with $100k coming in, swapping out of New York
changea dispatch from
chicago
IL
41.88°N
87.63°W
Chicago is deep-dish for tourists, thin-crust tavern style for locals, and a hot dog that absolutely will not have ketchup on it. The L rumbles overhead, the lakefront stretches for 18 unbroken miles of beach and trail, and the architecture boat tour is the single best $50 you'll spend. Summer in Chicago might be the best summer in America. The improv comedy gene pool is unmatched.
in our guides
the verdict
cheaper each month than New York
Move to Chicago and the monthly math gets easier. New York's rent is the headline; Chicago's is a footnote.
a quick ledger.
$2,170/mo
35% cheaper than New York(vs $3,329/mo)
4.95%
$482/mo less in state tax than New York
vs 10.73% in New York
$5,751/mo
$1,641 more than New York
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$365k
51% cheaper than New York
vs $739k in New York
9.3M
vs 19.5M in New York
field notes, weather & such.
153
pleasant days a year, in chicago.
New York has the edge here, logging 171 pleasant days a year. Winter shows up, though: 38 days below 20° vs New York's 19.
67% fewer events than New York. The pace eases up.
70/100
10% lower than New York
vs 78/100 in New York
Closest outdoor draw: Indiana Dunes National Park, 27.2 mi.
100/100
0% lower than New York
vs 100/100 in New York
217
1% more than New York
vs 215 nonstops in New York
cities that play in chicago's register:
compare chicago with:
