Many people love to live in big cities, and it’s no surprise. The glamour and sophistication, as well as the surplus of entertainment, attractions, and the chance to meet new people can prove powerful attractors when drawing in residents. However, if you’re going to move to a big city, you have to consider which one. The U.S. has many sprawling urban areas now. New York and Boston own the East Coast and San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle dominate the West, but you can’t count out the middle of the country. Midwest cities like Detroit and Chicago are more than worth considering; they may actually be the heaviest contenders.
Chicago and New York are often seen as having something of a rivalry. While many New Yorkers feel that Chicago is less sophisticated or shouldn’t be considered a proper rival, there are actually many advantages to living in the Windy City over the Big Apple. The first to come to mind is definitely the cost of living. Anywhere in the Midwest will be cheaper than coastal prices, and even larger urban areas are no exception. It is vastly cheaper to rent a better apartment in Chicago than a worse apartment in New York, both for location and condition. The median rent in Chicago is $200 cheaper, and anyone who has struggled for rent knows that that can be a huge difference.
While rent is the most noticeable expense difference, there are others to consider. Utilities, food, and even health care all cost more in New York than in Chicago. In the current economy, these expenses add up quickly, and many find that the difference in cost is more than enough reason to pick one city over the other.
If it is culture you’re concerned about, Chicago might not have Broadway, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have plenty to offer. You can find many museums and parks, usually in close proximity to your apartment. The parks are big, too, even if they are less nationally known than Central Park. These same apartments also allow easy access to the sports stadiums.
Obviously, no large city is perfect, but those who love urban environments have already accepted the logistic issues inherent in having so many people in a relatively small area of land. If you are looking for a city that has all the advantages of a metropolitan area and avoids many of the common pitfalls, Chicago is the choice for you. While the city holds the entertainment choices and vibrant atmosphere of a large city, it remains convenient to move around and relatively inexpensive. Residents can access nature just a short distance from their apartments and then return to the city atmosphere for shopping at famous boutiques or lunch at renowned restaurants, all without completely emptying their wallets.
Source: BusinessInsider.com
Connect with Lincoln Property Company on Google+
