True cost — by city
High, neighborhood-variable (Beverly Hills premium vs other corridors). Larksuite: lease/buy $150,000-$600,000, total startup $263,000-$1,160,000, monthly $39,700-$110,000. Ghost/private lease $4,000-$8,000/mo, turnkey pod $4,500-$8,000/mo (Restroworks).
Mid-tier retail TI $155-$245/sq ft incl. Orange County (Terrapin July 2026); Orange County 5-10% below LA proper. Title 24 energy, seismic bracing, LADBS timelines add cost/time. Bhumi premium +35% for LA/SF above national average. California liquor process 90-180 days.
Overall cost level: higher for a US restaurant opening. The city moves the rent and the build-out; the state moves the permits, the certificates and the liquor clock — and Los Angeles sits in California.
Start with the state layer: California permits · California liquor · California hub.
Don't read the table — run your verdict. Pick California, add your format and rent — the regulated lines fill themselves.
Included in the $49 Opening Pack: the filled templates, trackers, calendars and worksheets for this door — built from the same dated datasets as the free checker above.
Sources: Terrapin Construction Group — TI Cost Per Square Foot 2026; Restroworks — Cloud Kitchen Cost 2026; Larksuite — Restaurant Startup Costs 2026, 2026-07. Dataset checked October 23, 2026. Where a fee or rule is set by a county or city, this page says so instead of guessing a number.