Chicago and Los Angeles are the two iconic cities of the United States. Both cities have amazing lifestyles with all the necessary amenities.
If you are thinking of moving from LA to Chicago or Chicago to Los Angeles and are still confused about your decision, we will help you out in the best way to make the best choice for you and your family.
Chicago is a bit less expensive than Los Angeles. Los Angeles is one of the most expensive and best places to live in California. Both cities have their own charm, history and culture.
Los Angeles is bigger than Chicago. The metropolitan area of Los Angeles is over 13 million and that of Chicago is about 9.5 million.
Los Angeles is bigger than Chicago due to several reasons including the high population, industries, urban sprawl, economy and business opportunities.
So, in Chicago vs Los Angeles, Choosing the best one has always been a tough decision. But, not to worry anymore.
We will discuss cost of living, weather, lifestyle, and pros & cons of both Chicago and Los Angeles in the given article.
Let’s dig into the details of la vs Chicago!
1. Living in Chicago and Los Angeles
Chicago and Los Angeles both are outstanding cities with their own specialities. However, Living is Chicago is cheaper as compared to Los Angeles.
Chicago is best known for its finance, business, manufacturing and transportation industries.
Los Angeles has a strong entertainment industry providing higher opportunities for people who love to work in the film industry, television, and music fields.
Moreover, Los Angeles is also fastly growing in technology and economy offering more job options for youngsters and professionals.
Living in Chicago or Los Angeles totally depends upon your personal preferences, carrier-related, family, income and lifestyle.
But, moving to Chicago is not bad at all. The affordable cost of living and thriving business opportunities makes it worth living.
Downtown Los Angeles is bigger than Chicago, but it’s a bit expensive. So, better is to make a decision depending on your choice and taste.
2. Cost of living in Los Angeles vs Chicago
Both Chicago and Los Angeles are expensive cities but Chicago is 39% less expensive than Los Angeles. Los Angeles is ranked the 16th most expensive city in the United States.
Chicago is an expensive city but affordable as compared to Los Angeles. Hence, moving to Chicago is also a good idea.
But it still depends upon your own liking. Check how it is living in Illinois.
| Description | Living Costs in Chicago | Living Costs in Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 176.2 | 107.4 |
| Food & Groceries | 104.1 | 97.2 |
| Health | 90.0 | 88.0 |
| Median House Cost | $912,500 | $284,100 |
| Housing | 302.8 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 93.7 | 92.8 |
| Transportation | 165.3 | 138.5 |
| Miscellaneous | 133.7 | 139.8 |
Source: https://goo.by/oB4UJ
3. Chicago vs Los Angeles Crime
When comparing the crimes in both states, Chicago is more dangerous than Los Angeles. The crime rate in Chicago is higher than Los Angeles.
So, when comparing both Chicago and Los Angeles, we can say Los Angeles is safer as compared to Chicago.
But, both cities have implemented various strategies and programs to reduce crime rates.
Moreover, as we know crimes do happen all over the world, we must be careful and take necessary precautions while moving around the city.
| Description | Crime rate in Chicago | Crime rate in Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 49.9 | 29.1 |
| Property Crime | 46.3 | 35.1 |
Source: https://goo.by/jHEoh
4. Chicago Vs Los Angeles Transportation
The transit system of both Los Angeles and Chicago is excellent and is considered among the best transportation systems of the United States.
Los Angeles is one of the top cities with best public transportation including subways, light – rail, buses and shuttles all around Los Angeles.
The city also offers different travel passes like 1-day pass, weekly pass, and monthly pass.One month’s pass in Los Angeles cost $122.
Transportation system of Chicago is also great and easy. Chicago also offers travel passes of 1- day, 2 – days, 7- days and 30 days pass. The monthly pass in Chicago costs $75.
So, comparing the transportation systems of both cities is good. You can make decisions upon your choice and preferences. Check the safest cities of California.
5. Chicago and Los Angeles Weather
Weather conditions in Chicago and Los Angeles are not the same. Los Angeles has a Mediterranean climate with higher summer temperatures as compared to Chicago.
Chicago enjoys all the four seasons and has a continental climate.But, the winters are worst in Chicago.
Moreover, April is the best time to visit Chicago due to the melting snow, warmer days and sports, especially baseball season.
In April the spring season is at its peak in Chicago due to the blooming of the flowers and countless opportunities of outdoor activities at parks and lakes.
Chicago is one of the best places to live in Illinois.
Furthermore, the best time to visit Los Angeles is also April during the spring season. The weather is favourable with average temperatures.
April in Los Angeles is quite similar to that of Chicago, offering festivals and events to enjoy the weather.
Moreover, you can also explore the natural beauty and beaches of Los Angeles in April offering recreational activities and stunning views.
Pros and Cons of Chicago
As we heard, nothing is perfect in this world. Everything has its pros and cons. Many people are moving from Chicago due to various reasons.
A major reason is the lack of racial and economic equity and lack of affordable loans.
Chicago also has some advantages and disadvantages discussed in the table below:
| Pros of Chicago | Cons of Chicago |
|---|---|
| Great architectural history | Worst traffic |
| Delicious cuisines | High city taxes |
| Cultural hub | Expensive restaurants |
| Outstanding transit | High crime rates |
| Favourable summers and springs | Harsh winters |
| Affordable cost of living | Parking difficulties |
Pros and Cons of Los Angeles
Los Angeles is a good city to live in. Beside the high living costs, there are several benefits of living in Los Angeles.
However, like Chicago, Los Angeles also has advantages and disadvantages. Some of them are discussed below:
| Pros of Los Angeles | Cons of Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| High job Opportunities | High cost of living |
| Entertainment hub | Worst traffic |
| No Natural disaster like tornadoes | Prone to earthquakes, wildfire. |
| Favourable weather conditions | High taxes |
| Delicious foods | Poor air quality |
| High wages | Urban Sprawl |
Chicago vs Los Angeles FAQs
What is it like to live in Los Angeles as compared to Chicago?
Living in Los Angeles is way faster than Chicago. Los Angeles is the 2nd most populous city in the United States. Moreover, Los Angeles pays high wages to the workers and is an entertainment hub.
Should I move from Los Angeles to Chicago?
Moving from Los Angeles to Chicago totally depends upon your choices and lifestyle preferences.
However, Los Angeles is a faster city with high intensity skates and Chicago is a city with affordable living costs.
Where would you rather live, Chicago or Los Angeles?
Well, Living in Los Angeles is a better option if you are interested in the film industry or Hollywood.
But, Chicago is also not a bad option. The excellent transportation, all four seasons and low cost of living makes Chicago worth living. So, it depends upon the taste!
How is living in Chicago compared to Los Angeles?
Living in Chicago is a bit inexpensive with easy transportation, less population and amazing weather as compared to Los Angeles.
Conclusion
Chicago and Los Angeles are outstanding cities with their own charm. However, deciding the best one from both Chicago and Los Angeles is also hard.
But, if you want a faster life or are interested in entertainment and can afford high living costs, you must go to Los Angeles. See how to purchase a home in California.
Moreover,if you want affordable living costs and a career in finance and business with easy transportation,you must choose Chicago as your next residence.
We hope the above article helped you in understanding both cities. If you are still confused you must visit both the cities and decide what suits you the best. Go on. Good Luck!