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I too am thinking of moving to Chicago. I'm coming from Charleston, SC. I've lived in the suburbs Charleston my entire life so I'm used to humid, warm weather, and driving everywhere since stores are so spread out. But I'm looking for a change. I want to live in the city and not have to drive. I hate driving. I have some questions before I completely pick up and move.
1) Living/Neighborhoods: I want to live in an area within walking distance to banks and grocery stores/Wal-Mart/Target/general stores where I can pick up supplies quickly. I'm also 24 so I want to be in an area or have easy access to an area with a twenty-something nightlife scene. The neighborhood needs to be safe enough for me to walk alone at night without worrying that'll I get shot or mugged. Another biggy, is that I'm cheap so I'm looking to spend only around $600 for rent. I can do $700 but that's on the higher end for me. I don't mind studio apartments but I much rather prefer a one bedroom. According to the apartment finder web sites, it doesn't seem possible to have a one bedroom apartment for anything less than $750. From the other threads, I'm thinking about Lincoln Square, Roscoe Village, or Edgewater. What do you guys think? Is it possible to get an apartment in these neighborhoods for $600.
2) Again I'm cheap and I can't cook so I want know how expensive is eating out in Chicago? I don't mean upscale restaurants just delis, street food, or some small family owned restaurant.
3) How much is utilities in Chicago, such as electric, water,heat, Internet access, etc?
4) I don't want to keep my car. Is all of Chicago accessible through public transportation?
5) This one is a little off topic. I've never lived in a big city so I'm curious about the moving process. When I move in, can I just park a U-Haul outside the apartment complex and start unloading? Are there rules on where I can park the U-Haul? Generally, how large are the elevators? Is it possible to move large items in it like a queen size bed? Sorry if these moving questions are stupid but I've never done this before. I'm debating if I should hire a moving company or do it myself.
I'll be visiting Chicago in the near future. Are there any places I should check out?
Thanks for the help.
I too am thinking of moving to Chicago. I'm coming from Charleston, SC. I've lived in the suburbs Charleston my entire life so I'm used to humid, warm weather, and driving everywhere since stores are so spread out. But I'm looking for a change. I want to live in the city and not have to drive. I hate driving. I have some questions before I completely pick up and move.
1) Living/Neighborhoods: I want to live in an area within walking distance to banks and grocery stores/Wal-Mart/Target/general stores where I can pick up supplies quickly. I'm also 24 so I want to be in an area or have easy access to an area with a twenty-something nightlife scene. The neighborhood needs to be safe enough for me to walk alone at night without worrying that'll I get shot or mugged. Another biggy, is that I'm cheap so I'm looking to spend only around $600 for rent. I can do $700 but that's on the higher end for me. I don't mind studio apartments but I much rather prefer a one bedroom. According to the apartment finder web sites, it doesn't seem possible to have a one bedroom apartment for anything less than $750. From the other threads, I'm thinking about Lincoln Square, Roscoe Village, or Edgewater. What do you guys think? Is it possible to get an apartment in these neighborhoods for $600.
2) Again I'm cheap and I can't cook so I want know how expensive is eating out in Chicago? I don't mean upscale restaurants just delis, street food, or some small family owned restaurant.
3) How much is utilities in Chicago, such as electric, water,heat, Internet access, etc?
4) I don't want to keep my car. Is all of Chicago accessible through public transportation?
5) This one is a little off topic. I've never lived in a big city so I'm curious about the moving process. When I move in, can I just park a U-Haul outside the apartment complex and start unloading? Are there rules on where I can park the U-Haul? Generally, how large are the elevators? Is it possible to move large items in it like a queen size bed? Sorry if these moving questions are stupid but I've never done this before. I'm debating if I should hire a moving company or do it myself.
I'll be visiting Chicago in the near future. Are there any places I should check out?
Thanks for the help.
A)You can find a place for $600, but you'll be moving in with roommates. Considering you probably won't know anyone, it might be a good way to get acclimated to the city. Check out craigslist for listings, and try and have as much discussion as possible with your potential roommates to make sure personalities/lifestyles match up as much as possible. If you're looking for mid-20's nightlife, you'll probably be looking more lakeview/lincoln park. That's where almost every 20 something transplant ends up. From there, you'll learn there's other areas to the city.
B) Eating out...10 bucks for sandwich/deli/chinese/thai type food.
C) Depends. Probably between 100-150.
D) Yes.
E) You'll probably be living on a sidestreet. You park the Uhaul out front and unload. And considering what you want to pay, you don't need to worry about elevator size. You won't be living in a place that has one.
I too am thinking of moving to Chicago. I'm coming from Charleston, SC. I've lived in the suburbs Charleston my entire life so I'm used to humid, warm weather, and driving everywhere since stores are so spread out. But I'm looking for a change. I want to live in the city and not have to drive. I hate driving. I have some questions before I completely pick up and move.
1) Living/Neighborhoods: I want to live in an area within walking distance to banks and grocery stores/Wal-Mart/Target/general stores where I can pick up supplies quickly. I'm also 24 so I want to be in an area or have easy access to an area with a twenty-something nightlife scene. The neighborhood needs to be safe enough for me to walk alone at night without worrying that'll I get shot or mugged. Another biggy, is that I'm cheap so I'm looking to spend only around $600 for rent. I can do $700 but that's on the higher end for me. I don't mind studio apartments but I much rather prefer a one bedroom. According to the apartment finder web sites, it doesn't seem possible to have a one bedroom apartment for anything less than $750. From the other threads, I'm thinking about Lincoln Square, Roscoe Village, or Edgewater. What do you guys think? Is it possible to get an apartment in these neighborhoods for $600.
I agree. $600 for rent in a nice walkable neighborhood is very low, unless you have roommates. Those neighborhoods you suggested would meet all criteria but price (unless you get a really reallly small studio and happen to luck out!). Also check out andersonville. There are no walmarts in the city and any target would not be in walking distance. There are cars you can rent to for a few hours (can't remember the name, someone else will tell you) or you can take public transportation.
2) Again I'm cheap and I can't cook so I want know how expensive is eating out in Chicago? I don't mean upscale restaurants just delis, street food, or some small family owned restaurant.
-at least $10 per meal (without extras...) It would be much better to save some money by cooking and spend money on rent, but that's your decision. At least $20 eating out per day (on the very low side), would cost you an extra $600 per month.
3) How much is utilities in Chicago, such as electric, water,heat, Internet access, etc?
gas can be at least $150 a month in the winter. Get a place with heat included. Internet about $40ish, depending. electric $40-50 (higher in summer), water...don't know....cable, $50-100 depending
4) I don't want to keep my car. Is all of Chicago accessible through public transportation?\
majority, but some places are a LOT easier than others. chicagillinois.net
5) This one is a little off topic. I've never lived in a big city so I'm curious about the moving process. When I move in, can I just park a U-Haul outside the apartment complex and start unloading? Are there rules on where I can park the U-Haul? Generally, how large are the elevators? Is it possible to move large items in it like a queen size bed? Sorry if these moving questions are stupid but I've never done this before. I'm debating if I should hire a moving company or do it myself.
I'll be visiting Chicago in the near future. Are there any places I should check out?
Thanks for the help.
if your building has an elevator, they will give you instructions. Those would be bigger complexes. Smaller ones don't really generally have elevators. You park in an alley generally and just move in.
Last edited by jessiegirl_98; 08-30-2007 at 07:26 AM..
Reason: note, it looks odd, some of my answers appear in the quote
I too am thinking of moving to Chicago. I'm coming from Charleston, SC. I've lived in the suburbs Charleston my entire life so I'm used to humid, warm weather, and driving everywhere since stores are so spread out. But I'm looking for a change. I want to live in the city and not have to drive. I hate driving. I have some questions before I completely pick up and move.
1) Living/Neighborhoods: I want to live in an area within walking distance to banks and grocery stores/Wal-Mart/Target/general stores where I can pick up supplies quickly. I'm also 24 so I want to be in an area or have easy access to an area with a twenty-something nightlife scene. The neighborhood needs to be safe enough for me to walk alone at night without worrying that'll I get shot or mugged. Another biggy, is that I'm cheap so I'm looking to spend only around $600 for rent. I can do $700 but that's on the higher end for me. I don't mind studio apartments but I much rather prefer a one bedroom. According to the apartment finder web sites, it doesn't seem possible to have a one bedroom apartment for anything less than $750. From the other threads, I'm thinking about Lincoln Square, Roscoe Village, or Edgewater. What do you guys think? Is it possible to get an apartment in these neighborhoods for $600.
2) Again I'm cheap and I can't cook so I want know how expensive is eating out in Chicago? I don't mean upscale restaurants just delis, street food, or some small family owned restaurant.
3) How much is utilities in Chicago, such as electric, water,heat, Internet access, etc?
4) I don't want to keep my car. Is all of Chicago accessible through public transportation?
5) This one is a little off topic. I've never lived in a big city so I'm curious about the moving process. When I move in, can I just park a U-Haul outside the apartment complex and start unloading? Are there rules on where I can park the U-Haul? Generally, how large are the elevators? Is it possible to move large items in it like a queen size bed? Sorry if these moving questions are stupid but I've never done this before. I'm debating if I should hire a moving company or do it myself.
I'll be visiting Chicago in the near future. Are there any places I should check out?
Thanks for the help.
You may want to check out Wrigleyville or Lakeview, Albany Park, Irving Park or even the Streeterville neighborhood, but with Streeterville you may be hard pressed to find a rental for under $1200 a month. Lakeview though is very nice and very safe and there is a lot going on and cabs are everywhere just like in Streeterville. You might also be able to find some rentals along Montrose or Irving Park Rd. from about Kedzie-Cicero in that price range. I had a friend that lived in a one bed off Montrose and she paid about $900 a month and that included heat and water. She was up on the forth floor which was a pain in the butt, but once you climbed your stairway to heaven it was really nice inside.
Heat in the city can be very expensive..so definetely try to find something with heat included..which is hard to come by since that gets snapped up so fast. Count on you spending over $100 in heat every month from October till about April! Then having a sky-high electricity bill from the air conditioner you'll need to get you through the summer.
Then having a sky-high electricity bill from the air conditioner you'll need to get you through the summer.
BS. heat you need, air you dont. maybe 2 weeks out of the year its bad. outside of that, a window fan is enough. not to mention if you actually live in the city youre right next to the world largest air conditioner: the lake! you get incredible cool breezes.
BS. heat you need, air you dont. maybe 2 weeks out of the year its bad. outside of that, a window fan is enough. not to mention if you actually live in the city youre right next to the world largest air conditioner: the lake! you get incredible cool breezes.
I would disagree, but again, it's personal preference. I would say there are at least 2 months that you would cook without air conditioning, and you do have to pay electricity for a window unit. Some people handle this better than others. If you don't mind the heat, you may be fine, but if it bothers you, you would need A/C
well, ive lived in a house for 23 years w/o air conditioning, so i can assure you its possible. i did get a room air conditioner a couple years ago, but i really only use it maybe 2-3 weeks out of the year.
I would disagree, but again, it's personal preference. I would say there are at least 2 months that you would cook without air conditioning, and you do have to pay electricity for a window unit. Some people handle this better than others. If you don't mind the heat, you may be fine, but if it bothers you, you would need A/C
Im out in the western burbs and Ive only run the air 2 weeks all summer. Its not like its Arizona.
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it was really nice inside.
