Chicago VS Phoenix

[quesurfin]

Thank you guys! I think ill move here very soon!

[GeneR]

Concerning the pursuit of education while working: strongly recommend Arizona State. It is very affordable and offers one of the most dynamic online course schedules of any school in the nation. Such offering makes working while gaining education even more possible than attending classes on campus. Online coursework allows greater time flexibility.

[BIG CATS]

Your money will go further out here compared to Chicago, thats a plus. Phoenix would suit you better, its closer in comparison to Chicago than Tucson. Not trying to fan flames, but Tucson in general is quite run down, the Phoenix area is nicer overall. Just my personal observations. But, to Tucson's advantage, their summer climate isnt as brutal as ours and their natural surroundings are prettier. Once again, just my opinion regarding the scenery. As others have mentioned, ASU in Tempe is a great, affordable school. Best of luck.

[DougStark]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

The cost of housing/food is about the same.

Phoenix requires more transportation costs than Tucson does, traveling distances are longer and faster. In Tucson you can get by on a bike, in Phoenix that is a life threatening proposition. In Tucson your commute might be a slow 7 or so miles, in Phoenix your car needs to be able to handler fast speeds and quick stops.

That's the true difference, prop taxes are a lot higher in Tucson but transportation costs in Phoenix are significantly higher than Tucson. Restaurants are a tad cheaper in Tucson as well.

The differences between these two cities are pretty large, it depends what you want out of your move. You'll meet more Chicago transplants in Phoenix than Tucson. Phoenix is enormous and has the majority of what any large city has and is closer to the Arizona gems in the high country. Tucson's kind of offbeat, poor, liberal but its a lot more diverse (architecture) and more interesting than Phoenix is. Phoenix is a lot greener and has a lot more grass and trees, but the natural desert around Tucson runs laps around Phoenix and the geography in Tucson is very interesting with the foothills and the mountains that surround the city. I would challenge anybody to find a better restaurant patio than that at Blanco or at the Westward Look, you won't find any better views anywhere in this state.

Despite its racist reputation, Phoenix is actually more progressive than Tucson is, in that it actively tries constantly to improve itself and that is showing Downtown. Tucson is more of the kind of place that you like and never want to change, and the locals do everything they can to not promote growth in Tucson. The structure and relationship between Pima County and its cities exemplifies this.

The earning potential is a lot higher in Phoenix and Phoenix is much more business friendly. In Tucson you best have some affiliation with the University of Arizona, Raytheon or DMAFB or it can be hard to make headway. In the long term, Phoenix has more water from diverse locations, Tucson has groundwater and CAP. Phoenix was an agricultural oasis in its day, Tucson was a pueblo and a mining town. It's an interesting contrast between cities in Arizona of those that were farming communities, those that were ranching communities, and those that were mining.

Well spoken. You gave the OP a lot of info.