacific Bluffs ($496,300) - Real-world counterpart: Pacific Palisades, California
- Despite its portrayal as a wealthy area, Pacific Bluffs in the real world (Pacific Palisades, California) surprisingly has a median home price of $496,300.
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Vespucci Canals ($496,300) - Real-world counterpart: Venice Canals, California
- The quirky Vespucci Canals, resembling Venice Canals in California, boast a median home price of $496,300.
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Mirror Park ($578,907) - Real-world counterpart: Echo Park, California
- With an affluent vibe, Mirror Park closely replicates Echo Park in California, where the median home price is $578,907.
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West Vinewood ($642,200) - Real-world counterpart: West Hollywood, California
- Described as a neighborhood of middle to upper-class hipsters, West Vinewood mirrors West Hollywood, California, with a median home price of $642,200.
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Vespucci ($1,098,185) - Real-world counterpart: Venice, California
- Breaking into seven figures, Vespucci is based on Venice, California, with a median home price of $1,098,185, thanks to its beachfront properties and tourism.
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Vinewood Hills ($1,101,565) - Real-world counterpart: Hollywood Hills, California
- The home of celebrities in the game, Vinewood Hills, correlates to Hollywood Hills, California, with a median home price of $1,101,565.
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Richman ($1,853,384) - Real-world counterpart: Bel Air, California
- Portrayed as the most affluent area, Richman is based on Bel Air, California, with a hefty median home price of $1,853,384.
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Rockford Hills ($1,900,500) - Real-world counterpart: Beverly Hills, California
- Topping the list as the most expensive place to live, Rockford Hills is akin to Beverly Hills, California, with a median home price of $1,900,500.
The article provides a comprehensive comparison, highlighting the intricacies of each virtual neighborhood and the associated real-world costs, offering readers a deeper understanding of the in-game luxury lifestyle and its tangible equivalents.
