Moving from NYC to Chicago: expectations vs reality

Moving from NYC to Chicago will surely be a great adventure. It will also be a bit hectic until everything is done and you are all settled in. Of course, you will need some adaptation period. Those two cities are very different. There are some perks and downsides to both. You will need to give yourself some time to adjust and adapt to new surroundings and we will show you how. We will also be showing you what to expect once you arrive and adjust. So, we can begin now from those who can help you with this process to the very ending of this adventure.

Moving from NYC to Chicago

Let’s start from the very beginning – your journey to your new home. The best way to do it is by hiring professional movers. Why hire professional movers when you can do it on your own? Well of course you can do it on your own. This is just an easier way for you to do this. You will arrive at your new destination rested and stress-free which is always a good thing. Also, if you let experts lead the way when it comes to moving in, unpacking, and settling in you will be able to start your new life much quicker. You simply can not call your new place home if you have moving boxes laying around.

A professional mover who can help you when moving from NYC to Chicago.
Movers can do the hard work for you.

Expectations vs reality

New York is often way too romanticized a city. Yes, it is a great place, and living there has many perks but there is plenty of problems there. It is not perfect and it can get very problematic. People will often tell you that the best food is in NYC or the best entertainment and such. In reality, you will find similar restaurants and shops in any big city in the states. When it comes to entertainment, yes NYC has a great scene but Chicago can be pretty fun too! So, if you heard all those tails how there will be no better place for you than NYC – don’t believe them. When it comes to job opportunities the competition in NYC can get very harsh. You might be better of in a city like Chicago actually. The same goes for starting a new business.

The prices

To compare the prices in both cities let’s say you rent the same size of an apartment. In NYC you will be needing somewhere around 8,160$ while in Chicago you will pay less. Around 5,500.00$. You will often hear that NYC is one of the most expansive cities in the world and wherever you go next it will be way cheaper. Well, in this case, that is the case and you will save a lot of money on rent, utilities, and well just about anything when you relocate from NYC to Chicago. So, we can say that in this segment of life expectations and reality are the same.

Traffic

Chicago is a big city and like every other big city, Chicago has many problems with traffic. This is simply because there are too many people on the road every day. But this is nothing compared to NYC. So Chicago traffic will be delightful compared to the one you are used to in NYC. That is something that will be much easier to deal with on daily basis.

Two people riding a bike on the Chicgo waterfront
Every major city has its problems with traffic. That’s just the way it is. NYC has the most hectic traffic!

Moving day

Many people fear this day. Naturally moving day is the most hectic day of your whole relocation process because there is so much to do and you need to remember everything. That is the reason why people expect disaster on moving day. If you hire professional movers like golansmoving.com to help you as we showed you here that can be different. You can have a great moving day you will fondly remember with your family. If someone is doing all the hard work for you you can relax and enjoy. So as you can see there is a way to avoid all that.

Settling in

People often expect that relocation is the end. Well, it’s not. In reality, you are just halfway there once you arrive. You need to unpack, get rid of all the moving boxes and supplies like bubble wrap, packing paper, and such. Then it’s time to settle in. Of course, since your place is new and unfamiliar you need to make it a home and adapt. It would be nice to decorate it and most likely you will need to furnish it. Local movers can help you with unpacking. That way the process will be much quicker. Of course, you can do it on your own if you have the time and energy for it.

settling in with the help of local movers
Local movers can help you to speed up the process of settling in.

Adaptation after relocation

It’s ok if you are feeling homesick after you relocate from NYC to Chicago. That’s normal. Everyone goes through something similar. Especially if you. So expect some sort of blues in the beginning. You need to learn all about your new city and neighborhood. You also need to get to know your new neighbors. They can be very helpful when it comes to getting to know the new neighborhood. You can learn online all about cool spots near you, but locals are the best when it comes to finding new cool restaurants, shops, and such. It’s also nice to have new friends. So there is that too.

Be realistic

If you don’t have too big expectations, you will not be disappointed. Being optimistic is great but being realistic is the way to go. That’s why doing research is important. Nowadays all the information is available and you can see and learn everything. That way you will know exactly what to expect and you will not be disappointed. Good luck with your relocation from NYC to Chicago and we hope you choose to be stress-free on your moving day.

Get In Touch


    I was not looking forward to this move, and I felt pretty stressed out on a moving day, but the movers were great and did all they could to take the anxiety out. I would like to say a special thanks to Steve and his team for a wonderful job!
    Christopher Adams
    Facebook