Which are would you move to? Chicago or San Francisco?

[Lulie]

Honestly, option number 3 scares me more than SF living costs.
SF It has seaside beach, less rainy days in a year, no humidity, lots of outdoor activity, friendlier people, lower unemployment rate, big on higher education and research, a lot of billionaires within the city= jobs.

I think Chicago is a bit more globally connected with much more business activity, cheaper living costs by 25%, brutal winters, high collar crime bugs me.
Food and Art are equally good.
Sports: Chicago has it all [my opinion]
Both cities are crowded and most certainly have personalities; you want to make sure it's a good fit!

 

[ming]

San Fran in a heart beat! There is no way I could live with Chicago weather. It is a great, vibrant city to visit. Fabulous food. But not a place I could live.

San Fran I could slide right in and be at home. I love how connected people are to the outdoors and the microclimates.

 

[CharmyPoo]

I have spent 2 years in Chicago and have visited SF over 5 times. I pick Chicago - I am an east coast girl and don't mind the weather. Really friendly city and has everything there - beach, beautiful water front, two level city, good business center, decent shopping, diverse culture, and great suburbs.

 

[missy]

I have never lived in either city and I think both have so much to offer.

Even though I am an east coast girl and I love the change of seasons (with autumn being my favorite) I would have to choose (if cost of living was not a deciding factor that is) San Francisco because of the weather. I love the outdoors and if the weather permitted I would be cycling/hiking etc outdoors all the time and that's the one thing that sucks where I live. We are lucky here if we get to be outdoors 1/3 of the year and even that's a stretch so San Francisco here we come!

And IMO you still sort of have a change of seasons there too so not missing out too much on that. I would definitely pick east side of San Francisco for less foggy days though.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[february2003bride]

Thank you everyone! Here is an update:

DH ha turned down the CA offer. They couldn't bring the offer up enough to make us move to CA, based on the high cost of living nor would they allow him to work from VA and travel as needed. So, after negotiating back and forth, DH respectfully told them no. So our remaining three options are:

1) DH turn down the IL job, which he doesn't want to do,bBut he would do it if I am adamant we don't move. He would continue job searching here and would stay at his current job until the doors close (which could possibly happen). But he really does not want to say no to this job. He's excited about it.

2) DH accept it and we move to Chicago (or rather, a suburb of Chicago). We would rent our current house out so if DH hated the job, we could move back after a year. We would rent the first year there and if we like the area and DH is happy with his job, then we would buy a home there. I'm not sure if we would then sell or continue renting our current home.

3) DH accept the IL job and commutes back and forth each week. None of us are thrilled with this option but DH would take this over turning down the job.

He has to sign by Monday when the papers arrive. It's a damn good offer and they really want my DH to sign on. I've lived in Northern VA my entire life. I love my job, even though it's part time and it's not one I could do in IL, and our family/friends/our home are here. My 17 year old DD is excited about the possible move. She thinks it'll be fun to live somewhere new. And that with Facebook, Facetime, texting, Instagram and the fact that we'd come back probably twice a year to visit my family, she's not too concerned with moving away from her friends. She'll be a junior this fall and I'm very surprised that she's willing to make this move, and the fact that she is so game and open to this, does make it easier.

My 10 year old flip flops back and forth on the move. But he makes friends very easily, so I can see him adjusting smoothly. My 8 year old could possibly have a harder time. He doesn't make friends easily (he's a bit shy), and has stated from day one when we finally had to approach this subject with them, that he did not want to move. But he is also the most vocal that he doesn't want my DH gone every week either. He would prefer option #1 of DH turning down the job, but he doesn't pay the bills either. And while the kids opinions and concerns matter, they will not be making this decision- that's between DH and I.

DH's current company is a pretty toxic environment right now. The company is having problems meeting payroll (they've never missed one yet, but DH hears each pay period how tight it is), all the founders are now gone, people are jumping ship, the CEO is always in a tirade. DH wants out NOW. The thing is, he just started job searching a month ago. No jobs in his field and at his level (executive- vp level) have come up. He's impatient to leave his job. We do have several months of savings, but DH doesn't want to touch that unless we have too. For him, this is very black and white: he needs a job, a company has given him a job offer, lateral title, good relocation package and a bump in salary. Sure, we'd have to move, but it's to an area where his family is (we would live about an hour and there are boundary issues that we'd have to deal with) , and it's to a nice area. For me, its a big jumbled grey mess of emotions.

So, we're still in limbo, I guess. Thanks for letting me ramble and vent.

 

[AprilBaby]

Well if you come here there is a GTG in Chicago in early June

 

[Gypsy]

Option 2.


You are smart for turning down the SF job due to finances. If they wanted him, they should have been willing to pay for him. Many companies out here higher people from out of state because the people who live out here know how much it costs and expect to be paid competitively. People from out of state don't... and they take lower salaries and then when they come out here they are dismayed, unhappy, broke and stuck.

 

[NOYFB]

So....what did you decide?

Will we be seeing you at the next Chicago GTG?

 

[cflutist]

Why San Francisco of course.
I was born and raised there.

Would freeze my butt off in Chicago.