Late 20's/Early 30's, single, and offered a job with $50k in either Tampa or Chicago. Which would you choose?

[ChiGuy2.5]

For everything that comes with city life I would choose Chicago any day over Tampa. However, if you want warm weather and beaches then Tampa takes the cake. It's really about your particular taste when it comes to climate and the beach/pool life. If those are important then you should probably do Tampa. If not important at all then it's a no brainer.

It's worth mentioning that Chicago does have beaches. Lake Michigan is fresh water so you don't get all of the negatives that comes with bathing in salt water. Unfortunately though our water can be cold year round and the beaches can't compare to Tampa but at least we have something to compete.

[flamadiddle]

Chicago is a far better city and very affordable. The only reason to choose Tampa is if you prefer a tropical climate and saving a few bucks is top priority.

fwiw, I can live anywhere I want and here I sit in Chicago. I like Florida for vacation, but would never want to live there year round.

I will caution you though, $50K is not going to take you far in either location. Less so in Chicago. Might be a good idea to seek out a roommate or two to keep your CoL down. Bonus for Chicago is that you can get by without owning a car.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by toronto519

Let's say you're from Canada, late 20's/early 30s', single, no family, and offered a job ($50k) in either of the two states (Illinois or Florida), which would you pick? Looking to get out of Canada and move somewhat more affordable than Toronto.

Now although my work locations are Chicago vs Tampa, I should mention that the real question is really Illinois vs Florida, as I'll only be in the office for the first few weeks and will be able to work remote so long as it's within the state (although I'm more of a city guy than suburb/rural one).

Where would you move on that salary if you're looking for two main things: to meet new people and to buy a place (as I don't want to pay thousands in rent if it's not paying off a mortgage)? Is Chicago affordable on that and do you think it's possible to buy a place if you have something like $40k for a down payment? Or is Florida better?

From an income standpoint, $50,000 will theoretically go further in Florida, although depending on your lifestyle it may not go as much further there as some people think - if, for example, you'd live without a car here but need a car in your location in Florida, that eats into your savings budget. You can live in parts of Miami and Miami Beach without a car, but most of the rest of Florida you really do need a car. Then again, if you lived in Chicago and needed/wanted a car, that just adds additional costs here.

So it mostly comes down to two things:

Are you obsessive about living as cheaply as possible and saving as much as possible and are willing to sacrifice lifestyle to achieve those ends? Florida is probably the best choice.

Do you prefer a more urban and/or urbane existence? Is your Florida opportunity somewhere other than central Miami or Miami Beach? Is the Chicago opportunity actually in Chicago? You're not a crazy spendthrift, but value lifestyle over aggressive savings? Then Chicago is probably the best choice. Chicago is a bit more affordable than Toronto, although the difference won't be exactly striking, especially if you want to live in the 2-3 most expensive neighborhoods here in Chicago.

Of course, if the opportunity is actually deep in the Chicago suburbs and the Florida one is actually in downtown Miami, then the decision could actually be reversed.

I'm not sure what your thoughts on $50,000 are. I would consider it a good starter salary in Chicago. It's solidly middle class, but not enough to live the high life, even as a single person. It would be difficult (not impossible - thousands of families manage it - but difficult) to have a family on that salary alone. It's certainly better than minimum wage, but you will likely have to keep to a budget. You could afford to live on your own, although might opt to have roommates because doing so will expand the parts of the city that are affordable for you to live in and/or leave you a little extra discretionary income at the end of the month.

As far as buying a place on that salary, depending on what sort of neighborhood you're looking to buy in, it could be a challenge. You could relatively easily buy in some of the dicier neighborhoods. I don't mean the ones that are a desolate gangland warzone, I just mean places with a somewhat higher crime rate, populated by lower-income residents that haven't started gentrifying yet. The economic diversity of neighborhoods in America is much greater than it is in Canada. Housing in most of Florida is cheaper than in Chicago. Especially for single family homes.

[Kwiksupra]

No comparison. Two verrrrry different cities.

- Chicago is huge and amazing and tons to do but pricey to own a nice place although rent is very fair priced.

- Tampa is more laid back and fairly cheap unless you are right on the water or in south Tampa (small area). Warm weather year round and hot as hell through the summer.