TL;DRChicago is 16% cheaper on rent ($2,388/mo vs $2,839/mo). Los Angeles is safer — homicide rate 7.0 vs 17.5 per 100k. You can get by in English in both — your Duolingo streak can wait.

Too close to call — 56 vs 53. Los Angeles has a slight edge, but Chicago might suit you better depending on your priorities.

Verdict delivered. Your move.

The winner's file

🇺🇸 Los Angeles

Full profile. Verify before you pack.

Due diligence

🇺🇸 Chicago

Every verdict deserves an appeal.

Plot twist

New York vs Los Angeles

Someone else's dilemma, equally unsolvable.

Household

Chicago

Metric

Los Angeles

✓$819/mo

🛒

Living costs (no rent)

lower is better

$983/mo

✓$8623

🧳

Cost to land

lower is better

$9290

34 / 100

🛡️

Settler safety

higher is better

52 / 100✓

17.5 / 100k

🔒

Homicides

lower is better

7.0 / 100k✓

14.2 / 100k

🚗

Road deaths

lower is better

14.2 / 100k

35 / 100

🚨

Safety Index

higher is better

46 / 100✓

81°F

☀️

Summer high

personal taste

82°F

25°F

❄️

Winter low

personal taste

48°F

180 Mbps

⚡

Internet speed

higher is better

176 Mbps

✓11.3 μg/m³

🌬️

Air quality (PM2.5)

lower is better

23.7 μg/m³

80 / 100

🏥

Healthcare

higher is better

79 / 100

7.8 / 10

🗳️

Democracy

higher is better

7.8 / 10

67 / 100

🏳️‍🌈

Rainbow Index

higher is better

67 / 100

100/100

🗣️

Street English

higher is better

100/100

$86k

💼

GDP per capita

higher is better

$86k

2.9% · Boringly steady

📈

Inflation

lower is better

2.9% · Boringly steady

83/100 — Mostly stable

⚡

Grid reliability

higher is better

83/100 — Mostly stable

80/100

🗽

Freedom House

higher is better

80/100

A median Software Engineer in Chicago takes home $11,064/mo under Standard employee. In Los Angeles: $10,650/mo under Standard employee.

$413/mo more in Chicago

Each city pays its own median — Software Engineer gross via Levels.fyi / Eurostat. Moving changes your salary too; that's the point.

$191k

💰

Gross income

$191k

−$44k

🏛️

Income tax

Standard employee

−$49k

−$14k

🛡️

Social contributions

−$14k

✓$133k/yr

$11k/mo

💵

Take-home pay

$128k/yr

$11k/mo

−$57k

🏠

Cost of living

−$67k

✓$75k/yr

🐖

Annual savings

$61k/yr

Swap the local medians for your actual number

Sources: Numbeo · UNODC · Ookla · WHO · EIU · World Bank · Freedom House · Updated April 2026

💰

Cost of Living

Chicago

$451/mo cheaper on rent alone

🔒

Safety

Los Angeles

7.0 homicides per 100k

Sun

How much sky you actually get

53% clear

Win

Spr

Sum

Fall

Sky clear

avg daytime

75% clear

Win

Spr

Sum

Fall

9.1h

Shortest day

Dec

9.9h

15.2h

Longest day

Jun

14.4h

Sun clocks out before 5pm in both cities come December. Plan accordingly.

Source: WeatherSpark (clear-sky share of daytime hours)

Settler Essentials

stable →

Democracy trend

stable →

improving ↑

Inflation trend

improving ↑

financetradinghealthcaremanufacturing

Industries

entertainmenttechfashionbiotech

hub

Startup ecosystem

hub

Easy

🇺🇸 Your visa

Easy

Moderate

EU visa

Moderate

Suspended

RU visa

Suspended

Moderate

UA visa

Moderate

⚠️ Partner work rights are very limited

Spouse works

⚠️ Partner work rights are very limited

Not recognized

Partner pathway

Not recognized

Visa stamps:Easy <90 daysModerate 3–6 moComplex 6+ mo

Sources: EIU · Freedom House · Startup Genome · official immigration portals

Reproductive Rights

Because your body shouldn't need a visa too

On request

Abortion access

On request

24 wk

Gestational limit

24 wk

Protected by the Reproductive Health Act; regional access hub for the Midwest.

Legal on request pre-viability under state constitution and statute.

Source: Center for Reproductive Rights

LGBTQ+ Rights

Can you hold hands without doing a risk assessment first

Legal

Marriage

Legal

Joint adoption

Adoption

Joint adoption

Yes

Job protection

Yes

Hate crime law

Yes

Chicago vs Los Angeles — Common Questions

Is Chicago cheaper than Los Angeles?▾

Chicago is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $2388/month there vs $2839/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Chicago or Los Angeles?▾

Los Angeles is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Chicago has a rate of 17.50 per 100,000 and Los Angeles has 7.00 per 100,000.

Should I move to Chicago or Los Angeles?▾

Too close to call — 56 vs 53. Los Angeles has a slight edge, but Chicago might suit you better depending on your priorities. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Is it easier to get residency in Chicago or Los Angeles?▾

Chicago: US Employment-Based Green Card (complex process, Permanent residence). Los Angeles: US Employment-Based Green Card (complex process, Permanent residence). See each city's profile page for full requirements.

What's the cost of rent in Chicago vs Los Angeles?▾

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $2388/month in Chicago, $2839/month in Los Angeles (Numbeo). That's 16% cheaper rent in Chicago.