I think that something a lot of people tend to look past is the actual cost of moving. When my boyfriend was offered a job in Chicago, and we agreed to move here together from Michigan despite me not having a job, we had to take some time to figure out what everything was going to cost. Of course, it may be different for you, but we were college kids leaving a serving job and weren’t sure what to expect.
After some research (and conversations with ChatGPT) I found what was going to work for us. For us to live comfortably in downtown Chicago, which was our goal, we both were aiming for $40,000 yearly salaries. Although that may sound low to some, that’s what we could hope for coming fresh out of college.
When we moved, we paid one month rent, one month for parking our car, one day trip with a U-Haul, and only God knows how much on gas. This totaled to about $2,300.
Great, we’ve got our apartment keys and a safe space to park our car. Now we need a couch to watch tv on. Oh, and a tv stand. And a table to eat at. And a bedframe. Yikes.

After we paid for all of our furniture and got settled, we ended up paying over $3,000 to move into our apartment. ($2,300 plus furniture). Then, two weeks later, rent was due again.

Job hunting in 2025 sucks. It’s time-consuming, frustrating, and disappointing. I entered the digital marketing job market with a 4.0 college GPA, a part-time social media job, a part-time marketing internship, two different club involvements, and a perfected portfolio (which you’re currently on). I applied for 130 marketing jobs, and 37 serving jobs (with 6 years of serving experience) and got an interview for one.
Job hunting is not for the weak, but I do think you can find a job. It may not be the job you want, or the pay you want, but you can do it. Would I recommend moving somewhere like Chicago without a job? No. I had my boyfriend’s income as a fall back if I wasn’t able to find a job.

My advice would be to reach out to recruiters and start applying before making your move. If you’re determined to move here and find a job later, it isn’t impossible. I’m living proof that is it possible. But in all fairness, my month long unemployment adventure was the most discouraging and depressing month of my life.

Making friends as an adult is hard, especially in a new city. My job is remote, so I don’t necessarily have that built in friendship that some young adults may get to experience. I’ve turned to joining groups on Facebook, and literally messages strangers and asking if we can be friends.
I think the best way to go about building adult friendships is to be willing to step out of your comfort zone. This can be really hard, and I know I’m struggling with it. I’ve gone to yoga classes and talked to strangers just to have them stare blankly at me. I’ve approached neighbors and introduced myself and had them laugh at me. I’ve messaged people on the internet and been ignored.

I think it’s really important to be hopeful when it comes to situations like this. I will find my people soon, or they will find me. If you are comfortable being lonely for a while, make the move to a new city. If you don’t think you’d be able to approach a stranger at the gym, maybe try to find someone to move into an apartment with you (roommates are built in besties…sometimes)

At the end of the day, making friends was not my main goal when I moved. Finding a job, exploring a new city while I’m young, and ultimately being happy is where my goals are. And I think that’s okay.

Should I move to Chicago in 2025?

Honestly, yes. I think you should. I know making a big move like this can be hard. For me, moving into a city was so different from everything I’ve ever known, and I still love it. Do I want to stay here forever? No, and that’s okay! I want to be here now. You can change your mind, you can try new things, you can meet new people, and eat great food. Make the move.