Where should I move? Thinking of Chicago and California

[dkjordan23]

I've lived in Houston for 13 years, I'm 21 now. My immediate family is here, but no other fam. Anyway, I think I may be ready for a move. The firm I am interning for has offices nationwide, and I may have an opportunity to move to a new city if I start full time with the firm a year from now. I am thinking of Chicago and the west coast in general (SF, San Diego, San Jose, maybe LA area).
I know the cost of living I am used to in Houston will be much different. However, I plan to live in an apartment, where if I have a roommate, I'm hoping differences in rent will not be too significant (I anticipate 300-400 more per month in rent than in Houston. Which may be okay, because salary is  ~3000-4000 higher in these more expensive cities). Besides rent, gas prices, and state taxes that we dont have in Texas, will there be that much of a difference in the cost of living? 

I've visited Chicago several times, its been a great place to visit, but dont know what living there may be like. I've never been to California in my life. I'm ignorant about life there, besides research I've done online, friends in Cali who I've talked to. So just want some input from some NTer's. Chicago/SF/San Diego/LA/other areas in Cali, where's the best place to start off living on my own, experience and cost being taken into consideration?

 

[kbweezy24]

well it depends what youre really looking for. I cant speak on Chicago, but I lived in LA up until 3 weeks ago (moved to NY for school) and I could never have asked for anything more. Youre right, the cost of living will be slightly higher, but what are you willing to spend? do you have a car? and are you looking for a poppin city? or just a nice place to live and work?

Ive always wanted to live in SF, but its slightly more expensive than the LA area, and San Diego is probably the same.
IMO, i think SF would be the most intriguing place to live on the west coast.

 

[i am that dude]

It will be more than slightly higher in California. Everything costs more there, even gas tends to be about 30 to 40 cents higher there at any given point. Houston has one of the most affordable big city cost of livings in the country. LA is like on the other side of the spectrum with NY and like Seattle. I don't know how much you make now, but I'll just use 60k. 60k in Houston goes further than 65k in LA. I promise you. To achieve the same standard of living, you are going to need a far more substantial raise.

 

[heavenlee777]

It really depends on what you are looking for.

Chicago's apartments range in prices, it depends where you want to live. It can be as low as $400-500 a month.
If you live in a recently gentrified area, it's really nice and cheap but the area is a little sketchy.
People talk about how the crime is bad in Chicago, but if you don't wander into the bad neighborhoods and stay safe, then you should be fine.
I've been to Los Angeles, and the reason why I liked Chicago better was because LA's public transportation system is really bad, and it seems like you need to drive in order to get around. But in Chicago the public transportation system is great, it's just a little expensive.

Chicago also has the highest sales tax in the nation (a little over 10%).
Gas prices are around $4-5, and if you plan on living in the suburbs and driving to the city, there is at least one $0.80 tollway.
There are constant construction on the highways because of the 4 seasons.
People say our Winters are extremely bad, but I just think it's lengthy.
Chicago also has 4 seasons, which is amazing I think.
The cityscape is beautiful as well.

Chicago is also a great sports town: Bulls (Conference Finals), Bears (Conference Finals), Blackhawks ('10 Stanley Cup), Cubs (Wrigley Field), White Sox ('05 World Series).
There is a great bar scene, and a lot of unique neighborhoods that have their own culture and identity.
Chicago was also the only US city in a worldwide list of having the best restaurants.
There are a lot of festivals too.
If you like music: Pitchfork, Lollapalooza, North Coast, Millenium Park has free concerts over the summer, and there is at least one big concert per week.
There is the Taste of Chicago and many other things similar.
There is a lot of hipsters haha.

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Looking at your list, you have a very hard decision to make haha.
I've been to California once, it was Los Angeles, and it was a great city.
The food is amazing and stores are great.
Compared to Chicago, the people were more friendly and the weather was a lot nicer.
One bad thing was the drivers in LA were so erratic and dangerous haha, and I heard LA has really expensive rents.

A person I met on the airplane there told me how San Diego and San Francisco are better than LA, so you should do some heavy research.

If you want to experience life in the city, I think you should choose Chicago haha.
But all the cities you named are great.
I hope this helps, good luck to you!

 

[al audi]

wow chicago sales tax is OD

also its gets cold as brick at there from what i understand

cali>

its where i wanna move within 2 years myself.

 

[ogbobbyjohnson773]

Originally Posted by heavenlee777

Chicago is also a great sports town: Bulls (Conference Finals), Bears (Conference Finals), Blackhawks ('10 Stanley Cup), Cubs (Wrigley Field), White Sox ('05 World Series).

Of course the only reference for the Cubs is their stadium

 

[frankl1001]

chicago

only if you can handle this

 

[wawaweewa]

Come to NYC.

I've lived here all of my life and I hate on it but if you want a big city there's none bigger or more diverse.

 

[montellgriffin97]

since im from chicago, and now i live in California, id say Cali. I go back and forth throughout the year though.

 

[kaycurrency]

Originally Posted by heavenlee777


if you plan on living in the suburbs and driving to the city, there is at least one $0.80 tollway.


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Not true...I live in the west burbs and I take 290east to the city....no tolls

Chicago is a beautiful city, If you decide to move around the city area... try to move up north or in Oak Park...Or if you're ballin' just get an apartment downtown....but you're lookin at $1200-$1400...and thats just studio Prices

 

[i live in texas]

Chicago is probably the most underrated city in America.

 

[Peep Game]

Hell, if your firm had any new openings in Houston, plus the salary increase, I would just stay there. But if you are firmly about moving to either
Cali or Chcago, I would so somewhere in Cali, cause it seems like you could easily find a place there that's similar to Houston

 

[witnesskb24]

I'd go to Cali.

OP you will HATE winters here (I don't actually live in Chicago, just south of it), they are ridiculous.


Yes I would totally move somewhere else just because of weather, come at me

 

[nawlinsjunkie]

SF and LA are both great places to move to so I did a little comparison of the two to give you a general idea

Nightlife: LA (SF has good options but LA has way more)
Cuisine: Tie
Weather: depends. If you like hot/warmer weather, LA. If you're like me and like moderate weather (60-75 degrees) then SF. Either way the weather in both cities>anywhere in the US
Transportation: SF by far. You can take the BART and Muni, or you can walk since the city is condensed and everything is nearby.
Shopping: I guess LA has more high end stores so if you're into that, LA. For the average person I'd say a tie
Beaches: LA (although they're dirty as @#$%

).
Cost of Living: LA is slightly cheaper, but not by much.
Jobs: SF, especially if you work in the financial sector or are an engineer. Of course it's hard to find a job anywhere nowadays
Pollution: SF. That @#$% in LA is NOT fog

Both cities are good choices and only a 6 hour drive/1 hour flight away from each other, so you can take advantage of everything they have to offer.

 

[dkjordan23]

great info so far everyone, I appreciate it. I'll definitely be considering all this in my decision.

For those of you talking about the winters in Chicago, I know what I'd bein for, and I know they are brutal hahaha I've been at school the past four years 2 hours east of chicago, so im no stranger to the horrible winters haha And Im taking that into consideration. At the same time though, I don't like the weather in Houston during most of the year. And I may almost prefer the four seasons of the north despite the harsh winters.

peepgame, I understand what you're saying about staying in Houston. But I actually meant that if I move, the firm pays a higher salary in more expensive cities to compensate for the higher cost of living. If I stayed in Houston, my salary would be at least a few g's lower.

Any more input is appreciated! Does anyone have anything to say about the people in these cities? Down to earth, rude, friendly, hospitable, cut throat, fake, etc? Even if not applicable to everyone there. For example, I've heard that a lot of people in LA are very rude and only out for themselves, despite supposedly being a "laid back" west coast city.