SOYOUWANNA THE TEN MOST EXPENSIVE U.S. CITIES TO LIVE IN

2. CITIES 7 - 5

Movie stars aren't just gorgeous; they're also loaded. So are their directors. And they're all running around LA, dropping lots of cash wherever they go. For instance, at The Ivy, star-watchers drop $45 for a simple meal of fried chicken.

And lest we forget, LA is not only tourist central for its proximity to Hollywood, but also because this SoCal city hosts Disney World, Magic Mountain, Universal Studios and Knott's Berry Farm. Everyone who visits the small worlds of wonder is willing to fork over not just sky-high admission costs, but also $5 for a soda.

The general cost of finding an apartment is rather cheap in Los Angeles, but the thing that raises the cost of living is the extreme reliance on cars and gas. And outrageous prices in ritzy areas like Bel Air (say hi to the Fresh Prince for us) and Beverly Hills really add up.

6. Philadelphia, PA
1 - 1.28

People coming to the country's "fattest city" don't just carry big stomachs (thank you, Mr. $5.50 cheesesteak), but also big wallets. It's more than South Philly's delicacies that ask people to pull out their pocketbooks; the city offers a ton of theater, sports, art (remember Rocky?), shopping, and parks. You can find bargains in thrift stores and food markets, but make no mistake: the eighth largest city is on the map as a bustling business center with all the expected accouterments for the finer life.

Take a stroll through Center City and in addition to the posh Rittenhouse Square apartments (topping the million dollar mark), you'll find Restaurant Row - a concentrated block of very expensive eateries - in addition to all the fancy-schmancy, Brooks Brother-y, Jones NY-y, shopping you want.

5. San Diego, CA
1 - 1.29

Why wouldn't people pay a whole bunch of money to live in San Diego? Its presence on clean, sunny beaches (without that L.A. smog) would do it for us. But here are the added bonuses of the most museums west of the Mississippi, some of the world's friendliest people, the famous San Diego Zoo, and even LegoLand.

The cost of living index is high, but that's because its economy is booming as the Internet tycoons of the Silicon Alley start buying winter homes there. And with the large number of IT/Telecommunications jobs in the area, many San Diego folks can stand the bump.