Chicago vs San Francisco? What place to choose when moving for a better life? Let’s start with the fact WHO WANTS TO LIVE here or there, and that is a complex area as affordability plays a part, and the fallacy is that all the ‘good’ cities are not at all affordable. According to Forbes world class cities research there are some criteria to compare Chicago vs San Francisco:
- Roots and rich history (incidentally, both were rebuilt after a great fire!)
- Major sports arena and ‘home team’. Regular world class tournaments
- Major events and facilities on music, opera etc
- Tourism attractions – museums, famous city buildings etc
- Major employers – good source of well paid middle and upper tier jobs
- Air quality, natural attractions (Bay for SFO, Lake Michigan for Chicago)
- Literary society, major newspapers. Universal name recognition in the world.
- Sizeable and sustained population. Shopping. New high rise constructions going on (or equiv sign of city revitalizing work).
- Domestic transportation hub, subway or similar mass transit plus at least one large “gateway class” airport for international travel. Chicago perhaps gets a bit better score on this, because of the location advantage in the middle. We can note it is the biggest Amtrak long distance trains hub.
- “like to live there” feeling in the new generation too.
Living in San Francisco
San Francisco is turning into a monocultural city despite its beauty and the economic dynamism coming from its proximity to SiliconValley. Some say that San Francisco far exceeds Chicago’s attractiveness for a few reasons. First, Illinois? Come on..California is the place to be. In just a couple hours from SF you have beaches or mountains, forests, deserts, trees that touch the sky. As a moving company we know the most painful points of those who is moving that is why we have prepared the list of most important facts about SF:
- San Francisco is some of the most expensive real estate in the world. Be prepared to spend more than you’ve ever spent in your life for a house unless you’re coming from Tokyo, Hong Kong, London or NYC. Rents are astronomical and home prices are in the ridiculous category. $1M is entry level to the housing market here.
- The weather is cool year round and more comfortable than Chicago in the Winter and Summer. Chicago gets more of a true summer, but if you drive just a few miles outside of SF, it will be hot and sunny most summer days.
- There are way too many tech guys in SF, so dating can be extremely challenging for guys between the ages of 21 and 45. If you’re a guy that fits this demographic, don’t say I didn’t warn you.
- The economy is crazy—millionaires are made here daily. The cost of living reflects that. That said, you’d better be in tech, involved in a well-funded start-up, or own a really hot restaurant if you want to play in the big leagues here.
SF has the most beautiful countryside in the US surrounding it. When weekends come you’ll be in the same place that people fly in from all over the world to see. Yosemite, Tahoe, Napa, Sonoma, Big Sur, Mendocino, Carmel… the list goes on. If you can deal with the traffic, you’ll be on vacation in paradise every weekend. - People in SF can seem angry and unwelcoming. I think it’s because they are working themselves to death to pay their mortgages. Seriously, I’ve been flipped off for offering someone the right of way at a stop sign. I’ve been cursed at for driving the speed limit. You’ve been warned.
- Traffic is terrible here, too—it ranks the 5th worst in the country, so slightly better than Chicago. We’re splitting hairs here, they are both maddening to drive in during rush hour.
- The city of SF is stunningly beautiful—it may have the single most beautiful landscape for a large-sized city in the world. Take a step back and in most places, your view will look like a postcard.
- SF is HIGHLY international. It’s like the UN exploded. It’s incredibly diverse and you’ll meet a variety of people from all over the world who have been drawn there by the tech scene.
- The homeless problem is the worst in the country. Most homeless in other cities will ask you for money and even thank you if you say no. I’ve had my life threatened here multiple times for not giving money. I’ve been followed down the street by people screaming at me who were clearly mentally ill, but living on the streets of SF. Be prepared for that, especially on Market St, around the Ferry Building, and in North Beach.
Living in Chicago
As you look down the various lists Chicago is almost always listed as a top 10 city, San Francisco is not. Chicago was an epicenter of northern migration from the South, saw the development of electric blues, rock, and made a huge contribution to the development of popular music. It was the birthplace of the skyscraper, and still is an exceptional city in terms of architecture and art. Chicago has a well-developed civic culture, museums all over, a word-class art museum, a great waterfront, and is affordable for ordinary people. It currently has huge challenges on the South Side, a murder rate of major proportions, a pensions crisis, and many other challenges—it also has a beautiful and “real” downtown that puts San Francisco’s to shame, complete with world-class new architecture and public art. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is one of the Big Five in the United States and is consistently ranked as one of the best orchestras in the world. Also:
- Chicago is a lot less expensive. It’s less than half the cost of SF to buy a home there. For $600K, you can get a nice two-bedroom place downtown with a killer view. The worst house in SF—on the outskirts and a teardown—was listed at $600K.
- Chicago has a much harsher winter, but also has a great waterfront lifestyle similar to SF. Summers are awesome in Chicago. There are lots of festivals and fun things to do around the lake and parks.
- There are more women in Chicago so it’s much easier for men to find a partner there.
- Chicago has a more balanced economy and isn’t based as much on tech and tourism as SF is.
- Chicago has far fewer fun places to go on weekends than SF does. Chicago is a cultural oasis in the midwest. Unless you like Milwaukee or corn fields, it loses this category BIG time to SF.
- Chicago people are more down to earth. It will be easier here to talk about things other than the work you do, which is almost an obsession in SF.
- Chicago is international, but not as international as SF. You’ll find more people from the US have transferred there instead of people from other countries.
- Traffic in Chicago is terrible—the 3rd worst in the country.
- The city is fun, affordable, down-to-earth and beautiful. Most people who visit in the summer fall in love with it.
- The museums in Chicago are world-class. Even if you don’t like museums, you’d like theirs.
- The homeless population is large, but not threatening.
San Francisco vs Chicago when moving
San Francisco has UCSF and Berkeley just across the bay, but Chicago has The University of Chicago (from Bellow to Friedman) and Northwestern close by. Chicago is a reader’s and writer’s city in a way that SF is not. Chicago has many Fortune 500 firms, is a financial hub, and is a transportation giant, with 30% of all US train traffic passing through it. It has a talented and diverse workforce—both cities are in the top 20 in % of college grads (SF at 43%, Chicago at 32%—but Chicago has a far larger population). For a new immigrant it would be almost impossible to live in San Francisco, but there are many new immigrants in Chicago that find a way of living in the city, and after a few years they don’t move to the suburbs because they feel comfortable here.
We can see both cities score well and ‘neck to neck’ on almost all criteria above. So, comparing Chicago vs San Francisco, we can claim that BOTH ARE EQUALLY GREAT as a world class city for moving and living. Having years of experience in moving business we know where to start and our best advice is not to waste time. Planning your budget using our moving cost calculator is also one of the important steps. Check moving companies reviews and choose a suitable mover who you can afford. Check our blog for fresh moving tips or watch helpful moving tips at our Youtube channel and good luck with your move!
No Comments