Chicago vs. NYC
I have narrowed down my options, looking to move to one of these cities after graduation. I have friends and family in NYC, so that will weigh into my decision quite a bit, but considering I have lived the suburban life since I was very young, I thought maybe Chicago may be a less overwhelming option. I'm certainly looking for a change to a city environment, and to be honest, I think either will provide me the change that I'm looking for. Some people say Chicago cant compare as far as things to do with NYC, but for someone coming from living in Florida all his life, anything will be a huge step up.
I have some concerns regarding the COL. I'll only be making a big 4 auditor's salary. From what I've read and seen on various calculators, NYC is much more expensive than Chicago. One from CNN equated $50,000 in Chicago to $79,000 in Brooklyn, and $95,000 in Manhattan. Is Chicago really this much cheaper? I would pay a little bit of a premium to be around friends and family, and to be within short distance to my NY sports teams, but if the difference is that great it would be illogical for me to do so.
One more thing, I've also heard that people are much friendlier in Chicago, from people looking to be friends to approachability of women to date. I've been told it has to do partially with the fact that Chicago is a little slower of a city. I know this is obviously a very subjective thing, but anyone who's lived in both cities for any time can probably comment on it.
If anyone has any input, feel free to share. Had been leaning Chicago for quite some time, but I visited NYC this past weekend and it was great to see friends and family I hadnt seen in a while. That would be nice to do often. But obviously thats not my only criteria.





I moved to Chicago from
I moved to Chicago from Florida a little over 3 years ago. It's been great. In terms of the "speed" of the city, you wont notice a difference between here and NYC if you've lived in Florida your whole life. It's reasonably priced as well.
I'd go with chicago, but then
I'd go with chicago, but then again I would live almost anywhere before I moved to nyc. chicago is really a great city overall and the people are much friendlier.
Chicago is cold and windy...
Chicago is cold and windy...
To the starving man, beans are caviar
New York City.
New York City.
New York City.
New York City.
If you're concerned about
If you're concerned about cost of living, Chicago is your answer hands-down. Everything is cheaper, your quality of life will be higher, plus you have immediate access to Lake Michigan and all the activities it offers. Weather can be a downside, but New York winters aren't pretty either. The girls are less tight-wound, too.
A lot of people do certain things to add days to their life. I do things to add life to my days.
Chicago is better for COL and
Chicago is better for COL and has hotter girls.
NYC wins out in terms of career opportunities, cultural amenities, restaurants, and being around really smart interesting people (if that's your thing). Also, NYC's winters are not as bad as Chicago's.
Having lived in both, I would
Having lived in both, I would do Chicago. A Big 4 audit salary would go a lot further here. But if you are looking into finance exit ops after 2 years in audit, it will be easier to network/interview in NYC.
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I currently live in Chicago
I currently live in Chicago (and went to school here), and I would take Chicago over NYC any day of the week. I spent 2 out of the last 3 summers in NYC, and while it is a good time for a few months, living there every day would not be ideal in my opinion. I pay cheap rent for an incredible nice apartment in Lincoln Park (all-in w/ bills I pay half of what my NYC buddies pay for closets in NYC, and my apartment is not only much nicer, it is A LOT bigger). Plus I have much more fun in Chicago than NYC. It's cleaner, less crowded, hotter girls in my opinion, significantly less douchey, bars are less crowded (in a good way), and the spring/summer environment in Chicago with the lake and the festivals blows NYC out of the water.
All of that being said, if I could move to a more exciting job within the bank I work at, I would drop everything and move to NYC in a heart beat. I would want to be back in Chicago by my late 20's (I'm 22 now), but the early career movements in finance in NYC, especially within the big banks, trump that of Chicago by leaps and bounds.
At the end of the day, do what you think would be best for the career. When you're young that is really all that matters. Both cities are playgrounds for anyone in their 20's, so that isn't an issue. If you bust your ass for 2-5 years and impress the right people, then you can worry about basing your next move on location, but career matters more now.
I would agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong.
I'm moving to Chicago after
I'm moving to Chicago after grad school and I'm absolutely pumped about it - I've been there 15+ times over the past couple years so I knew it was a good fit and where I wanted to be. Have you ever been to Chicago? If so, was it recently? ... I'd be interested to hear your opinion on the city in general, but I'll give you a pitch for it as well.
"If you're concerned about cost of living, Chicago is your answer hands-down. Everything is cheaper, your quality of life will be higher..."
QUALITY OF LIFE (i.e. stress, money problems, lack of sleep, etc) is key and often gets overlooked. I know some people in NYC making around a Big 4 salary and with their compensation one of two problems inevitably comes up and stresses them out every single day:
1) They live in a great location, prime area in Manhattan, very short commute... BUT the rent just destroys their paychecks. Now they have to worry about pinching pennies everyday and can't enjoy everything that their prime location has to offer.
2) Their rent is more affordable so they aren't as stressed about money on a day to day basis and have a little more financial freedom ... BUT they live in a not so nice area, or they live further away (i.e. NJ) and their commute is very long so they lose 2+ extra hours of their day in commute time, don't sleep as much as they could if they lived closer... also they have a tougher time outperforming those who live closer because they can't be in the office at the drop of a hat and also have shown up late multiple times due to commuting issues.
Anyway, I know all that simply means that trade-offs exist but they are MUCH less severe in Chicago. I know someone paying less than $1,000/mo for a studio in Old Town (a very nice, fun, cool neighborhood about 1.5 miles north of the Loop) and his commute is a 15 minute train/subway ride. Also, he had very little time to find a place and put in minimal effort and found a place like this... no chance any of this is happening in NYC.
Chicago is a Cadillac, NYC is
Chicago is a Cadillac, NYC is a Mercedes. Just depends which you prefer
I lived in NYC for several
I lived in NYC for several years out of undergrad and live in Chicago now. I am chomping at the bit to get back to NYC. It's just a completely different city with a completely different vibe. Chicago is a bit slower, more friendly, and more cost effective, but after tasting New York it is definitely a solid step backward (for me specifically, not trying to argue Chicago is objectively worse). New York is just an insanely special place and I really think everyone who gets the opportunity to live there should give it a shot.
However, an important caveat is that NYC is much harder to build a network of close friends in. I moved with my SO, so that made it easier, but even then it took us over a year to settle down into a close group of friends that we saw frequently and went out with often. Chicago is a bit easier in that respect as far as I've seen. So if you are someone that has a tough time making friends, or if you feel like you'll be miserable if you don't have a close group of friends for awhile, NYC can be pretty tough to stomach. I still think it's worth it. There is no other place in the world like it.
Boothorbust: I still think
I still think it's worth it. There is no other place in the world like it.
I honestly never understood this mentality for NYC. Sure, it has good food but if you travel enough you would have tasted enough authentic food of different cuisines to put nyc to shame. Partying? There are far better international cities than nyc. Historical sites? I would take boston over NYC. Career progression? This is probably the one thing nyc is good fod but that just means it's the financial hub of the US...that doesn't make it a cool place to live. I've lived in quite a few cities (NYC included) and could never understand why people thought NYC was so great.
I'm slowly starting to hate
I'm slowly starting to hate NYC more and more. So, there's that...
I hate victims who respect their executioners
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Macroecon: Chicago is better
1/2 of the WSO Bash Brothers
"Licensed to Ill It"
We all know Bro J did it...
BlackHat: I'm slowly starting
I'm a lover, not a fighter, but I'm also a fighter, so don't get any ideas.
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SirTradesaLot: BlackHat: I'
I hate victims who respect their executioners
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neomanxllp: Boothorbust: I
neomanxllp: Boothorbust: I
JDawg: Seems like Chicago is
You get what you pay
You get what you pay
IvyGrad: You get what you pay
IvyGrad: You get what you pay
I would agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong.
Put it this way, if you
IvyGrad: Put it this way, if
^ Dude. The thread is about
I hear a lot of people who
BlackHat: I'm slowly starting
pick em, lick em, stick em
Art.Vandelay: I hear a lot of
The Kid: Art.Vandelay: I
Art.Vandelay: I hear a lot of
1/2 of the WSO Bash Brothers
"Licensed to Ill It"
We all know Bro J did it...
Honestly the vibe between the
IvyGrad: Wait. If the cost of
rufiolove: Art.Vandelay: I
I would agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong.
rufiolove: You aren't going
Art.Vandelay: rufiolove: Y
1/2 of the WSO Bash Brothers
"Licensed to Ill It"
We all know Bro J did it...
Yeah, you won't save anything
IvyGrad: Yeah, you won't save
Art.Vandelay: IvyGrad: Yeah
1/2 of the WSO Bash Brothers
"Licensed to Ill It"
We all know Bro J did it...
I would go with Chicago. For
No San Francisco? In my
triplectz: No San Francisco?
Since you will be on a Big 4
Not everyone in NYC is