I really want to move to Chicago, but I'm a little curious as to how much the living expenses would be?

Question

I've always known I wanted to move to Chicago ever since I was little, but I'm a little nervous about how much money I would be spending. I will be graduating from high school in 2008 & would like to be free of living at home as soon as possible. How easy is it to get a good paying job & find a decent place to live? Please if you have any information that would be of help to me feel free to send me an email at [e-mail] Thank you!!!

Answer 1

Contact a local Realtor or the Chamber of Commerce and ask for relocation information. Also, contact their local small Business Development center. This may sound odd, but they have great demographic information that they give to prospective employers. Good luck!!

Answer 2

Without a college degree your options for jobs could just be waiting tables in restaurants and working in retail stores. Retail will pay between $7 and $9 dollars an hour depending on the store. Retail jobs are not bad if you don't mind standing a lot and you usually get a good discount at the store.

Waiting tables pays a different minimum wage special for jobs which involve tips. This is $ 2.50 per hour plus tips and the fancier the restaurant and the bigger the bill the more you get tipped. But friday and saturday nights are really the 2 nights a week you make your money in tips, the rest of the week will be less than half that amount, whatever it works out to be. A benefit to restaurant work can be free food left over at the end of the night. This can be a free dinner several times a week and save a lot of money.

Some people might also hire you to do basic office work for $7-$10 dollars an hour if you are good a typing. All these type of jobs are listed on Craigslist.org, ChicagoTribune.com and HotJobs.com. You can apply there or go apply in person at places in your neighborhood.

About living costs. A lot of people use the CTA rather than drive in Chicago because there is never enough parking available, the parking is very expensive and the tickets are high too. An unlimited monthly pass on the CTA now is $71.00 if the rates go up in November it will be $84.00. The bus and el train system goes everywhere and the CTA web site is very good at giving directions and they have a 1-800 phone number for directions too.

Rent can be really expensive but most people starting out find 2 roomates and rent a 3 bedroom appartment. A $1,200.00 a month appartment will only set you back $400.00 a month. per person plus utilities. That is the most affordable I have ever seen in the city and the appartment wasn't in the best shape, but it was clean and livable. Craigslist has a section of people looking for roomates too.

Food is expensive everywhere and going out to eat is even more expensive. Health Care is also expensive. It is good to find a local doctor that is reasonable about a office visit fee since most retail and restaurant jobs don't come with any health insurance.

I don't think any of this is easy really. I have a friend just making ends meet with waiter jobs in 2 places (he has his own studio apt though for $700.00 a month) and he says the minimum to survive per month is $1,600 dollars after taxes are taken out. And he rides his bike everywhere in the summer to save the CTA fare. (if you get a bike lock it up through the frame, a lot of bikes get stolen every summer)

Answer 3

Without a college degree, it will be hard to find a well paying job. Without a degree, don't expect to be paid more than 25k to start with. The only way for you to afford decent areas would be to have a roommate. Out here in the near west side, rents for single bedroom apartments are getting close to $1000 for good ones.