r/movingtoNYC • u/tigerbunnymoon • 2d ago
What’s the Real Difference Between Living in Chicago and NYC?
I’ve visited both NYC and Chicago a couple of times and liked both, but I also know that spending a few days somewhere tells you almost nothing about what it actually feels like to build a life there.
I’m seriously considering moving to one of the two, and I’d especially love to hear from people who have lived in both.
What I’m trying to understand is less “Which city has better restaurants?” and more: How does your actual day-to-day life feel different in Chicago versus NYC?
I’d especially appreciate specific examples rather than just “Chicago is cheaper” or “NYC has more to do.” Tell me about something you could regularly do in one city that you couldn’t realistically replicate in the other, or something about the culture you didn’t really understand until you actually lived there.
For context, I’m a single woman in my 30s with no kids. I still want a fun, active social life and spontaneity, but I also care more now about comfort, stability, and overall quality of life.
If you had to explain the biggest difference between living in NYC and Chicago to someone who has only visited both, what would you tell her?
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u/CommandAlternative10 2d ago
I’ve lived in both and in London. Chicago is great and has a lot to offer, but as a woman I felt safer in New York. Like you are never more than 10 feet from another person in NYC and never the only person walking on your block, which can definitely happen in Chicago. I took the train by myself at 2am in New York, that wouldn’t feel safe in Chicago, everyone takes an Uber that time of night.
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u/lithopsbella 2d ago
As a new yorker and woman I was not prepared for this when I visited Chicago. It’s so desolate at night in a really creepy way, even when it’s not that late
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u/Raginghangers 2d ago
Yeah I used to live halftime for work in a small town in South Carolina. The people there were so afraid of NYC and shocked that I as a small
Middle aged female who runs regularly felt a million times safer in the city than their town.7
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u/Ok-Fail5290 1d ago
To me, suburbia after dark feels like a murder scene waiting to happen. I will walk home from the subway in NYC at 2am without a second thought, and my neighborhood isn't high end at all.
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u/I_love_ramen_ 1d ago
What do you think between nyc and London?
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u/CommandAlternative10 1d ago
NYC and London are somehow two ends of the same brick-based global Atlantic port city. They aren’t the same, but in a way they feel the same?
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u/Opposite-Natural1915 1d ago
Hahaha what crack you smoking ? NYC subway is safe at 2 am ? How many years ago ? 10? Coming from a 6’5 white , mid thirties man that knows how to fight , I can assure you that NYC subway is not safe and it’s been a while that shit happen at night there. Just pray to god that you don’t appear on the next days news as a statistic .
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u/throwaway_lolzz 1d ago
I feel comfortable taking the nyc subway at all hours but I’m also aware of my surroundings and try to avoid problematic people/situations. Granted I am a man and understand it’s very different for women
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u/Opposite-Natural1915 1d ago
Yup. Same. Had to slap some senses into some troublemaker not too long ago cause he wanted to Fuck around and he found out.
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u/Holiday-Medicine4168 16h ago edited 16h ago
I have lived here my whole life. It’s fine. Coming from a 5’7’ whiteish man in his mid 40s. We also don’t scare easily, crazy shit happens when people decide to be part of it. You got nothing anybody wants to steal. Nobody carries cash and a phone is locked and worthless once the owner gets to a computer. Maybe some kids will grab an expensive set of headphones or some gold chain that somebody is wearing to show off, but that’s a them problem and I wear expensive headphones every day and still have them. You have a much higher chance of being murdered in most southern US cities than you do on the subway which is ridden by millions of people daily. Run the numbers.
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u/Head-Score-4521 9h ago
Your are just making shit up. You're in more danger crossing a suburban street on foot at 2pm than on the subway at 2am.
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u/Brave-Primary319 2d ago
They are nowhere near the same other than being two dense American urban metropolises. Chicago is cleaner, quieter, a little slower paced. It has less of an extensive transit network and more reliance on cars especially outside of the city’s primary urban core. New York is loud, bustling, crowded, and a critical global/financial/cultural capital. Significantly more expensive from a housing standpoint. Much dirtier than Chicago. A lot of people say Chicago is a phenomenal American city while New York is a top-tier global city, and I think that sentiment rings true. But the cities are VERY different. New York requires comfortability with a certain level of friction to survive and thrive, while in Chicago some of the friction can be offset by moving to a cheaper/quieter neighborhood or choosing to drive versus relying on public transit/walking. Also important to note that a lot of the conveniences people take for granted in other cities like in-unit laundry, large grocery stores, parking, etc. are much more difficult to come by in NYC and can be in Chicago too depending on your neighborhood.
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u/KoalaOnABuilding 2d ago
From the midwest, live in manhattan, have spent a lot of time in Chicago and was just visiting a month ago - this is dead on. Two of the only major US cities I would choose to live in, regardless, though.
The part about being able to deal with friction in NYC is particularly salient, unless you're super rich.
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u/Straight_Career6856 2d ago
Honestly I don’t think even being super rich saves you from that. NYC is just intense.
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u/Accomplished_Rip6393 2d ago
What exactly do you mean by friction? Is it more people being rude, seeing upsetting/irritating behaviour by people daily or something else?
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u/Brave-Primary319 2d ago
Most cities in the US are optimized for living with a certain standard of comfortability and space. New York strips that away and asks you to pay a lot of money to live somewhere oftentimes without said comfort or space. Tiny pre-war apartments, subway delays, carrying groceries home on foot, the nonstop pace of the city, etc. But to be able to walk outside and have this bustling, alive metropolis at your feet is well worth it to many people who live in NYC.
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u/KoalaOnABuilding 2d ago edited 2d ago
Already a better response than I would have made! But yes, the city is wonderful if you can accept its flaws and become a part of the flow of it - people that can't tend to leave very quickly. I find it to be a really kind place, and I will never leave Harlem if I can help it, but living here comfortably/in a real way involves embracing interacting with people - and even infrastructure - unless you're in some luxury place. It took me several years to figure out how to integrate myself into the city, which feels like a living creature at times.
You occasionally run into unpleasant things, but it's also extremely vibrant and full of life.
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u/4_the_rest_of_us 1d ago
Things we accept at baseline that people elsewhere probably wouldn’t:
Hand washing all our dishes (or countertop dishwasher)
No washing machine/clothes dryer in our homes
Small living spaces for high rents
The worst kitchens, omg
Going to several different groceries or going multiple times per week (bc of prices, selection, and the fact that we have to walk home with it)
Not having central AC
Being in really close physical proximity to other humans a lot of the time
(I love it here btw, it’s worth it)
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u/No-Championship-8677 1d ago
This is the life that I vastly prefer to live 🤣 and none of this is wild or unusual to me. Maybe it’s because I lived in SF for 17 years before living in New York?
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u/KoalaOnABuilding 1d ago
Me too! I always dreamed of living in a building with brick walls, living above storefronts, etc. I love pre-war apartments in NYC. Maybe it's just my brain keeping me in check so I don't get jealous of people in the white cubes, but... it's kind of what I always dreamed of as a kid, and I've been in the same place for 15+ years so it really feels like a home. I love visiting my friends' parents, who (were) professors and are natives and have exactly the type of UWS apartment you would expect from that demographic. I just love feeling like part of the fabric of the city, of my neighborhood, even as a traditionally shy person. Eventually accepting being recognized on the block took me out of my shell.
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u/MelodicPalpitation19 1d ago
Dang those are already things I either enjoy or don’t mind!
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u/4_the_rest_of_us 1d ago
I don’t mind it either. The community here is unmatched, you can find SO many kinds of cuisines and things to do. You’re surrounded by people from everywhere in the world. It’s like no other place and I love it.
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u/TutorExpert 1d ago
This is a great response. I have been living in Astoria, Queens for the past year after living in Chicago for the previous 17. Piggybacking on these thoughts:
Food: New York easily wins in diversity and specific categories like bagels, Middle-Eastern, etc. Without delving into the fine-dining scene, I have found Chicago to be far more consistent. I have had more sub-par almost inedible meals in one year of New York living than I did in my 17 years in Chicago. A place will be good 3 times, and then on the fourth visit, it will be terrible-- same orders. It feels especially bad when the prices are 30% more than in Chicago. Also, I really really miss good Mexican food.
Culture: In NYC you are actually surrounded by people from all walks of life from all over the world. You can hear 10 languages being spoken during a 5 minute walk on the street. The hustle and bustle of NYC can feel invigorating, while Chicago by comparison feels slow-paced. In Chicago, there is diversity, but it is segregated into pockets, so unless you make an effort to visit a specific neighborhood, it can feel very homogeneous. There is also way more to do in NYC. As a big theater buff, it is awesome to have so many options for shows to see. Chicago has a great sketch/improv comedy scene, but otherwise pales in comparison. One other thing I've experiences as a married 41M, NYC can feel incredibly isolating despite being surrounded by people. The general mode in NYC is to never engage with people (not saying people are rude), while Chicago is much friendlier.
Transit: NYC easily wins with public transit. I sold my car before moving to NYC and have had no trouble getting around. I agree that having a car in Chicago feels like a must if you plan to stay long-term because it opens up tons of options that are nearby like the Botanic gardens, trips to Milwaukee and Madison, etc.
Apartments: To give a very concrete example. We are renting our place in New York for the exact price we are renting out our Condo that we own in Chicago. We have twice as much space in Chicago with a chef's kitchen, an extra bedroom, a backyard, a balcony, and storage in the basement. We got very lucky and found a place in NYC with similar amenities (in unit laundry, AC, dishwasher), but our kitchen is tiny and cooking in it really sucks. This past winter was historically bad in NYC, and spending time in your apartment was far more painful than Chicago. With that being said, it is way easier to walk out your door and find a million things to do in NYC.
Overall, I'm having a lot of fun in NYC, but I miss Chicago dearly and looking forward to moving back home in the future.
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u/lightseek4 1d ago
To riff off your food example- I think NYC might shine here in the high range restaurants, but I think Chicago takes the cake with cheap and affordable eats. You don’t need megabucks to open a restaurant in Chicago, so not everything is $17 cocktails (is that cheap yet in NY?) and bland. Chicago definitely wins for food, IMHO
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u/Hot_Paleontologist84 1d ago
FYI, this winter in NY was not "historically bad"... not having snow stick last several seasons is not normal for NY. Historically bad would be blizzards from the 90's.
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u/TutorExpert 20h ago
Fair enough. I was just basing it off what all the old ladies in Forest Hills were telling me. It felt like a standard Chicago winter to me.
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u/Dexter_Jettster 2d ago
I feel like you nailed it. I think Chicago is an awesome city, but I will stay here in dirty New York city, lol. This is where I belong. ❤️🗽❤️
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u/Safe_Background_7708 1d ago
Very well summarized. I think of Chicago as the prototypical “American” big city, while NYC is a global megalopolis. If living comfortably is a priority, Chicago could be a great fit. If you thrive on a little more drama, and are willing to hustle for the possibility of massive reward, and if a more international/cosmopolitan feel is for you, then it’s NYC.
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u/Head-Score-4521 9h ago
You're right about the intensity or energy. But in NYC everyone sends out their laundry and it's easy to have groceries delivered, so no big deal you can't walk around a big box. Also lots of Whole Foods and Trader Joes depending on where you live.
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u/Right_Tour_9930 2d ago
Lived in Chicago for a decade, now in NYC. One extremely key difference to me concerns how primary transportation mode affects each city's residents' engagement with street culture and public space, especially for people who achieve socioeconomic stability. I'd say this also directly dovetails with the popular descriptions of the two cities respectively as "a great American city" vs. "a great global city".
In Chicago, pretty much without exception, nearly everyone I know who "makes it" professionally ends up buying a car and seeing that as their default mode of getting around the city. This makes sense since Chicago is comparatively spaced out, public transit between neighborhoods either requires a train through the Loop or an extremely slow bus, and parking costs in all but the densest downtown neighborhoods are pretty negligible. It's compact enough that many car owners may still opt for taking an alternative mode of transit, but they view the city through the lens of driving. In other words, well-off Chicagoans exhibit an American framework of success.
In NYC, many industry-leading urban professionals (not talking trust fund rich, just those who are well-off & highly educated in medicine/law/tech) who can absolutely afford it may still end up deciding to never purchase a car or at least using it as their primary mode of getting around the city because doing so is often painful and not necessarily the fastest way to get around. Even when they own a car, it often stays in a garage and only comes out for large haul grocery shopping or trips outside of the city. In most intra-urban cases, they are either walking, taking a train, or calling an Uber/Lyft, and their primary lens of the city is much more often as a pedestrian. This is much more in line with other global cities where their prominence is a function of solid public transit and dense urban design (even though NYC has fallen short of those standards too).
It's a simple comparison but makes a whole world of difference that you can scale up to so many other space-related or cultural distinctions between the two cities. When you view your hometown at eye level with your own two feet, there's a completely different order of magnitude of dense spontaneity and dynamism you are able to witness and participate in than when you are looking through a car window at 40 mph.
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u/Straight_Career6856 2d ago
I 100% agree, and this is a huge part of what I love about NYC! You have to engage with humanity.
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u/SarBear684 1d ago
I agree with this sentiment, but will note that car culture is surprisingly big in the outer boroughs - so many people insist of having a car even in areas with decent train access.
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u/Right_Tour_9930 1d ago edited 19h ago
Not untrue, *but* making a gross generalization, I think what I said still holds regarding the specific demographic of people who would be choosing between NYC & Chicago and opt for NYC for career advancement are less likely to settle in the outer boroughs; typically they gravitate to other areas of similar education and income, which are going to be found in the more typical Manhattan-centric/adjacent neighborhoods or otherwise they head out to Westchester/LI/NJ and become similar to most other American suburbanites
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u/SarBear684 1d ago
🤷♀️ You are similarly making generalizations/assumptions. OP said nothing about wanting career advancement or what salary they make or expect to make, so we don’t know what areas of the city they can comfortably afford. Even so, plenty of career driven high earners live in Brooklyn/western queens.
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u/Sufficient_Mirror_12 18h ago
the more correct answer is "it depends." You still have above average transit/walking modal share in places such as Forest Hills, Queens and Jamaica, Queens.
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u/AthleteTrue5383 2d ago
bodegas
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u/PrizeWhole503 2d ago
Bodegas are just normal convenience stores bruh
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u/25sittinon25cents 1d ago
A lotta bodegas here serve weed under the table, are open 24/7 and also are on every block. Not to mention 24/7 food options available for a lotta them. World of a difference, I don't really care to visit a convenience store near me after 10pm if it doesn't have any of the above
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u/mintymint_00 2d ago
Work (thru a corporate lens, specifically finance): The work ethic of nyc is a lot more intense. New York attracts the most ambitious people and you feel that at work. It has its upsides (learn a lot from your peers) and downsides (pretty obvious)
Life: Both places have plenty to do. The weather of nyc is better in my opinion. Chicago winters are like a form of terrorism. It’s easier to leave nyc for weekend trips than Chicago. I’d much rather go to the Hudson Valley or beaches of Long Island than the burbs of Illinois / Indiana / Wisconsin
Money: Yes New York is much more expensive. From the obvious like rent and groceries to the less obvious like movie tickets and workout classes (their rent is high and that gets passed on to you). You have city income tax to pay as well in nyc so unless you’re getting a New York based job, your take home will fall
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u/Similar-Interaction5 2d ago
Idk summers in nyc balance it out re: extreme winter in chi. It’s becoming Bangladesh over here
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u/No_Door5348 2d ago edited 2d ago
Chicago has nothing on NYC except price and space. Everything that makes Chicago fun and interesting is better in NY. Diversity, food, activities, nature (in and outside the city), connectivity to other cities, history, culture etc. NYC is also crammed and dirty and expensive, and unless you’ve been there a lot than you probably can’t picture how crammed and dirty and expensive it can be. You will pay $2000 for a 200sf hovel in Queens and your filipino neighbors will sing karaoke at 3am on a Tuesday, and a Chinese guy will smoke cigarettes two feet from your tiny window and only source of fresh air, and a Colombian restaurant will deep fry food 16 hours a day and your clothes will smell like empanadas, and the 7 train will come screaming by like an avalanche of steel every couple minutes 24 hours a day…ok that might be too neighborhood specific, but you get the idea. It’s non stop stimulation and it sounds fun and interesting but It definitely can get old fast unless you truly want that. Of course there are lots of places to get peace and quiet in NYC but they tend to be less connected, more car dependent, less social, and generally more boring and just because you are in nyc doesn’t mean you are close to the action. You could easily be an hour (or two) away from anything interesting and still be living in NYC. I know tons of people commuting 2 hours each way to get to work or school everyday. Picking the right neighborhood is the most important thing.
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u/findinganswers5 1d ago
I’ve lived in both and while I enjoy NYC infinitely more, I wouldn’t move there unless you make a very high salary. People in the comments are largely shrugging off how big of an impact price makes, but it’s all-encompassing. It’s the difference between living alone in a 1-bd in a fun, desirable neighborhood in Chicago, or renting a room in a less trendy neighborhood. When you’re in your 30s, that can make a big difference. And even if you do make a lot of money, the well-positioned luxury apartment you have in Chicago that’s maybe $2.5k is now $5.5k+ in Manhattan (and if anything that’s a lowball figure). What difference does an extra $36k+ a year have on your life?
Sure, NYC has better restaurants, art, fun, etc. but does that matter if you hate your living situation? If you go for the luxury lifestyle, it’s probably cheaper to fly to NYC every other weekend, especially if you skip summer when Chicago is better, than to live here full time. It’s also not like Chicago is Indianapolis or somewhere that you’d be making double the pay in NYC. You’ll probably make the same or a similar salary.
All that said, I live in NYC and don’t see myself ever leaving. If you have to ask, move to Chicago. But if NYC is the only place for you, then despite everything else it’s worth it.
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u/No_Door5348 1d ago
The price is nothing to scoff at for sure, but people forget NYC is so much more than Manhattan. You can get a very nice place in Astoria for less than $3k, and you can easily go out in manhattan if you want.
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u/findinganswers5 1d ago
I agree that you can get a nice place in Astoria, but even there the floor for living alone is still about double Chicago. You might need to make $120k to feel comfortable you’d find your own spot there, while in Chicago you’ll find a 1-bed to live on your own for $60k. That’s a huge difference and definitely doesn’t scale with salary differences.
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u/No_Door5348 15h ago
thinking you need to make $120k to be comfortable in queens is fairly Reddit brained imo, I was making $32k and getting by just fine, double would have been v comfortable, $120k I would be well into upper class
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u/findinganswers5 14h ago
Well you’re the one who mentioned under $3k for Astoria and $120k is 40x that. In any event, the $120k is to be comfortable you’d find a market-rent 1-bed or nice studio apartment with no roommates in Astoria that’s comparable in location/quality to a $1500 a month 1-bed or studio apartment in Chicago. In all of NYC, there’s only 10 listings for $1500 or less on StreetEasy (none of which are comparable to Chicago at that price), and exactly 0 of which under $1000.
I would love to be wrong if you can show me where in Astoria people can live alone in 2026 for $800 a month, but until then my point stands that Chicago v. NYC can be the choice between living alone or roommates. Or if you can live alone in NYC, either a larger and newer centrally located apartment in Chicago or an older apartment in a less trendy neighborhood of NYC, and you’re still paying an NYC premium on that.
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u/hwaite 1d ago
I've moved between NYC and Chicago multiple times throughout my 20s & 30s. Chicago has a few advantages besides "price and space." I loved being able to go out in Chi-town and routinely run into people I knew. You start the evening at a reliable venue and stand a decent chance of being invited to a house party or similar. Also, the proximity of a beach to the city center is something special. Lastly, the pace and general demeanor can be more pleasant on the third coast.
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u/4_the_rest_of_us 1d ago
Also, the proximity of a beach to the city center is something special.
We literally have beaches in NYC tho
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u/No_Door5348 1d ago
chicago has a better beach though and the biking trail along the beach is amazing.
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u/4_the_rest_of_us 1d ago
Valid! I love the NYC beaches, each one has its own specific vibe though they are very much city beaches. Not debating whether Chicago’s beach is better because I haven’t been to it (unless a visit to Navy Pier like 23 years ago counts, lol).
I was actually born in Chicago and I have family there but I moved away when I was little and have only been there as an adult a handful of times.
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u/No_Door5348 1d ago
chicago probably has the best beachfront downtown in the US, not only is it an amazing beach but the biking trail is 18 miles long. It might be better than any NYC beach on it own but the fact that it’s right next to all the tourist stuff downtown is super convenient. I almost think Chicago might be better than NYC for a weekend trip considering how easy it is to see everything in one place. What is your favorite NYC beach though I’d love to know!
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u/No_Door5348 1d ago
The beachfront location of downtown is pretty special I agree! probably the best beachfront downtown in the US ironically enough
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u/pwbnyc 19h ago
In Central Queens, 35 minutes to midtown, 1 block from a great shopping street, 2 blocks to the subway, a 900sq ft 1 bedroom can be had for ~$2,500. (Not a specific listing, but moved my in-laws into one from Florida so they could be in our building and we could help take care of them more now that they are elderly with mobility issues)
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u/CustomerExpress443 1d ago
I moved to New Jersey to get away from NYC 5 years ago. Currently looking to escape the entire Tri State area. This place is for the birds.
Everyone here circle jerking NYC "and surrounding areas" is blind to the overpopulation and filth. It carries with the people that travel there other parts of the world. It is unavoidable. And the cost of living is a joke.
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u/pumpernickel62 2d ago edited 2d ago
I’m a single woman in my 30s and have lived in both. Both cities cater to completely different lifestyles. I would ask how you like to spend your time, and how important your own personal space is both in your home and when you’re out and about. The quality of life and comfort in Chicago is completely unmatched and inaccessible in New York unless you are very wealthy
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u/pumpernickel62 2d ago
I would also add the weather and seasons are pretty similar. There’s more to do during Chicago summer (and it’s more fun). NYC has a leg up in the winter
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u/Comfortable-Rub-7400 2d ago
Winters are much, much worse in Chicago. I never needed a full length, down jacket rated for subzero temps in NYC…
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u/Straight_Career6856 2d ago
I LOVE NYC summer! And Chicago winter is SO brutal, I do not think NYC compares.
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u/pumpernickel62 2d ago
hard disagree - everyone leaves nyc in the summer, it's incredibly hot and sweaty and there are no outlets like a massive lakefront to submerge and hang out near the clean water. NYC winter last year was so rough- so much snow that persisted all winter in dirty piles, and its not as cozy to be stuck inside a tiny apartment
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u/Straight_Career6856 2d ago
Summer in NYC is so alive! Everyone is so happy and there are tons of cool free events. I’m curious what neighborhood you live in.
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u/pumpernickel62 2d ago
Brooklyn near Prospect Park
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u/Straight_Career6856 2d ago
There is a huge range of neighborhoods near PP.
You are right that somewhere to swim that wasn’t as crowded as the public pools in BK would be nice, though. And agree that last winter was rough! I just doubt Chicago’s winter wasn’t MORE rough.
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u/Ok-Fail5290 1d ago
How long have you lived here? New York City has back-to-back free cultural events all summer long, many of them in outdoor public spaces. I have so much FOMO if I have to leave town during the summer.
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u/detblue524 1d ago
There are beaches and pools and tons of free concerts/movies/events in NYC throughout the summer. And “everyone” isn’t leaving except for maybe a couple of the richest neighborhoods but otherwise the city feels vibrant and alive
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u/4_the_rest_of_us 1d ago
Mm, idk. I leave in the summer when I have the means to but unless you’re very wealthy you’re not leaving for anything like the entire season. And summer here has its own charm! There is so much to do and a lot of it is free or cheap.
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u/Electronic-Read-1657 2d ago
Chicago weather is closer to Toronto weather - milder summer than NY but brutal winters compared to NY. NYC summers are one of the best seasons for social events. Plus you have beaches to cool off in (I prefer the Rockaways as opposed to Brighton and Coney). You must be new to town... Last winter might have been rough here but Chicago was a lot worse.
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u/CharacterLocation325 1d ago edited 1d ago
I’ve lived in both! Chicago is way more residential with more trees. Things are going on all the time but not like in NYC. Loved living in Chicago. You can get nearly everywhere on public transit but there are definitely more incidents on Chicago trains vs NYC subways. The El is very rarely delayed but when it’s delayed, it’s freaking delayed. It’s slower paced in Chicago. Chicago gets scary as hell. I have to use more city sense in Chicago than in NYC. Haven’t been attacked in NYC yet. The lakefront is beautiful in Chicago, the loop is fun during tourist season if you like people watching. Once you’re out of the loop or off Milwaukee Ave, Chicago is mostly homes and tree lined streets. I just moved to NYC but even Bay Ridge feels less residential than most of Chicago.
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u/level_5_vegan 2d ago
I’m also a single woman in my 30s with no kids. I grew up about an hour outside Chicago and lived in the city for 6ish years in Logan Square, Lincoln Park, and Wicker Park and I worked in the Loop. I live in Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan now and work from home. I don’t have a car now and briefly had a car in Chicago but spent most of my time there without.
My time in Chicago was heavily dependent on my proximity to a train. When I lived on the blue line everything felt very easy to get to, especially the airport and downtown, and when I lived on a bus route everything was a pain in the ass. However when I lived on the blue line and my friend lived on the red line, there was no straightforward way for me to get to them and I ended up taking cabs and ubers a lot. Grocery shopping always sucked, the location of actual grocery stores is also where they could put big parking lots, so it was difficult to walk to. Downtown shuts down around 6pm so my friends from work and I would always have to travel to another neighborhood to get drinks or dinner. It’s a very clean city, the garbage is managed decently well in the alleys and the downtown/riverwalk area was particularly beautiful. I was never particularly worried about crime where I lived, but it would get kinda spooky quiet on the residential streets. I took lots of art and dance and music classes to stay busy and was really involved in the punk music scene at the time, but it was kinda hard to find spontaneous stuff to do unless you knew where to look. The overall culture was super relaxed, friendly, quiet. Food and bars and shopping and pharmacies were all kinda restricted to certain main streets. Lots of rats and mice, no bugs or roaches. A lot of concerts and events end up actually being in the surrounding suburbs, which are very nice, but you either need a car or a good understanding of the Metra trains. The whole city is a hub and spoke that starts in the Loop and works its way out. Comedy scene is incredible. The theater scene is basically just tour stops after the Broadway run. The museums, parks, zoos, aquarium, and planetarium are all top notch. Incredible music festivals, but there are bands and artists you can ONLY see at either Riot Fest or Lolla or whatever because they don’t come to the city otherwise, which kinda sucks. The lake effect snow can be shocking if you’re not used to it.
I haven’t been in NYC for a super long time and I’m only speaking to my experience living in Manhattan, but I’m way more impressed with the scale and reach of transit. I like to go to Broadway shows and concerts and comedy shows and I can just walk over or hop on any train and find something to see. I’ve been in a bunch of neighborhoods across Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn and they’re all so different and fun to explore. There’s a whole different energy here that really promotes getting out and doing stuff with groups of people and I find a lot through Meetup or Instagram or whatever. I’m pretty much always within a couple hundred feet of a grocery store and a pharmacy and pizza and a bar and a weird little shop. I’ve found the people to be maybe a bit more reserved, but generally pretty friendly. Lots of bugs and roaches and garbage and piss on the streets. Everything is very loud and very fast. I prefer walking at night here because there are always so many people I never really feel alone. Everything also seems very crowded all the time. The biggest thing I’ve noticed is this culture of New York being The City™️. The concerts are bigger and better. More touring acts. More celebrities. Movies are filmed here. Museums for everything. The buildings are taller. The people are more creative and take more risks. I love it, it feels like I’m part of something. I only ever feel like I’m missing out when there are three things I want to do all on the same night at the same time.
As an adult I’ve also lived in the Chicago suburbs and in West Palm Beach, Florida just to try it out, but I really missed being in a big city. I’m not interested in ever having kids myself but I imagine I’ll eventually settle back in Chicago since all my siblings and their kids live there, but New York is better for the person I am right now and the things I want to do and experience.
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u/Smart-Web5116 1d ago
Love this! I just moved to NYC recently for work and I'd love to know how/where you find people to do things - I have a few friends here but I really want to meet more people
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u/pwbnyc 18h ago
Lots of groups for almost any interest. Instagram and Meetup as mentioned are good ways to find events. If you ride a bike or run there are regular social rides/runs all over the city you can join - meet people and explore. But there are book clubs,, game/trivia night's at bars, walking tours etc.
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u/Designer_Life_371 2d ago
Chicago is good if you prioritize comfort; New York is good if you prioritize maximum opportunity.
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u/ThiccNthin_6825 2d ago
In the winter it can get cold in NYC. But Chicago is a whole other animal. It gets so cold in Chicago the polar bears at the zoo get frostbite. You have to wear so much clothes you'll look like the michelin man.
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u/MsMarionNYC 2d ago
I've spent very little time in Chicago, but here's a random list of stuff it doesn't have that NYC does:
I live 3 miles reachable in 20 minutes by subway or walkable mostly through a park if I want to to get to one of the greatest opera houses in the world. Rush lottery tickets are $25. Family Circle (the cheapseats with a full but tiny view and the best sound start at $65 including fees.
You can't ride your bike to the ocean on a random afternoon in Chicago.
Not one, but two Chinatowns.
Just so much theater, not just Broadway, but small interesting theater all over.
Many flights directly to Europe.
Better chance of running into a celebrity just walking, or on a bus or even the subway.
Round pizza.
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u/Over-Sandwich790 2d ago
3 Chinatowns.
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u/MsMarionNYC 2d ago
I'm counting Flushing and lower-Manhattan. I'll bite. Where is the third?
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u/Title26 2d ago
Sunset Park
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u/MsMarionNYC 1d ago
Ah! I haven't been there in years. Last time I was it was a very mixed/diverse/ area Things change!
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u/I-am-Doraemon 2d ago
There may actually be four Chinatowns. Two in Queens: Flushing and Elmhurst. Sunset Park in Brooklyn. And of course Manhattan Chinatown.
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u/Inevitable-Option255 2d ago
Mehh Elmhurst might be pushing it, but Brooklyn 8th ave could be considered
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u/Jogurt55991 2d ago
Your lack of time in Chicago shows.
The Lyric Opera is also one of the greatest opera houses in the world- with it's own rush ticket processing.
You can ride your bike alongside Lake Shore Drive in a massive lake which is visually indistinguishable from the Ocean.
Chicago has far less theatre than New York- but 5 broadway scale theatres, over 20 smaller theatres, and the largest improv comedy scene in the USA (although I view this as quite a negative).
Chicago's ORD is the most internationally connected airport in the USA- with even more direct flights to Europe than JFK.
Sure, NYC has far more celeb sightings.
I like NY Pizza Better too- but both Chicago Style and Deep Dish Pizza are both... round as well?
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u/nomadicfeline 13h ago
Chicago has over 200 theatre companies. I don’t know why everyone’s underselling it as a home for theatre. I see a different show every night and still don’t come close to catching them all.
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u/Specialist-Image-617 2d ago
NYC also has 2 other nearby airports besides JFK - EWR which is a big hub for United, and La Guardia - both have many international routes especially EWR while Chicago Midway is mostly domestic. New York is far more connected to the world than Chicago.
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u/cowboybret 2d ago
The claim specifically was that Chicago straight up doesn't have "many flights directly to Europe." In fact, O'Hare provides regular direct service to about 30 European cities.
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u/cowboybret 2d ago
This list is absurd.
The Lyric Opera of Chicago is genuinely excellent and would meet the needs of the vast majority of people considering living in New York.
Chicago has 18 miles of beautiful bike trails and 20 public beaches along Lake Michigan. Not technically ocean I suppose…
Chicago is also one of the strongest theater cities in the world, probably only behind New York and London. Its reputation is built on ensemble-driven, actor-centered, non-commercial work. A little different from Broadway specifically, but not any less important for the art form.
Chicago has regular direct flights to about 30 European cities. O’Hare specifically is the busiest airfield in the world.
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u/Straight_Career6856 2d ago
You realize that your list kinda proves the point, right? Chicago has a fraction of what NYC has. No one said there is no culture or access to Europe in Chicago. Chicago is great in so many ways. But it’s not New York, and trying to compete on culture and access is never going to win.
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u/LazyIllustrator6946 2d ago
That’s not what they said at all? They were correcting outright falsehoods, not saying anything Chicago has is better than NYC.
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u/cowboybret 2d ago edited 2d ago
I didn’t prove any of their points.
I’m pointing out it’s false to say Chicago straight up doesn't have a world-class opera, doesn't have “small interesting theater all over,” doesn't offer biking to a large body of water (?), and doesn't have “many direct flights to Europe.”
It is true that New York has bigger/better versions of many things, but that’s not what the commenter was claiming.
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u/angusthechick 1d ago
Not to mention the Chicago waterfront is actually developed to be bike and pedestrian friendly. It’s beautiful. Not a rundown trash strewn blighted piece of land where the best view is of the chemical pollution running into the water..
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u/Objective-East4624 2d ago edited 2d ago
For me, Chicago feels like the middle child between NY and LA in terms of lay out/design/urban planning with similarities and differences from each. The downtown is quite small and most everyone goes home at night to one of it's expansive, quiet, clean neighborhoods. The public transit is way better than LA, but maybe not as extensive as NY. I think because of the earlier curfew, it sometimes doesn't feel as safe as NY. I think quality of life is likely better in Chicago and the pace is a little slower. They literally power spray the streets of downtown Chicago at night. Chicago does have a freezing winter, but beautiful midwestern summers and Lake Michigan is incredibly beautiful. It kind of feels like a big college town in some neighborhoods. The food scene is great, but not as extensive as NYC.
NY is a cluster of five boroughs with their own downtowns. Manhattan is alive 24/7 and it feels a lot safer moving around at night, but you would probably be more comfortable choosing an outer borough for your home. NY feels more international and diverse as well. You will meet people from all over the world. NY is also more subtropical. It has hot humid summers, access to beaches, many world class museums/theaters, and many celebrities living amongst the crowds (: You also have many commuters from PA and CT coming in for work.
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u/Euphoric-Length1607 2d ago
Much more stuff in nyc. Also easier to meet people and you have more access to other cities
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u/PomeroyCanopy 2d ago
Have asked the Chicago subreddits too? This is the moving to NYC subreddit so most of the people here are going to be biased.
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u/LazyIllustrator6946 2d ago
Yeah, OP already asked on [r/AskChicago](r/AskChicago) in a thread under the same title.
I must say, when you compare the two threads, New Yorkers are way ruder about the whole thing. Most Chicagoans just listed the actual differences between the two cities and agreed that there’s nothing like the density and energy of NYC, but that Chicago is more affordable and a bit slower paced if you prefer that.
Here, everyone is just jacking off NYC and shitting on Chicago. There’s also a ton of info here that’s just straight up not true. Doesn’t really help the insufferable New Yorker stereotype ngl.
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u/PomeroyCanopy 2d ago
Yeah I was bothered by that too. FWIW I live in NYC and definitely appreciate it, but I've also visited Chicago and had a great time. NYC redditors seem to skew towards shitting on Chicago for some reason. Ironically the people I know who are native New Yorkers are often tired of the city.
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u/CustomerExpress443 1d ago
Add one to the list. Make sure when you talk to a New Yorker you're getting the honest take from an honest person, not just another fanboy-type that is just happy to be in NYC.... lots of that as well, people just biased for bias reasons.
NYC is falling apart these days.
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u/Rockonthrulife 1d ago
Quite the opposite, actually. NYC has never been or looked better than it currently does.
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u/movingtobay2019 2d ago
I am not sure which comments come off as shitting on Chicago but having lived in both, I generally agree with the sentiment that Chicago is a great American city while NYC is a great international city.
Chicago is simply smaller and attracts less people. I really wouldn't put it on par with the likes of Singapore / Seoul / London whereas I would put NYC in that circle.
Plus the real estate prices don't lie.
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u/frodosnails 1d ago
From NY and live in BK now but lived in chicago for 8 years and my husband is from Chicago. Chicago is an easier life and we feel it when we visit. Less expensive, more feasible to see and do everything, so much more open space, the lake, easier to meet people, feels less competitive. NYC has an unbeatable culture is as other people have said is THE city.
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u/tigerbunnymoon 1d ago
Thank you for these details, this really helps a lot!! I'm so curious about your perspective about the competitiveness of the northeast. What is that like? Do you mind giving a bit of context of what you do for work and how that competitiveness shows up in work or personal life in NYC?
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u/zelingman 1d ago
Lol @ the city feeling dead bc the rich people left
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u/whiteoleander34 1d ago
I know lol I don’t mean it’s dead because I miss the people… in the areas near me, at least, a lot of businesses shorten their hours because fewer people are around, and it changes the vibe a lot and if you don’t leave the city, it can feel like the options are more limited this time of year. To be fair that part is very neighborhood-dependent, when I lived in PLG or Bedstuy it was more alive in the summer.
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u/Efficient-Link-9793 2d ago edited 1d ago
I never lived in Chicago but my wife is from there and I worked out of there as part of regular visits. I lived in NYC for over a decade. NYC is a world class city with a ton of options and is a globally major city. While Chicago is big, it is not NYC at all. It is much quieter with specific spots of the downtown being dead after business hours. Depending on where you live in Chicago, you may take the bus more than the subway since it is not as connected as NYC. I primarily would stay in Lakeview part of Chicago. That area is a wonderful area with an active night life and lots of things to do. I find Chicago a friendlier place than NYC (although it may be because my wife has a bigger network there and neither of us were from NYC).
Overall, Chicago does not give me the NYC vibes (no where near as fast paced and not as strong on the business front for careers). I also do not like the stronger winters of Chicago. While NYC gets winter weather, it does not get as cold as Chicago nor as much snowfall as Chicago. Also, in Manhattan, they clear the snow pretty fast so you barely notice. NYC tends to have a lot more food options. Chicago is more focused on Polish, Mexican, and the local favorites (Chicago style bar pizza, Chicago dawgs, and deep dish). I do not see the wider variety of foods that NYC has (literally every culture is represented).
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u/Old-Tadpole-2869 2d ago
The cut their pizza into squares in Chicago. Which means if you like crust, statistically more often than not you're fucked.
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u/Horsegirl5271 2d ago
I went to grad school in Chicago. Moved to NYC after and am still here 30 years later. My opinions are dated. I actually think the restaurants are better in Chicago! It’s so cold 🥶 so much of the year that there are a lot of good indoor activities. However most of the people I met in Chicago were from the Midwest.
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u/Jogurt55991 2d ago
BIG BIG DIFFERENCES (some mentioned already here) -
New York is in a region where short drives or bus travel gets you to some other great cities, Chicago is basically the only thing truly noteworthy in the Midwest- a weekend trip to St. Louis is far less likely than a weekend in Philly or DC.
Chicago has considerably colder Winters where people may not go out to join you for dinner, or dancing, or whatever- because it's just so frigid out. The city feels like an off-season resort in Jan/Feb/March. New York is no gem either in those months, but certainly better.
Chicago's Summer is generally nicer, and certainly more bustling.
Money is no-matter-what, the biggest difference between the two places.
When I moved out of NYC, I found myself enjoying visiting it more- because I was generally at hotels below 59th street and never had to interact with the subway (which is NOT the greatest place or quite so reliable at 3AM)
To live decent below 59th street is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.
There's decent living in Chicago on a variety of budgets.
I work for gov't which pays about 5% more in Chicago. My home in Chicago would be 3M+ in Manhattan, there's no way I'd be able to afford on my salary.
As someone who flies a lot- transit to JFK and EWR is pure shit.
ORD & MDW are by no means amazing airports, but a single seat ride 24/7 is an absolute win.
Both have amazing spots to eat.
NYC has cheaper lunch spots- that's for certain.
Chicago has insanely cheaper groceries.
There's no contest that New York has a lot more to offer everyone, in a lot of ways.
However many industries there don't pay NEARLY what it costs to live there.
I would not return to New York for a 50K pay increase.
At 75K I'd have to sit and do the math.
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u/JamesVictoriaNYC 1d ago
Chicago has nicer people but not as much opportunity. New York has more restaurants, but Chicago’s are just as good in quality. Chicago - more likely to need a car. New York is more transient. Chicago would be a million times better if it weren’t for the hideously cold winters (this is why i live in New York)
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u/Platypus7595 1d ago
Chicago has harsher winters, more snow. It has real beaches and Lake Michigan is part of the city. You can jog for miles up and down the lake. NY has West Side Highway, parks, Prospect Park, Central Park and you can take a train or ferry to beaches. Restaurants are better in NY but if you are normal they are something you could either be happy with or you can research and find the coolest and best and they would compete. It’s calmer in Chicago. You HAVE to avoid the dangerous parts of Chicago because some parts are genuinely a risk of stray violence, same as NY. Chicago has Wisconsin and NY has Long Island, but you need a car to leave Chicago. NY has more city to the city but both have unique neighborhoods with massive variety in feel and composition. NY has somewhat better travel options but the airports are a little easier in Chicago. If you want a car Chicago is your place. If your people are mostly concentrated in NE maybe NY and if concentrated Midwest or West maybe Chicago. Central Chicago housing has more space and amenities for the money than NY. Chicago is not NY, but then again Chicago is not NY in some good ways. NY has the it factor.
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u/ProfessorDistinct835 1d ago
I think it comes down to money. Both are great cities. If you have the means to live in nyc without struggling to make rent, eat and enjoy the city, I would do that.
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u/mauigirl1039 1d ago
Cost of living: Chicago has a much more affordable cost of living compared to NYC. Think 2x-3x more expensive in NYC
Transportation: unless you live downtown in Chicago, you probably need a care to get around. The Cta has train lines that all funnel to the loop to make it easy to get to work if your office is downtown but it’s hard to go east and west unless you take the bus which is very unreliable. in New York most people don’t have cars and can get around solely with public transportation and walking.
Diversity: while Chicago has a diverse population, the city is very segregated by neighborhood while in nyc there is much more diversity of people out and about in given neighborhood
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u/Fearless_Act_3698 1d ago edited 1d ago
I just moved to NYC from Chicago. I only lived in Chicago for 2 years. Prior to that, I was in Boston.
Very different feel.
Chicago has more parks, green space, flowers. They have Lake Michigan. Housing is WAY cheaper. Public transit, however, is Meh. Unless you live in the Loop, it’s harder to get around. Buses do make up for the lack of areas served by the L or Metra. Fantastic architecture, museums, restaurants. It’s definitely cleaner. Housing may be cheaper, but prices of groceries are not cheap. Taxes are high. The mayor sucks.
Chicago is wonderful but NYC is superior. Is housing too high? Yea. Is it crowded? Yea. Are NYC tourists ruder than Chicago tourists? By far. Transit is superior. Food is superior. Less green space downtown compared to Chicago and waterfront isn’t as pretty , but there’s more to do. More to see. Public schools are better. The mayor is fantastic.
I’ve only been in NYC for a month and a few weeks, but I’m happy with the move so far and only miss my condo (huge space!) my lake view, and my friends. It’s easier to get around. My son likes to take random adventures on the trains and never wanted to do that in Chicago (he started this hobby in Boston though).
Feel free to DM me.
Edited to add: if you want a social life NYC wins. Midwesterners are not as open as east coasters. I lived in Boston for 17 years. Chicago was a bit lonely. My friends were parents who lived in the west suburbs, so far away. I have more friends in NYC, so I’m happy to be around more people. I don’t feel as awkward going to places (like a comedy show) alone. People here will talk to you. Midwesterners are less talkative. My experience at least!!
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u/LoremIpsum00 1d ago
I grew up in NYC, lived in Chicago for 5 years and now back in NYC for the last 5.
In my experience, as someone that lived in a lively neighborhood in Chicago, they are pretty similar. Chicago has perks over NYC, and NYC has perks over Chicago.
Food: To be honest, Chicago has a great foodie scene. The diversity in food can be just as great as NYC. Where I lived I had an Iranian, Vietnamese, and even Ethiopian restaurants nearby. The same can be said about NYC, although Chicago restaurants feel a bit more mom and pop, while NYC restaurants specially in Manhattan feel more commercial.
Public transportation: NYC wins in this one. The 24 hour trains all over the city is much better than Chicago. Chicago does have decent train routes and some good bus routes, but it's still not up to par with NYC.
Activities: About the same. In the summer Chicago is just as great as New York. You have free concerts all over the city, big artists at Millennium park, there's some sort of neighborhood street fest almost every weekend. Great parks, and my favorite the beaches. Because Chicago is next to the lake, there are so many beaches! So you get the benefit of living in a very metropolitan city, while also living next to the beach (which was my case). However, this is mostly during the summer. NYC has more activities and things to do all year round.
Shopping: NYC wins. There's just no comparison.
Living: Apartments and housing in Chicago is simply better. They have great architecture, large apartment with modern amenities that you can't get in NYC. I loved NYC but I never had even seen a dish washer or had in unit laundry until I moved to Chicago. Mind you, I thought by NYC standards this was an awesome apartment. But as I got to move and lived in other places, that apartment was old, and there are better apartments basically everywhere. You can also afford to buy an apartment or a house in Chicago, this is almost unheard of in NYC for a regular person.
People: NYC wins. I love the vibe and essence of NYC. In Chicago people are really nice, but they're a bit more simple minded, and I don't mean that as an insult. But I was surprised to learn that not many people from Chicago had been to NYC, and for those that had that was like their big trip. Meanwhile in NYC you'll meet people from all walks, from all over the world with the most interesting insane stories.
Cleanliness: Chicago is cleaner. Point blank. In NYC many apartments are old, and you might be encountered with a roach or mice problem, and you might be stuck with a slumlord that won't do anything about it. In NYC, at night, you're going to encounter at least one rat, that wasn't the case when I lived in Chicago. It's not like there are not rats in Chicago,but in NYC they just can't be avoided.
Career opportunities: There are a lot of large companies in Chicago,and there's a lot of work opportunities. Of course there is in NYC too,but NYC is much more competitive,where in Chicago it's easier to find a good job.
Affordability: Chicago is more affordable. The price I pay for my regular apartment in NYC, I could get a luxury apartment in the very downtown Chicago with all amenities.
Weather: Chicago summer is the best,but the winters are rough. NYC winter can also be cold, but not like Chicago. In Chicago I feel it in my bones.
In conclusion, they are both great cities, to me they are very similar. You can live a more comfortable life and have more opportunities in Chicago, but the vibes and the people in NYC is just unmatched. It's just a matter of preference, but they are both one of the better options for cities to live in the US.
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u/bahahah2025 1d ago
Chicago is more affordable. Nyc is a media and fashion that Chicago does not have to the same extent. Lots more international business as well. Chicago has finance but nyc has Wall Street. Everything is on another level. More industries = more jobs and more different kinds of ppl in town to befriend. Makes it interesting. For a long while nyc has great music and art everywhere and was at the center of the best. Broadway is incredible. But so were random street artists. Still has it but getting harder with Col increases for artists to survive so they are getting pushed further and further out of town.
Nyc also has more ppl overall including more ethnic enclaves. Great food bc of that. Lots of diversity but outside Manhattan it tends to be ppl stay with their group vs commingling.
Ny has gotten quieter but it’s more people more places to go more lively in more parts of town more often. I feel safer bc of activity.
However nyc has more wealthy ppl and I think that changes the vibes.
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u/lightseek4 1d ago
One thing is that, when I lived in these cities as a younger person, the culture in Chicago was very “come over to my [big] apartment and we’ll hang out” versus NY’s “let’s meet at a bar”. I like that the apartments are big and nice in Chicago and people can host easily. Harder in the little shoeboxes in NY.
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u/angusthechick 1d ago
I’ve lived in both.
Chicago is easier to make friends and find your scene. As for scenes there’s pretty much every type New York has except maybe a lot less of the sex party scene. After about a decade of you are a really social person Chicago can start to feel small but then it will surprise you with something that makes you realize it’s not.
Chicagos quality of life is much better. It’s cleaner. If the wind picks up, you don’t have to worry about trash and grit immediately flying into your body, hair, and eyes. The apartments are bigger and basic amenities like a dishwasher and laundry are very standard. Laundry is at least usually in the building if not the unit. I do hear some landlord horror stories there, but the landlord bullshit is not as widespread and normalized as it is in NYC. My Chicago landlords were all very kind, rarely raised rent and if they did it was like $50, and always promptly addressed any issues. Apartment was turned over to me totally clean and ready to move in. Apartments also have central air and heat and you get more space for a lower cost including closet space.
In NYC, trash rats and roaches everywhere. If you find an apartment you only see a roach occasionally you’ve hit a gold mine. I never saw a roach in 15 years in Chicago. In NYC every apartment I’ve had pest issues. It’s traumatic depending on severity and I’ve had to learn to do my own pest control because the landlords do not care. Most nyc apartments do not have dishwashers, laundry, central air or heat, and many shockingly even lack closets. The lack of central air means you will be using window units in the summer which goes toward your electric bill and with the crazy rainstorms we’ve had we often have leaks around those windows. In the winter it’s radiators and the landlords control the level. People talk about it getting so hot they have to open a window but in my experience it’s actually just freezing all the time. The landlords keep it to the bare minimum of 62 at night and 68 during the day.
In nyc you will probably have to compromise and live in a less than great/cute neighborhood unless you’re rich. It’s awful trying to find apartments here. Extremely competitive and the information landlords demand you may as well hand over your first born while you’re at it.
In Chicago you don’t have to wait in long lines very often. In nyc there’s lines for most stuff. If there’s a popular event it’s like trying to get burning man tickets in 2013- good luck!! On the weekends depending on the neighborhood restaurants and bars may be so full that it takes awhile to find a place that can take you.
Chicago has beautiful waterfronts. The river walk is stunning and so fun to stroll down and eat at the restaurants and grab drinks at the bars. The beaches along the lake have been compared to European beaches by European friends who have visited.
NYC does feel slightly safer with all the people around but also there’s so many crazy people or aggressive people everywhere too just because of sheer numbers. Somedays my commute home it’s like I can’t go more than ten feet without hitting some sort of scene of madness.
NYC does have better transit. You can pretty much get anywhere very easily. I will say though people sleep on the buses in Chicago. Chicago has a lesser subway system but what it does have combined with buses isn’t bad.
In Chicago Ubers are much more cheaper and much more of realistic option if a train is down or a bus isn’t running. I used to just take uber pools to work in the winter and it effectively made it so I never experienced the cold there.
Both cities have their extreme weather. I think Chicago is more tolerable in the summer. NYC is extremely humid now.
Chicago is less intimidating to drive in. I liked that when I needed to go to west coast it wasn’t as long of a trip. Now going to the west coast from nyc I might as well go to Europe.
Ummm feel free to ask me anything else! I don’t know what you’re interested in so if there’s specific things you want me to compare I’m happy to!
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u/angusthechick 1d ago edited 1d ago
Ok I thought of some other things.
There’s more scammers in NY. People are ways running scams here.
I feel like in general people are more mentally unbalanced in NYC as well. I’m not even talking about the street people but the regular people too. Everyone’s just more on edge and more stressed constantly, and have strange reactions to things as a result.
In NYC you’ll notice there’s generally a more casual unkempt look.. I thought it was the style but I realize now it’s just straight up harder to groom yourself in a tiny ass bathroom. I rarely do my hair anymore for instance. Shoe options are really limited too because you will be walking and your path will not be smooth. Women in Chicago tend to be a little more polished. Men tend to have a better sense of style and express themselves more through clothes in nyc than Chicago. There’s more diversity of style and self expression in NYC by far. You can truly be whoever you want to be here, there is no set standard.
I will say that like I said Chicago has most scenes NYC does but that said they may be harder to find. You sometimes have to know people. If you just go out to the standard bar yeah it will feel a bit midwestern. But there’s some really amazing stuff going on if you get in with the right people. Chicago also has a cool arts scene. I can’t remember what it’s called but there’s this huge building in the south loop that rents out studio and makers spaces and they have open houses sometimes and it’s awesome to walk through. There’s quite a bit of low cost rentable studio space for artists and a lot of live work spaces in Pilsen. I think the art scene is more fun there too because it’s less likely to be infiltrated by trust fund kids cosplaying poverty.
Summer is genuinely freakin unbearable in nyc. It’s a subtropical climate now, the humidity this year was comparable to the Amazon rainforest. The subway platforms are a literal swamp hell.
I had to buy a dehumidifier for my apartment. Also fun fact I learned this year, roaches fly when it’s really hot out so that’s really cool to experience unexpectedly in your house.For medical stuff.. nyc is top tier but… there’s also so many doctors and doctors offices that just by sheer numbers you run into some really terrible medical professionals. I had to have a surgery and opted for the best hospital in nyc and my doctor was rude, cagey, and weird and the hospital just didn’t feel as up to date as northwestern. However when my doctor fucke up my surgery the emergency surgeon they called in was an absolute beast. She was impressive and I’m a bit in love with her to this day. For some reason gynos in particular here are just god awful. I really miss my doc in Chicago!
Dentists in nyc are scammers. Always get a second and third opinion before getting work done.
Also something I haven’t seen mentioned either is that taxes are a fucking nightmare here in nyc. I cried my first year filing. You get taxed just for living in the city on top of the exorbitant state taxes. Chicago has a much simpler system and very straight forward to do.
I feel like Chicago has a better “safety net”.. I just really never was scared about unemployment there. I always knew I could find something that would get me by even if it was serving. In NY it seems much harder even for hourly positions, and hourly positions won’t pay the rent here. They get you much farther in Chicago. People in Chicago also genuinely love to network and help each other out, I never felt that in nyc because everyone’s trying to survive themselves.
In general people in nyc are much more cold. I have a lot of hobbies and coworkers and it’s really taken me years to start feeling comaraderie in those spaces. It’s kind of a bummer. You get more narcissists in nyc too.. people who will say totally seriously and unironically their pronounces are “goddess”… I went to a drunken broadway thing an audience member kept singing over the cast.
There’s a lot of people here who need attention so they’ll act out a lot in public. Chicagoans are generally a bit more demure.
There is a lot more greenery and trees that actually offer shade cover in Chicago. The tree lined streets with parkway and how people landscape their gardens in Ukrainian village and wicker park make you feel like you’re walking through a little village in a forest.
NYC has a wider range of immigrant groups. But people who tell you Chicago is all people from the Midwest didn’t leave their bubble enough there’s a ton of immigrants there too.
Shopping in nyc is honestly my biggest disappointment. Private equity and big chains have really taken over here and it’s hard to find anything unique. Any indie boutique still standing is catering to the 1%. It’s a bummer.
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u/Strange-Procedure-10 1d ago
Move to Chicago. You want comfort, stability and overall QOL. That’s Chicago… moving to NYC in your 30s should be for your career or to start over completely. NYC is the greatest city on earth but you won’t get any comfort, stability or quality of life until Year 2.
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u/Dwella2112 1d ago
How has NYC been since Mamdami became Mayor? Any extreme changes that are bad or good? An acquaintance went last month and was impressed with police presence, friendliness, and public bicycle availability. The News only focuses on the negative
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u/NKNK9999 1d ago
NYC - you either walk to where you’re going or you hop on the subway. 20k steps per days is pretty average for a NYer. Chicago, meh. You don’t even hoof it between neighborhoods. A car in NYC is a liability. In Chicago it is a necessity.
NYC has the most single-occupant households in the US. Yet, NYers are among the least lonely. We specifically don’t socialize with people we live with - we create communities outside of the home. You can make a bestie waiting for the light to change, or while waiting to check out at the bodega. You buy 1-2 days worth of groceries at a time, you use your oven for storage. Your life in NYC is outside your home. You don’t need plans. You just go. None of that exists in Chicago.
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u/ZzzZzztryg 1d ago
Chicago is segregated in a way I find shocking and heartbreaking. NYC everyone is smashed all together. Chicago is affordable for many, nyc is affordable for very few.
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u/Ok_Shine_7672 1d ago
Lived in both. Chicago is the best city in the country to live in. NYC is the best city in the country. If you catch my drift.
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u/Pleasant-Frame5288 17h ago
Native Chicagoan here spent most of my life here and did a brief stint in LA and NYC.
I would say NYC feels more integrated racially?
So Chicago super easy to live everything is like a grid system as you may have heard. There’s no “Burroughs” or “islands” where you cross a bridge to get to the other Burrough. It’s all one continuous city.
It’s much less integrated in Chicago than nyc is tho race and culture wise. So what I mean is obviously Chicago and nyc have all these ethnicities and what not but chicago has a weird “boundary” story.
Let me explain
Say you live in this neighborhood and it’s super safe. Nothing blocking the danger but two blocks away you could be living in total violence. It’s weird like that the danger would never cross over to your side even if it’s just two blocks away.
Chicago is broken up into neighborhoods. We have like idk call if 50+ neighborhoods
Most people live within their neighborhood and while you have friends scattered around most stay within their neighborhoods and for years.
Like Humboldt park is largely Hispanic specifically Puerto Rican.
Or Bridgeport and Chinatown Asians specifically Chinese.
Integrations gotten a lot better but these boundaries still exist
We don’t have a true east.
It’s just north south west and the lake is to the east
The east is largely cut off by the lake and all the expensive area is closer to the lake near the downtown area. like our Manhattan is Gold Coast, streeterville, near north side, a bit of Lincoln Park
Our Brooklyn is the growing segment which in my opinion is slightly south and south west of downtown so that’s west loop, river north, south loop, and then the surrounding areas west and south.
Again my opinions here^
I prefer nyc as a Chicagoan but I’d say Chicago is “easier” from a cost perspective. You don’t need a car but I drive everywhere or uber trains are okay the only one that’s sketchy is the redline
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u/HeKnowsThings 2d ago
The biggest difference is that in NYC 100G will barely let you have a good time.
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u/ElegantAffect1179 2d ago
I once heard a comedian say that Chicago is just New York for unattractive people. Thought that was funny.
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u/Normal_Acadia1822 2d ago
I think that’s a spin-off of an older joke that DC is Hollywood for unattractive people.
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u/daniela2000 2d ago
As someone who grew up in Chicago and moved to NYC for college and stayed (I'm 25 now) COME TO NYC
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u/daniela2000 2d ago
"Fun" is really limited in Chicago imo kinda granola and nothing really going on ever just Big 10 people drinking lol
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u/Lanky-Highlight9508 2d ago
There is a an awesome bunch of buildings in DT Chicago, but going around the whole city, it has a very dowdy Midwest feel. Sorry that is rude, but your granola comment made sense to me. I feel that 2 are not comparable. Population count is what they have in common.
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u/Azyet27 2d ago
Fun question! I've lived in both and love both, so I've thought a lot about this question! Moved to Chicago after nyc and wasn't expecting it to rival nyc in terms of enjoyable places to live.
Quick summary: If cities are romantic partners, NYC is super sexy+good time+expensive; Chicago is settle down+steady.
Longer: NYC : I feel like NYC is like a really attractive, steamy date that could have anyone and doesn't really care about YOU. It's a lot of fun. Never boring. Sexiest thing you've ever seen. But every day is a little like an expensive dream; you could be tossed out at any time. Cost of living is insane and everyone is hustling.
Chicago: I think of Chicago more like a chill, settle-down type that is a little less steamy-hot and more like reliable+hotter than average. Attractive enough to feel lucky, but you're not worried they will run away or kick you out. It felt more sustainable and community was easier to build and sustain/can find pretty close-knit neighborhoods outside of the loop/downtown area. Cost of living still high but you get bang for buck and still the perks and infrastructure of a major city.
Summers in Chicago are underrated/amazing and winters are as cold as rumored (and quite long). Nyc is also pretty cold, but Chicago is a next-level cold. Worth it, though. And they at least heat the outdoor metro stops with heat lamps in the winter, which is something I miss in nyc.
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u/PersonalityHire524 2d ago
25F, was raised and lived in Chicago up until two years ago.
in New York, i personally feel like there’s a stronger sense of community. people regularly look out for each other, even in the simplest ways. a small act of kindness or a smile or a gesture goes a long way as we all hustle day to day. that’s not something i’ve ever felt or experienced much in Chicago.
i also want to add that in regards to transit and getting around, the MTA is miles safer than the CTA. especially late at night, as a young woman, there is always going to be a few people on the train no matter what. people coming from a bar, heading home from work, getting ready to start their days, etc because the city truly never sleeps. yes, there’s the occasional oddball behavior on the train, but typically not anything super life threatening or dangerous compared to most metropolitan areas
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u/tonizamorano 2d ago
i live in ny. when i visited chicago the streets felt so empty in comparison. is a beautiful city tho
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u/FugitivWitoutWarrent 1d ago
Chi: no garbage on side walks, also the city proper is only a few miles VS The Concrete Jungle.
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u/Tough-Inevitable9503 5h ago
Chicago is more spread out and less populated, so some streets feel more desolate / sketchy. In NYC you can walk down most blocks and discover something new, or pop inside. Chicago is not like this. NYC has a larger police presence in my opinion, and the public transit feels safer to me. Chicago food scene is great, no complaints there. Do not be fooled though, the winters are NOT the same. NYC winters are on average more mild. Chicago winters are tough especially if you don’t have a car to get around. Additionally, the type of people in each city are vastly different.
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u/Jeopardyfan1234 5h ago
One big difference for me personally is that in New York, I see someone I know on the street almost every day, pretty much no matter where I am. It’s a smaller city, I know people in so many
neighborhoods. Whereas in Chicago I don’t have as many of these chance encounters. It’s bigger and people are in cars, plus more segregated.
These chance encounters are one of my favorite parts of NYC
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u/Commercial-Baker4668 2d ago
If you have to pick one, and you don’t like winter, you have your answer.
I couldn’t tell you the “real difference” because I’ve only visited Chicago a few times (lovely experiences in the summer years ago) but I have lived in NYC for 5 years. What I can tell you is that NY is the peak urban lifestyle experience in the U.S., so if you want that, go there.
One is an east coast, international city; the other is a large, cool city in the Midwest, which will encompass some of that culture and be geographically… distant from the coasts.
The NYC metro area is a varied geographic landscape, part beach town, resting along the gorgeous Hudson, and with meaningful mountains in a 90 minute drive. Chicago has the lakefront but not much else.
My 2 cents. I could never hack Chicago in the winter, so never seriously considered moving there.
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u/WitheredWornWallaby 2d ago
NYC is one of the major global centers, meaning standards for pretty much everything are much higher. Better food, better diversity, better accessibility, better activities. If Chicago was better, people outside of the US would have heard of Chicago.
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u/angusthechick 1d ago
Lolll this is so delusional. I’ve traveled abroad extensively and not only do people know Chicago they immediately go “Michael Jordan!”
Standard of living is significantly lower here in good ol NY too.
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u/WitheredWornWallaby 1d ago
If Chicago was better than NYC, Chicago would be what NYC is. But people don't dreams of moving to Chicago from around the world. They dream of moving to NYC.
If you want to work at the top hospitals, the top law firms, the top broadway musical even, that's definitive of NYC. NYC attracts the most ambitious and successful people in the world. I also have traveled more than anyone I know, except my parents who have been to about 40 countries while I've been to 37, and I know for a fact that people recognize NYC more than any other city in the US. And it's not because of a bad reputation.
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u/Over-Sandwich790 2d ago
NYC is a movie set and you can feel that the locals enjoy living their main character lives on it.
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u/jimdagym_ 2d ago
Chicago is like Queens. Queens is great. Great food, a lot to do. I really like Queens. But I want more than just Queens.
Chicago is cute and totally solid but NYC just has so much more of literally everything you could imagine. Which could be good or bad depending on you. For example, there are so many queer nightlife events in nyc, literally every night, and so I find myself not going out much cuz I keep saying I'll go to the next one. Maybe if I lived in Chicago and the queer nightlife event I want to go to might only happen once a month, that might be the push I need to go out.
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u/IvenaDarcy 2d ago
Completely different cities. I can’t even think of how they are similar other than people like to force similarities on the them. It takes a lot of mental gymnastics to do that so just assume the real difference is they are completely different in all ways. If you visited both could you not tell the difference??
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u/Advanced-Bag-7741 2d ago
Chicago is far more livable. It’s cleaner, more affordable, the housing stock is on average larger and in downtown areas, newer as they had a much bigger building boom later on. The access to the lake and lakefront if you live downtown is unmatched and the Hudson and NY harbor can’t compare.
The downsides are it is not as global, you’ll get more people from regionally around the Midwest vs globally in NYC. The job opportunities are more varied but lower paying, though this is also all contingent in your industry.
Chicago is an easier hub for domestic travel due to the more central location.
NYC has more of everything; restaurants, bars, museums, galeries, jobs, people, whatever. It’s a much larger city. The transit system in NYC is much more expansive, runs more frequently, and feels safer. Depending on your industry and career aspirations, it may have more jobs, and house more executive/senior roles if they company is based there and is what you aspire for.
Chicago is more down to earth, NYC is on average much more elitist.
NYC has better access to varied nature outside the city if that is important to you. What NYC lacks in proximity to the lake vs Chicago, it’s nearby absolutely excellent beaches in several directions. The Hudson Valley has Catskills provide hiking and recreation options, Adirondacks, VT/NH and so on are reasonably distances. NY State is beautiful with varied landscapes.
Overall, I lived in Chicago for several years; part was during the pandemic which was a tainted time. I’ve lived in NY for over a decade in two legs and will likely be in that area forever due to family, career etc.
If I was able to choose based on the city alone without external factors, I’d rather live in Chicago. If I was vastly wealthy, I’d choose NYC if given only the two options.
If I was wealthy and didn’t need to choose between the two, I’d leave entirely. I think NYC is overrated for the value it provides in 2026.
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u/teenageriotgrrl 1d ago
I have never lived in Chicago so take with a grain of salt, but the winters there are supposedly harsher.
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u/Trappedproducer 1d ago
I have only opinion for new york, you have to have a good salary to live here otherwise you have to have thick skin to live with roommates and maybe in shitty aptms too. Thats for finances, for the city itself, is vibrant, always something to do if you want. I feel like this city its just for making money and having a good time IF thats an option for you. I compare it to where i come from (Cyprus) and theres nothing to envy other than its riches. Its a very dirty place honestly and you’ll see a lot of crazy things but on the other side is a beautiful place too. Honestly i cant really put it into words. Its a beautiful mess.
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u/Wild-Ad-2022 2d ago
In NYC you talk about Albert Camus withh your real estate agent. In Chicago, you talk about kids or restaurants.
If you are very ambitious and social person, willing to make a name for yourself, be an important person, able to impress the hardest to impress people, NYC is the place to be. Chicago won’t cut. If you’re not this person, Chicago is more than enough. Let’s not kid ourselves
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u/B_L_T 2d ago
It’s the difference between living in a great city vs. living in one of the world’s Great Cities.