Best location for a Starbucks in Los Angeles

6 neighbourhoods ranked for coffee shop / specialty café sites on footfall, competition, rent and business-type fit.

Brand location map

Best zones to open a Starbucks in Los Angeles

Compare neighbourhood fit for this business format. Published brand costs remain separate from local estimates.

Direct answer

Downtown LA ranks first for Starbucks in Los Angeles with a Brand Location Score of 82/100. The ranking compares 6 mapped neighbourhoods using category evidence and operating-format requirements; it is not an earnings forecast.

Last reviewed: 2026-09-01

Coffee Shop / Specialty Café · Los Angeles — key figures

Average investment: €65,000 - €180,000
Commercial rent: $4,000-20,000/month
Local competition index: 58/100
Break-even: 12-24 months

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Source: WhereToOpen.ai location intelligence · 6 mapped neighbourhoods · 2026-09-01. Figures are modelled planning estimates, not audited financials.

Published Starbucks costs

Initial investment

Not publicly disclosed

Franchise / licence fee

Not publicly disclosed

Verified break-even

Not publicly disclosed

Not publicly disclosed · Licensed-store markets · verified 2026-09-22. Values below are a separate local model.

Source: Starbucks Licensed Stores →

Evidence and limitations

Confidence: 87%

Observed data: 6 mapped neighbourhoods, local competition, rent and location evidence.
Published data: Starbucks Licensed Stores: Not publicly disclosed cost information for Licensed-store markets.
Modelled data: Brand Location Score, local ROI scenario and payback estimate. These are not brand disclosures or guarantees.

Not available: Starbucks has not publicly disclosed verified break-even timing.

Brand-specific score: 78% category/location evidence plus operating-format signals for footfall, catchment, transit, delivery and parking. Confidence reflects input completeness.

Opening investment

€65,000 - €180,000

WhereToOpen.ai estimate

Annual ROI

37-57%

WhereToOpen.ai estimate

Payback

10-22 months

WhereToOpen.ai estimate

Rent risk

Moderate

WhereToOpen.ai estimate

Top areas for a Starbucks in Los Angeles

1
Downtown LA
Footfall fit, office catchment, high footfall
Rent: $6,000-15,000
82
72% confidence
2
Venice
Footfall fit, high footfall
Rent: $7,000-16,000
75
72% confidence
3
Highland Park
Low competition
Rent: $3,500-8,000
67
72% confidence
4
Beverly Hills
Footfall fit, high footfall, crowded market
Rent: $15,000-40,000
65
72% confidence
5
Santa Monica
Footfall fit, high footfall, crowded market
Rent: $8,000-20,000
65
72% confidence
6
Silver Lake
Crowded market
Rent: $5,000-12,000
50
72% confidence

Brand-specific score: 78% category/location evidence plus operating-format signals for footfall, catchment, transit, delivery and parking. Confidence reflects input completeness. Last reviewed 2026-09-01. Model confidence: 87%. The local ROI and payback below are modelled estimates, not Starbucks disclosures or guarantees.

Starbucks in Los Angeles: frequently asked answers

Where is the best location for a Starbucks in Los Angeles?

Downtown LA scores 82/100 for coffee shop / specialty café locations in Los Angeles, ahead of Venice (75/100) and Highland Park (67/100). Scores rank footfall, competition, rent and business-type fit across 6 mapped neighbourhoods.

Which areas of Los Angeles rank highest for a coffee shop?

Downtown LA (82/100), Venice (75/100), Highland Park (67/100). Ranking last reviewed 2026-09-01 by WhereToOpen.ai.

How much does it cost to open a coffee shop in Los Angeles?

Starbucks's sourced investment is not publicly disclosed for Licensed-store markets. A local coffee shop / specialty café category benchmark runs €65,000 - €180,000, with commercial rent around $4,000-20,000/month. These figures have different scopes and are shown separately.

How long does a coffee shop in Los Angeles take to break even?

Starbucks does not publicly disclose a verified break-even period. The WhereToOpen.ai local scenario is 10-22 months, with modelled annual ROI of 37-57%. This is a model, not a brand claim or guarantee.

How competitive is Los Angeles for this category?

The local competition index is 58/100 averaged over 6 mapped neighbourhoods (higher means more crowded).

Which area of Los Angeles should a Starbucks franchisee avoid?

Silver Lake scores lowest at 50/100 for this category: crowded market.

Keep exploring

All cities for a Starbucks franchise →Opening a coffee shop / specialty café in Los Angeles →Starbucks cost source →

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