Deciding between Cities - Need Help

Hey All, I have two offers after 2-3 YE in IB but having a hard time deciding between the two. I'm 25 years old and single for reference.


VC Associate (software) - $120k - all-in in Chicago

PE Associate (business services): $300k all-in in Los Angeles


I am thinking I will make more money in Chicago because of Low Taxes / Low COL. Plus, I hear Chicago has the best weather during the summer, whereas LA has really terrible dry air year round. Plus LA is just too expensive, home prices are crazy there (home prices are super important to me as a single 25 year old), and taxes are 4% higher there which will really eat into the additional $180k I will make in the LA job.


Anyways, leaning towards Chicago, but just wanted to check in with WSO to confirm. Happy thanksgiving

 
Most Helpful

Bro PE for $300K in LA hands down easiest decision of your life. 

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

Here's the thing, COL in Chicago is literally so low that it makes up for $180k of income differential between the opportunities. You can get an 8000 SF house in Chicago for like $500k whereas in LA, a 2k SF apartment is $2mil. Since I'm 25 and will be buying a house in about 10 years, this is a huge concern for me.

I really think the $120k job in Chi-town is the only way to go and the other commenters are dead wrong. I'm not hearing any explanation for why I'm wrong. Plus all my bros from Cincinatti, Ohio State, Michigan State, etc will be there.

 

Don't feed the troll, this is idiotic. Barring other factors (i.e. family / friends), LA is clearly the better offer here

Guy is just trying to crap on Chicago as it's well recognized that living there gets you very high value for money. That said, it's clearly not going to be enough for a 180k gap. I would take making 200k in Chicago vs 300k in NYC / SF any day of the week but Chicago vs. LA is going to be a lower COL differential 

 

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