Chicago, IL

[fluffercloud]

Hello! 

I am an international student, got accepted into the Biomedical Sciences PhD program at Loyola University Chicago. I am looking for shared housing options in Maywood/Forest Park/Oak Park, as these areas are close to the Health Sciences Division campus of LUC. Can someone please suggest me some Facebook groups/websites where I can look for potential housemates residing in the above mentioned areas? I tried Craigslist, but the ads there are mostly of studio apartments and 1/2 BR apartments. I wanted to move in with a few roommates so that its easier for me to adapt in a completely new country/environment. 

[lunary]

On 2/19/2019 at 6:03 PM, fluffercloud said:

Hello! 

I am an international student, got accepted into the Biomedical Sciences PhD program at Loyola University Chicago. I am looking for shared housing options in Maywood/Forest Park/Oak Park, as these areas are close to the Health Sciences Division campus of LUC. Can someone please suggest me some Facebook groups/websites where I can look for potential housemates residing in the above mentioned areas? I tried Craigslist, but the ads there are mostly of studio apartments and 1/2 BR apartments. I wanted to move in with a few roommates so that its easier for me to adapt in a completely new country/environment. 

The Chicago Maroon Marketplace might be helpful for you. It's sort of like Craigslist, but just for the Hyde Park area, and there are lots of roommate/sublease listings.

You may also want to see if there is a Facebook group for your incoming class? I'm going to UChicago, and an advisor from my college contacted us with a link to a Facebook group for all new students in my program. It couldn't hurt to find out if there's something similar for you, as well.

Hope this helps!

[ReeSha]

Hello!

I am likely to take up a PhD offer at UIC starting this fall. My stipend will be 25k (not sure how much will remain after taxes).

Anybody have any advice about which is the cheaper option: going for their most basic meal plan or buying groceries and cooking for oneself?

I calculated that the basic dining plan will cost me around $6 per meal or about $375 per month. How does that compare to buying groceries in Chicago?

The reason I am even considering the dining plan is because I will be taking on-campus housing.

P.S. The apartment will have a kitchenette shared between two people. I am a decent cook too. Plus I also don't eat very large meals, so I am apprehensive that buffets style dining might not be value for money for me.

Will be very grateful to hear from students in Chicago about their average budget for groceries per week / month!

Thanks!

Edited March 3, 2019 by ReeSha

[MoynihanBreakerBurkina]

Hi, I've never been to Chicago and know nothing about it other than what a typical person might know. I know Obama is from there. I know the mayor used to be Rahm (?) Emmanuel. I know the bean thing is there. I know some stuff I guess. Pizza.

But I'm about to move there with very little knowledge. Any tips? Pointers? Where should I live if I'm going to University of Chicago (Hyde Park) for grad school...

 

Thanks in advance

[yeahsouh]

On 3/3/2019 at 9:22 AM, ReeSha said:

Hello!

I am likely to take up a PhD offer at UIC starting this fall. My stipend will be 25k (not sure how much will remain after taxes).

Anybody have any advice about which is the cheaper option: going for their most basic meal plan or buying groceries and cooking for oneself?

I calculated that the basic dining plan will cost me around $6 per meal or about $375 per month. How does that compare to buying groceries in Chicago?

The reason I am even considering the dining plan is because I will be taking on-campus housing.

P.S. The apartment will have a kitchenette shared between two people. I am a decent cook too. Plus I also don't eat very large meals, so I am apprehensive that buffets style dining might not be value for money for me.

Will be very grateful to hear from students in Chicago about their average budget for groceries per week / month!

Thanks!

I live in Chicago (moving soon for school!) and you can definitely, definitely feed yourself with groceries for less than 6/meal or 375 month. Not counting restaurants or delivery, etc, you could eat decently on even 250 or less, perhaps substantially so with a litle effort and depending on your tastes.  

In general, for a city its size, (and despite the high tax rates) Chicago's cost of living is super reasonable.

[gasmasque]

Live in Hyde park or a surrounding neighborhood. When you look for places to live, if you are living away from hyde park, do NOT google how far away that place is from the university by car. Google how far away it is by public transit. A lot of people in the city do not have a car, and for good reason.

There are safe areas of Chicago, and then areas that are not safe. Generally, parts of Hyde Park and the south side can be safe, but other parts are extremely dangerous (i.e. Englewood, Auburn-Gresham, etc.) and have high gang activity and homicide rates. Parts of the West Side can be extremely dangerous too (like near Garfield Park), but then other parts are totally fine like near Wicker Park and Logan Square, etc. I won't go into safe neighborhoods on the north side since you probably won't be living there since you're going to UChicago. 

A car

Reasons I was told to not bring my car up here in the city:

1) public transportation is more than adequate

2) parking tickets are expensive, and can be A MESS (hundreds of dollars a year for many of my friends who do have cars)

3) parking is often pricey, especially if you are trying to park in areas like the Loop (the downtown area) 

4) the city forces you to pay a fee, and you also have to pay for a sticker to put on your car to park it in your neighborhood depending on what zone you're in and whether you have parking attached to your apartment or home. 

When I was moving here I was considering bringing my car up here. Now that I'm here, I understand why nearly every person (i.e. 29/30 or so of the people I asked) recommended against bringing a car. I don't need it, the people who usually bring a car usually sell their car because they don't use it and it is expensive

Transit

When you get to the city, get yourself a Ventra Pass (the reloadable blue pass) so you can ride the CTA (Chicago Transit Authority). Unless you plan to Uber everywhere or you live right next to school and don't need to get around in the city, you will be taking the CTA. You may get one for free as a UChicago student. If you do, don't worry about getting one on your own. 

If you want access to other parts of the city easily, I highly suggest living anywhere from 1-6 minute walk from a bus or train stop. A train stop is ideal, but idk if there are many in Hyde Park. Maybe look for a spot right off a 6 bus stop (the express bus that goes into the Loop/Downtown). My biggest regret for picking the place I live is that I didn't pick a place closer to a train stop (the nearest train stop is 10 min walk for me, and that sucks in the winter).

The winter

Idk if you are from the north or cold climes, but get yourself a puffy winter jacket that's temperature rated and nice boots. You will need those in the winter. Real gloves that don't have wind bleed-through are also recommended. As people in this area say: there's no such thing as cold weather, just cold clothes. If you're dressed well, you won't feel the wind (unless it's the polar vortex and it's -55*F wind chill like it was earlier this year LOL).

Any more questions, message me. I live in Chi-town right now, and on the north side, but I can give general tips and pointers.

[gasmasque]

On 3/3/2019 at 9:22 AM, ReeSha said:

Hello!

I am likely to take up a PhD offer at UIC starting this fall. My stipend will be 25k (not sure how much will remain after taxes).

Anybody have any advice about which is the cheaper option: going for their most basic meal plan or buying groceries and cooking for oneself?

I calculated that the basic dining plan will cost me around $6 per meal or about $375 per month. How does that compare to buying groceries in Chicago?

The reason I am even considering the dining plan is because I will be taking on-campus housing.

P.S. The apartment will have a kitchenette shared between two people. I am a decent cook too. Plus I also don't eat very large meals, so I am apprehensive that buffets style dining might not be value for money for me.

Will be very grateful to hear from students in Chicago about their average budget for groceries per week / month!

Thanks!

If you have an ALDI or Trader Joes near you, you may be able to get your groceries for $50 or less per week if you are a good spender. Jewel Osco and Whole Foods tend to be on the higher end of the spectrum. Whenever I go do shopping there, I spend over $100. Depends on where you go and what's available.

[gasmasque]

On 7/10/2018 at 4:21 AM, ayeshakhan said:

Alright, thank you. So, I would say that if I manage to find a roommate, my monthly expense should be about $700 right?

Where are you headed to school? Depends HIGHLY on the neighborhood. You can get down to $700 depending on area and with roommates, yes for $700. I live with 2 other roommates in one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Chicago (lincoln park) and I pay $663 but I also live in a room the size of a closet and I share a bathroom with my other two roommates. There are other houses in my neighbohood though that go for $850-$950 for a one bedroom in a three bedroom. I would suggest looking up fair market rent for the neighborhood you want to live in. 

[ReeSha]

On 3/9/2019 at 1:43 AM, yeahsouh said:

I live in Chicago (moving soon for school!) and you can definitely, definitely feed yourself with groceries for less than 6/meal or 375 month. Not counting restaurants or delivery, etc, you could eat decently on even 250 or less, perhaps substantially so with a litle effort and depending on your tastes.  

In general, for a city its size, (and despite the high tax rates) Chicago's cost of living is super reasonable.

 

17 hours ago, gasmasque said:

If you have an ALDI or Trader Joes near you, you may be able to get your groceries for $50 or less per week if you are a good spender. Jewel Osco and Whole Foods tend to be on the higher end of the spectrum. Whenever I go do shopping there, I spend over $100. Depends on where you go and what's available.

Fantastic! That sounds quite affordable. Definitely not thinking about the meal plan now. (I didn't get the fellowship I was hoping for so my funding is down to 2k per month ? ). 
I will do my research on which are the cheaper stores (like the ones gasmasque mentioned) and perhaps choose housing that is close to such stores. 

Thanks a ton!  

[yeahsouh]

4 hours ago, ReeSha said:

 

Fantastic! That sounds quite affordable. Definitely not thinking about the meal plan now. (I didn't get the fellowship I was hoping for so my funding is down to 2k per month ? ). 
I will do my research on which are the cheaper stores (like the ones gasmasque mentioned) and perhaps choose housing that is close to such stores. 

Thanks a ton!  

One other grocery store to look at: Cermak Fresh Market, which has a couple locations in neighborhoods with good affordable housing options. Really awesome value for produce in particular.  Between that and Aldi you'll be in great shape with a mix of easier to prepare options and good from-scratch meals. If you have access to a car, supplementing with a Costco membership for bulk staples (and decent cheap wine!)  might also be worth looking into.

[tryingtostayafloat]

Hello! 

I am considering accepting a PhD offer from DePaul University.

Any advice regarding affordable but safe student housing? I'm not expecting something walking distance to campus, but maybe a 30-40 minute ride on the 'el' ? Thanks!

[thechairenjoyer]

On 3/19/2019 at 7:19 PM, tryingtostayafloat said:

Hello! 

I am considering accepting a PhD offer from DePaul University.

Any advice regarding affordable but safe student housing? I'm not expecting something walking distance to campus, but maybe a 30-40 minute ride on the 'el' ? Thanks!

I went there for undergrad. The student housing, while nice, is usually more expensive than getting an apartment in the city depending on where you go or if you have roommates. There are some downtown that include Columbia, Roosevelt, and others, so they may allow DePaul students as well. But I wouldn't recommend living downtown as there's not much to do, and everything closes pretty early.

As far as good housing within 30-40 minutes away, Andersonville has some nice places and is a generally interesting neighborhood. Lots of people live in Wrigleyville and Lakeview because they are relatively cheap, safe, and close to campus (probably a 10-15 minute el ride). If you take the brown line north around Belmont there's a nice area that's really close to campus with fairly affordable rent, though can get somewhat dicey at night. Anything north on the brown line is probably pretty safe but quieter, and with older adults living there. 

In the right portion of Logan Square, you can get a bus that goes right by campus, and the buses are pretty reliable in Chicago. Some areas of Logan Square are sketchier, but the West Town area in general has a lot more to do in terms of restaurants, coffeeshops, bookstores, and so on. 

I lived in 1237 West for a year (student housing) which is pricey but will pair you with roommates if you need and has a gym, pool table, and is really a nice complex. The location is not great in terms of things to do though, and you would be around a lot of undergrads.

At any rate, there's no shortage of housing in Chicago and its fairly cheap especially considering the size and how nice the city is.

[thean]

Hi guys, I'm having an offer from IIT for $24k/year, as an Asian (who've never been outside of Asia), where should I focus to search for a room, preferably within walking distance (<3km) from IIT? Thanks guys.

[e2e4]

On 12/16/2019 at 12:57 AM, thean said:

Hi guys, I'm having an offer from IIT for $24k/year, as an Asian (who've never been outside of Asia), where should I focus to search for a room, preferably within walking distance (<3km) from IIT? Thanks guys.

anywhere nearby is ok. bridgeport / bronzeville are nice. south loop / chinatown will be more expensive & outside your radius but popular spots.

Edited December 26, 2019 by e2e4

[passere]

On 12/16/2019 at 12:57 AM, thean said:

Hi guys, I'm having an offer from IIT for $24k/year, as an Asian (who've never been outside of Asia), where should I focus to search for a room, preferably within walking distance (<3km) from IIT? Thanks guys.

I went to IIT for undergrad. e2e4 gives good advice. Many students live in Bridgeport, which is usually pretty affordable and very close. I lived there 3 years. Bronzeville is also an option, but I don't have experience there. Chinatown is very accessible by bus, I worked there during my senior year and it was a super easy commute (less than 10 minutes by bus). South Loop is accessible by train or bus, but more costly. IIT students receive a U-Pass, which gives unlimited rides on public transportation (buses and trains) while classes are in session. Try looking at the IIT Student Community Facebook page, because you can also find other international students looking for roommates.

Edited January 15, 2020 by passere

[Psychological Yam]

Officially going to DePaul for my Ph.D. starting this fall! Can't wait!

[Indecisive Poet]

Thinking about heading to UChicago in the autumn (if moving is possible by that point). If I do go, I'd love to rent a studio or 1-bd in Hyde Park, but I'm not sure that's possible on a $31k stipend (which ends up being closer to $26k when you subtract fees and taxes, although health insurance is covered). Any tips on what kind of price range I should be looking at, locations w/in Hyde Park, and how to approach finding places? I would be covering rent on my own the first year and then my partner would be joining me starting the second year so we can split rent.

I'll also be moving from abroad and I'm not sure how to approach that yet. Autumn quarter starts September 29 and I was thinking about flying to Chicago about a month before that and staying... somewhere(?)... while I spend a few weeks touring flats.

Edit: I've also seen on this thread that it's a bad idea to have a car in Chicago. Can anyone corroborate/refute?

Edited March 27, 2020 by Indecisive Poet

[passere]

On 3/27/2020 at 5:58 AM, Indecisive Poet said:

Thinking about heading to UChicago in the autumn (if moving is possible by that point). If I do go, I'd love to rent a studio or 1-bd in Hyde Park, but I'm not sure that's possible on a $31k stipend (which ends up being closer to $26k when you subtract fees and taxes, although health insurance is covered). Any tips on what kind of price range I should be looking at, locations w/in Hyde Park, and how to approach finding places? I would be covering rent on my own the first year and then my partner would be joining me starting the second year so we can split rent.

I'll also be moving from abroad and I'm not sure how to approach that yet. Autumn quarter starts September 29 and I was thinking about flying to Chicago about a month before that and staying... somewhere(?)... while I spend a few weeks touring flats.

Edit: I've also seen on this thread that it's a bad idea to have a car in Chicago. Can anyone corroborate/refute?

I can't give advice about Hyde Park, so feel free to disregard this first part. I stayed in places in Chicago where rent was $1000 per month during undergrad. My experience is in Bridgeport, and that was a very achievable price range for up to two bedrooms. If you have a car, though, even Bridgeport isn't far from UChicago. Unfortunately, my sense is that housing directly around the major universities (UChicago, UIC, Loyola) is more expensive in general, which is why UIC students end up in Bridgeport, for example.

Something that will be applicable no matter where you rent in Chicago is that a lot of the rentals start at the beginning of the month, so trying to move in by the time the quarter starts could be a challenge if you arrive a month in advance. My partner and I have always used rental sites like apartments.com and Hotpads to find our places.

I had my car all 4 years I went to school. That said, you certainly don't need one. The public transportation is awesome. If UChicago is like other Chicago universities, you'll get a UPass, which gives you "free" (it's in the fees) rides on CTA buses and trains while school is in session.

If you do have a car, the best situation is if you could get a parking space with your apartment. Otherwise, you'll likely be stuck parking blocks away if you ever come home late. There's always parking though--you'll learn where to look, it's just not always convenient. My partner and I have one car between us, which is really an ideal situation.

[slouching]

On 3/27/2020 at 5:58 AM, Indecisive Poet said:

Thinking about heading to UChicago in the autumn (if moving is possible by that point). If I do go, I'd love to rent a studio or 1-bd in Hyde Park, but I'm not sure that's possible on a $31k stipend (which ends up being closer to $26k when you subtract fees and taxes, although health insurance is covered). Any tips on what kind of price range I should be looking at, locations w/in Hyde Park, and how to approach finding places? I would be covering rent on my own the first year and then my partner would be joining me starting the second year so we can split rent.

I'll also be moving from abroad and I'm not sure how to approach that yet. Autumn quarter starts September 29 and I was thinking about flying to Chicago about a month before that and staying... somewhere(?)... while I spend a few weeks touring flats.

Edit: I've also seen on this thread that it's a bad idea to have a car in Chicago. Can anyone corroborate/refute?

Former Hyde Park resident and Chicago native here. For most people, having a car in the city is more trouble than it's worth. Parking is outrageously expensive and often hard to come by, and the CTA can get you pretty much anywhere you need to go. In Hyde Park, you'll have easy access to the red and green lines, the Metra, and lots of buses. It's easy to get around the neighborhood by foot/bike/public transit, and the Loop is a short bus ride away. Hyde Park is on the south side of the city, so getting to neighborhoods that are further north can be a bit of a hassle, but it's certainly doable.

When I was living in HP, I was paying $700/month to live in a two-bedroom apartment with one other person in a great area close to campus. When it gets closer to the summer or the start of the school year, I would browse Craigslist to get a sense of what's available. 

[KinoCat]

Lived in Chicago for 4 years and did my masters at UChicago.  I agree with all of the advice above, but I'll lightly argue pro-car here.  The CTA is good, but getting out of Hyde Park to the rest of the city can be harder.  Friends who lived in Hyde Park pretty much stay in the neighborhood.  Parking near campus can be a pain, but is doable (and free) if you know where to look (not on the Midway). 

The biggest argument for pro-car, I think, is that it gives you flexibility of where you live.  You can find cheaper housing not necessarily in Hyde Park or off of a CTA line.  When I did my masters, I lived about ~20 minute drive away in Tri-Taylor, but the CTA would take over an hour, and I lived in a nice $1000/month 2bd apartment with my partner with very easy street parking (I think we got a very good deal on this apartment, but just letting you know what's out there).    

[Indecisive Poet]

15 hours ago, slouching said:

When I was living in HP, I was paying $700/month to live in a two-bedroom apartment with one other person in a great area close to campus. When it gets closer to the summer or the start of the school year, I would browse Craigslist to get a sense of what's available. 

Thanks for this! I was browsing some places a few days ago just out of curiosity and I couldn't find anything decent under $800 for a studio and about $1,200 for a 1-BD. Ideally, it'd be great for me to get a cheaper 1-BD right away, but it seems like I may only be able to afford a studio the first year and then scale up when my partner moves.

[slouching]

15 hours ago, KinoCat said:

Lived in Chicago for 4 years and did my masters at UChicago.  I agree with all of the advice above, but I'll lightly argue pro-car here.  The CTA is good, but getting out of Hyde Park to the rest of the city can be harder.  Friends who lived in Hyde Park pretty much stay in the neighborhood.  Parking near campus can be a pain, but is doable (and free) if you know where to look (not on the Midway). 

The biggest argument for pro-car, I think, is that it gives you flexibility of where you live.  You can find cheaper housing not necessarily in Hyde Park or off of a CTA line.  When I did my masters, I lived about ~20 minute drive away in Tri-Taylor, but the CTA would take over an hour, and I lived in a nice $1000/month 2bd apartment with my partner with very easy street parking (I think we got a very good deal on this apartment, but just letting you know what's out there).    

This is a good point. I loved living in Hyde Park, but it's a pain if you have any reason to regularly be traveling any further north than the Loop. When I lived there, I was making frequent trips to Logan Square via public transit to visit my partner, and it felt like it took forever. I also know some UChicago students opt to live in other parts of the city and commute to campus, which would be a lot easier with a car. If you're fine with mostly spending your time in Hyde Park, you should be totally fine without a car, but if you think you might want to live elsewhere, or make frequent trips to the north side, then a car may be something to consider.

7 hours ago, Indecisive Poet said:

Thanks for this! I was browsing some places a few days ago just out of curiosity and I couldn't find anything decent under $800 for a studio and about $1,200 for a 1-BD. Ideally, it'd be great for me to get a cheaper 1-BD right away, but it seems like I may only be able to afford a studio the first year and then scale up when my partner moves.

Yeah, I would guess that it would be a challenge to find a decent studio in most parts of the city for less than $700-800/month. But I would prepare for a lot more listings to pop up as your move-in date approaches. Every time I have to look for apartments in the city, things don't really start opening up until about a month before the move-in date, much to my chagrin.

If you haven't already, you might also want to consider looking at sublets--they're fairly common here, especially in areas like Hyde Park where there are a lot of university students.

[andvoyages]

Hi everyone! I'll be accepting the offer from UIC and they have given me a $31620 yearly stipend. I'm an international student so I'm not sure how much the tax is so I would like to ask how much I actually have after tax deduction and other expenses if anyone has a clue? 

I'll be in College of Medicine so I would want to look for studios near the medical campus. I think SSR is quite near to the medical campus but I've looked on reddit and it seems like the comments for SSR are quite bad. 

[passere]

1 hour ago, andvoyages said:

Hi everyone! I'll be accepting the offer from UIC and they have given me a $31620 yearly stipend. I'm an international student so I'm not sure how much the tax is so I would like to ask how much I actually have after tax deduction and other expenses if anyone has a clue? 

I'll be in College of Medicine so I would want to look for studios near the medical campus. I think SSR is quite near to the medical campus but I've looked on reddit and it seems like the comments for SSR are quite bad. 

I don't know what kind of taxes you would have as an international student, but if the tax rate is the same as usual for domestic students, you can calculate what you'd take home here: https://smartasset.com/taxes/illinois-paycheck-calculator

I do know that $31,620 is a really phenomenal stipend for most programs in Chicago. Congratulations!

I don't know about SSR particularly, but I know that in general, UIC housing isn't anything special. At the same time, that area is rather expensive for a grad student. I know the tri-Taylor area is popular for UIC students, or even a little more south in Pilsen or Bridgeport for more affordability. As student at UIC, you'll get a U-pass to use during the semester, so you can easily take the train or bus to campus (although it doesn't work outside the semester). If you look along the Blue Line train, for example, it would be a really quick commute.

[andvoyages]

19 hours ago, passere said:

I don't know what kind of taxes you would have as an international student, but if the tax rate is the same as usual for domestic students, you can calculate what you'd take home here: https://smartasset.com/taxes/illinois-paycheck-calculator

I do know that $31,620 is a really phenomenal stipend for most programs in Chicago. Congratulations!

I don't know about SSR particularly, but I know that in general, UIC housing isn't anything special. At the same time, that area is rather expensive for a grad student. I know the tri-Taylor area is popular for UIC students, or even a little more south in Pilsen or Bridgeport for more affordability. As student at UIC, you'll get a U-pass to use during the semester, so you can easily take the train or bus to campus (although it doesn't work outside the semester). If you look along the Blue Line train, for example, it would be a really quick commute.

Ahh thank you! I was kind of worried because I heard that grad students from Chicago schools have gone on strike to ask for more salary.

Thank you so much for the information! I'm trying to get somewhere closer since I don't know how to drive. ? I heard that the commute is good but I'm female and will be alone in the city so I still want to live somewhere closer to the campus so I don't have to commute late at night.