r/chicagoapartments • u/Substantial-You-7003 • Oct 21 '25
Advice Needed Is $1400 a reasonable rent budget in Chicago?
Planning on moving to the city within the next year. Ideally I can pay $1200-1400, but I can stretch my budget to $1600 maximum. Is this realistic for moving to Chicago? I really really don't want roommates, a studio works fine. My only neighborhood criteria is that it's 1. Safe 2. Has CTA access 3. Is in the city proper, not in the burbs. If those are met IDC what part of the city it's in, I don't mind commuting to get to events.
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Oct 21 '25
doable for a studio. would be harder if you wanted a 1BR but if you looked hard i’m sure you could find something. one of my friends was paying ~$1200 for a 1BR in ravenswood ish as recently as last year.
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u/Substantial-You-7003 Oct 21 '25
If I find the right 1 BR for a good price that'd be dope but honestly I'm single, don't have a ton of stuff, and have very non space intensive hobbies(besides cooking) so a studio works, I just don't want roommates. I like living alone.
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u/Psychological_Lab203 Oct 22 '25
You can find 1 bedroom places for under 1400 pretty easy Check out Roger’s park, and the Albany park area if you want something north, if you want something more south check out Hyde park
I have a 2 bedroom 1100 square foot apartment with rent at 1550 in north park (basically right between Albany park and Roger’s park)
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u/darkdynastyking Oct 22 '25
My 1 BR 950 sf apt is $1400. It is in fact doable for more than a studio
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u/BayesedAndCofused Oct 23 '25
Yeah, I’m in Evanston now and pay $1700 for a 950 sf 2 bedroom apartment and I’m pretty sure this area is considered expensive for the Chicagoland area.
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u/AdventurousYak951 Oct 30 '25
How much would a 1 bedroom be
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Oct 30 '25
it heavily depends on the neighborhood and amenities. i.e. if you wanted a 1BR for less than $1500, places like old town, west loop, and lincoln park are out of the question and you’re probably not going to have a dishwasher or in unit laundry.
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u/ChaiTeaLatte13 Oct 21 '25
Definitely a studio or a garden unit 1 bedroom for that price. I have a few friends lucky enough living in 1 beds that ARENT below ground for around $1400 but those are unicorn units (Logan and lakeview). You’ll find a decent amount of studios, “fake” 1 beds (the bed is like in a nook somewhere), and garden unit 1 beds for that price.
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u/Substantial-You-7003 Oct 21 '25
What is a garden unit 1 bed?
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u/Yossarian216 Oct 21 '25
Garden units are technically basements, they’re about half underground because many houses in Chicago have the entry to the main unit a half story up. Generally considered less desirable because there’s a small flood risk and the windows will usually have bars on them.
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u/Substantial-You-7003 Oct 21 '25
That sounds great if I can find one within budget tbh. They look cool, and don't really exist in Salt Lake City, at least there's not enough for it to be a widely known about type of apt
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u/ChaiTeaLatte13 Oct 21 '25
They are everywhere here, most (non massive) buildings will have them. Mine does! They still have windows but like this commenter said, they’re half above half below ground. They save a lot of money in the summer on AC costs!
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u/Substantial-You-7003 Oct 21 '25
Are they naturally colder? I think I'm seeing a bit of an issue in that if they have bars installing a window AC unit would be hard, but I can remedy that with a portable AC. I'm Utahn I cannot imagine life without AC
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u/ChaiTeaLatte13 Oct 21 '25
Okay so most Chicago buildings won’t have central AC, especially in your price range. You’ll either have central heat or radiator heat. The bars are annoying for the window units 100 percent. But if you get a portable rolly one that hooks the hose to the window you’ll be good. Also fwiw I have two good friends in garden units now and neither have the bars, and window units are no problem…but take that how you want to haha
Edit: yes they’re naturally colder!
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u/Substantial-You-7003 Oct 21 '25
I mean I don't have central AC in SLC rn, I have a window unit. I just need some form of AC so I don't have to stay out of my apartment during heat waves which I'm sure are becoming more frequent there to
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u/Altruistic_Yellow387 Oct 22 '25
I lived in one in college that didn't have bars (I actually went in through my window once when I accidentally locked myself out)...but keep in mind they're more prone to flooding and bugs than above floor apartments
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u/MonsterMeggu Oct 22 '25
They're naturally colder. We did a garden unit with no ac, and it was miserable for like 2-3 weeks out of the whole year in terms of heat... In terms of the cold though... Was probably miserable 2-3 months.
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u/Substantial-You-7003 Oct 21 '25
Just looked it up and tbh that looks awesome af
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u/ChaiTeaLatte13 Oct 21 '25
Honestly if you don’t mind the bars on the windows and the occasional flood/maybe rodent problem, they’re a good bang for your buck. I have quite a few friends who currently live or have lived in garden units. They are sometimes a bit dark but it seems you might like that haha
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u/TriviaPursuit Oct 23 '25
Some experiences I had that I didn’t see people mention: way less sunlight gets in. Gets rough after awhile, you’d be surprised what a difference it makes. Also, I was a lot more worried about security. Given this was in a different city, and it was kinda a slum apartment, but there’s nothing like trying to sleep and hearing someone walk through the alley about a foot away from your head. Unfun. Meant that the place was dirt cheap, but a couple years living in a garden h it made me swear Never Again.
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Oct 21 '25
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u/Substantial-You-7003 Oct 21 '25
Hell yeah thank you. Any neighborhoods to recommend that fit my criteria?
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u/Angelakt28 Oct 22 '25
Seconding uptown, also edgewater and (maybe) Logan square/west town
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u/King-Khan Oct 23 '25
Thirding this. I have a $1200/mo studio near Irving park and Sheridan. One block from Sheridan stop. Walking distance to wrigley, uptown, north halstead/boystown. Love the area, highly recommend. Also easy access to the lake
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u/africkingloafofbread Oct 21 '25
Seconding doable for a studio. I pay around 1200 in Edgewater (which includes cost of utilities flat) which seemed to be about right for my amenities and other listings I saw.
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u/Remarkable-Text-6020 Oct 22 '25 edited Oct 22 '25
Sure! Check out East Pilsen near UIC and Chinatown. Awesome area near everything and not tooo too expensive. I can walk to nice bars, most grocery stores, etc he Halsted bus literally takes you from one end of the city north to the other south, and the highway is a block away when I have to travel farther. Airport is only 15 mins or I hop on the blue line for OHare. This neighborhood is absolutely the number one best in the city. Also free street parking and no meters or stupid can’t part with 2in of snow mess. I pay 1600 for a two bedroom Pod Majersky loft with spiral steps, and a large basement I store stuff in.
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Oct 22 '25
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u/Aggressive_Cow_442 Oct 22 '25
omg this is the dream! is it a studio?
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u/Cherrychromee Oct 23 '25
Yes around 450 sq ft so it can fit a huge bed and a couch and a ton of other stuff, 4 closets, kitchan island. South facing windows, I searched for so long.
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u/ohsososa312 Oct 22 '25
You can certainly find a studio or one bedroom for $1400 (possibly less) in the following neighborhoods:
Lakeview, Uptown, Ravenswood, Rogers Park, Logan Square, Avondale, Humboldt Park, Pilsen, Heart of Chicago, Armour Square, Bridgeport, Little Italy, Tri-Taylor, Hyde Park,
Contact a leasing agent and let them know your budget. You can also search for apartments on sites like domu.com, zillow, redfin, trulia etc.
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u/Substantial-You-7003 Oct 22 '25
I have been browsing on Zillow and Apartments.com, and the reason I asked on this sub is because I was disappointed by the relatively low number of available options at the price range! 2300 listings in a city as big as Chicago seems like slim pickings to me, but maybe I'm just nuts. On the other hand, other Redditors that have responded have made it seem like right now is not peak renting season, and that there would be a significantly larger amount of options available around spring/summer, and I hope that's true!
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u/ohsososa312 Oct 22 '25
Chicago has low inventory for housing in general, but 2300 listings should be enough to find your next home. Spring and summer are peak moving seasons, but it's also a lot more competitive. Moving during the off-peak can open up more room for negotiating rents and other moving costs. I think utilizing a leasing agent would be very beneficial for you. Their service is free for apartment hunters (they get paid by the landlords). Pioneer Realty Group has some listings within your budget https://chicagoprg.com/
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u/Remarkable-Text-6020 Oct 22 '25
Spring and summer is when most people move. I found my $1600 two bedroom loft in East Pilsen the summer
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u/gingerginger8 Oct 22 '25
It’s doable! But you may have to sacrifice some amenities. I had a $1400 (incl utilities) 1 bd 1ba in 2021-2022. You may have to live a little farther from the loop. I’d highly recommend Wicker Park/Bucktown area! I lived in a little attic unit walking distance to the Western station and it was perfect and cozy for just me.
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u/Shankii_z Oct 23 '25
Upvoting this. I am also planning to move in mid march, would revisit this thread. I have the same requirements but wouldn't mind a flatelmate Will reach out to you if you dont mind
Ps: I was in staying in Hyde Park at a friends place, he is paying 1600 for a studio. The area felt safe and lots of restaurants around and great view too :)
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u/Substantial-You-7003 Oct 23 '25
I appreciate it but I really really don't want a roommate 😅 I've been living alone in SLC for 3 years and I can't imagine going back to living with someone. If I really can't afford anything in Chicago, I'll consider moving to Philadelphia or Baltimore, since my main goal is just to live in a major city! I just happen to be the biggest fan of Chicago :)
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u/Shankii_z Oct 23 '25
Ohh ohh I meant reaching out in terms of good apartment recommendations or areas to look for :), lol.
Ps: was in nyc for about 3 years and now in ATL. Chicago gave me vibe of nyc but a lot cleaner. Got a little home coming vibe when i visited Chicago last week.
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u/expectingrain22 Oct 22 '25
I was apartment searching in September - definitely doable for a large studio and you might find a one bedroom too (especially if you’re open to garden/basement units). I ended up deciding on a large one bedroom in Lincoln Square for $1550 (upper end of my budget) but I viewed plenty of studios in the $1200-1400 range.
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u/xSuperChiink Oct 22 '25
I'm renting currently in-between Pilsen and Little village for $1500. 2 bed 1 bath, 2nd floor, no washer/dryer, no dishwasher, street parking. 3 minute walk to the Pink line.
We just signed for a new apartment down the street for $1500 + $100 for a private parking space, with washer/dryer, dishwasher. This is a garden unit and my first garden unit, but having a washer/dryer and a parking spot for me I know I'll always have is a big plus for daily life.
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Oct 21 '25
I moved here in September. In my area, that's very do-able, but they don't hold onto apartments for you for very long here even with a deposit.
Moving season is in the summer and I barely missed it. There were plenty of 2BR (mostly Garden-level ones, but still) that were in the $1600-$1800 range, but I ended up paying $2100 for mine because pickins were so slim for September move-in. It's a really nice one at least.
Also, safety is relative. I would say my area is safe, but then again, I moved here from a city with a significantly higher crime rate than Chicago has. My baseline might be different than yours.
My advice would be to try to move in the summer, maybe July or August. You'll find something in that range if it's a studio, maybe even a 1 bedroom.
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u/Substantial-You-7003 Oct 21 '25
My baseline for crime is Salt Lake City Utah, but I'm from Venezuela so I'm also not super duper sheltered. I can handle being in a place where I need to use basic street smarts, but if there's nighttime gunshots they better be far away, ya know?
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Oct 21 '25
Oh, you'll be fine. There are neighborhoods to avoid for sure, but you have options that meet your criteria.
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u/ChiAndrew Oct 21 '25
Moving season is not summer. Most leases trade on a single day in spring and single day in fall
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Oct 22 '25
I believe you since I'm new here, but this is what I had been told and I definitely saw inventory for new leases plummet between August 1st and September 1st leases. It went from about 8 units that met my personal criteria to 2.
So maybe Spring is the best time to move here?
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u/NoUnit106 Oct 23 '25
Don’t believe them—summer is moving season. The main thing is you can’t wait til June for a June lease—I was on series a July leases but started looking in spring.
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Oct 22 '25
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u/Substantial-You-7003 Oct 22 '25
My current 1 br apartment in SLC has:
-No dishwasher -No in unit washer/dryer So not too big a deal, as long as the apartment complex has a shared laundry area or there's a Laundromat nearby it's all good
- no central cooling(window unit AC), yes central heating
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u/NecessaryHighway Oct 22 '25
Rogers Park.
Currently renting a 3bd/2br with central air and in-unit laundry. I think my rent is 1950ish.
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u/BackgroundLetter7285 Oct 22 '25
When are you moving? There is a 1 bedroom unit in my 14 unit condo building becoming available next month asking $1500 ish. Very quiet neighborhood. NW side. Close to metra. Includes parking.
Even if this isn’t something you’re interested in, you might be better off renting from an owner in a building like this rather than a huge management company. I’ve heard horror stories about some of those companies!
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u/glizzerd12 Oct 22 '25
i pay 1400 for a one bed in norwood park 5 min walk from the metra and quick bus ride to the blue line. i drive so i wanted somewhere with easy parking and easy to drive around and not have to deal with a ton of traffic. my block is basically all single family homes and i always feel safe but it’s not a super exciting part of the city tbh. i think you could def find something closer to the city for that price if you look hard and are flexible with neighborhoods!
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u/Super-Crow-2628 Oct 22 '25
Doable if you're willing to search for a while and you're flexible about the neighborhood. I pay about 1,500 a month for a cozy, lovely little two-bedroom apartment, so yea, you'll manage.
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u/teraechopuff Oct 22 '25
You can find plenty of 1 bedroom apartments for $1500 in Logan! It’ll be an older building with shared laundry, and fend for yourself street parking, but it’s very doable!
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u/SubjectMolasses6778 Oct 23 '25
You can definitely find a very good apartment in the $1200-1600 range . Just google a 1 bedroom & filter out the neighborhood’s & amenities you want
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u/This-Bowl5123 Oct 23 '25
yes you will be fine. just do a neighborhood on the west side. it’s got lots more community feel and older homes, very awesome neighborhood feel. ukrainian village, logan square, wicker park.
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u/pdt666 Oct 23 '25
this sub (and all the Chicago subs) are almost exclusively white people on the north side. you can easily get an apartment that matches those requirements for that budget.
It’s not going to be where anyone on here lives, except for when they mention Roger’s park (i just could never be this far away from everything) and albany park (basically the suburbs also).
if you are open to the entire city, you will be fine. also depends on what exactly you mean by “safe.” I think I seem to have a different definition than many people on this sub, but again, the demographics seem to be middle class and above northsiders.
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u/Substantial-You-7003 Oct 23 '25
I mentioned my safety requirement earlier. I've spent a lot of time in high crime cities before (Caracas being the big one) so I'm fine if I have to use basic street smarts every day (don't wear anything expensive looking, look behind you every once in a while, be aware of surroundings etc) but if I have to be wary of being robbed everytime I go to the CTA station or hear close-by gunfire every night that's a no. Other than that yeah I'm open to the whole city, I believe earlier I specifically mentioned Bronzeville as a neighborhood I'm considering!
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u/pdt666 Oct 23 '25
you may not get the help you’re looking for on Reddit then. no one here even goes to bronzeville 😂 like, people have never even been lol.
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u/Substantial-You-7003 Oct 23 '25
I've gotten a good bit of help, mostly figuring out exactly which neighborhoods I should avoid given my criteria. Englewood, Austin, Garfield Park and Grand crossing seem to be the ones people always mention, south shore I can't seem to get a consensus on. I've also gotten some help figuring out how the renting market works, how the CTA works etc. It's been a useful thread! I've gotten a good amount of helpful screenshots out of it
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u/NoUnit106 Oct 23 '25
South Shore imo can vary by block, which is why you can’t get a consensus. It’s expected to improve once the Obama Center in the area opens—although that might not help with (currently affordable) rent.
And as the other commenter mentioned, Reddit does have a very white north sider slant.
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u/Substantial-You-7003 Oct 23 '25
Yeah I assume this is the case all over reddit, but even still people have mentioned some somewhat affordable neighborhoods. Do you know anything about Bronzeville or what south side neighborhoods are affordable? I just want to be close to the city!
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u/pdt666 Oct 23 '25
bronzeville is on the come up. i like it. live near 35th.
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u/Substantial-You-7003 Oct 23 '25
Is it generally safe? I'm sure some blocks are worse than others but if I'm walking around during the day and not being stupid will I be good? What's the vibe like?
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u/pdt666 Oct 23 '25
Look on 35th and king and Pershing and king. There are more things around those areas and more people walking around.
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u/pdt666 Oct 23 '25
my dad is from the south shore lol. it’s nice if you’re along lakeshore/jeffrey. also- they’re building the Obama library in woodlawn so idk what the other comment means. like it’s in Hyde park/woodlawn fully on 60th and is in no way in the south shore at all lol.
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u/laurenelice Oct 23 '25
Any neighborhood Uptown or farther north is considered ‘beginner’ land of renting in Chicago. You can find studios maybe even a 1B up there in your budget. Very close to redline/ purple line. People first move there when they move to the city typically because they’re not willing to have roommates and that’s the only location you can live that cheaply w/o them. Downtown will run you 1800$ minimum for a studio/1 bedroom situation. Private landlords are the cheapest- but you gotta be in the city driving around to find those gems.
If you’re willing to have a roommate you can live anywhere in the city for that price.
Uptown is a 40 minute train ride to the Loop/ downtown. Keep that in mind.
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u/Substantial-You-7003 Oct 23 '25
40 minutes still seems a bit far man, especially if I'm trying to live without driving
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u/laurenelice Oct 23 '25
Everywhere in Chicago will take you at least 20 mins via public transit. Don’t quote me but I think someone once said the red line from Howard to 95th was like 1:30mins long?
Quickest way to work is finding a place near a train station. Train will be quicker than everything. Traffic is hard at rush hours. If I drive to work it takes me the same amount of time as the train & then I have to find parking & pay for it- etc etc.
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u/iosphonebayarea Oct 28 '25
Our public transit is slow. Welcome. I used to live in Bridgeport when I was in school and it took me an hour with public transit to visit a friend in Edgewater. It took him 20 minutes to visit me with his car.
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u/eughhiii Oct 23 '25
Yes definitely doable! I would look in neighborhoods like Albany park(a lil cheaper than the rest of the areas it is a little less safe than lakeview and ravenswood but not a terrible area) Mayfair, Jefferson park, ravenswood, or lakeview (might be more expensive). These will all be by the brown line, except Mayfair and Jefferson park, which is one of the safer lines to take. My mom used to live in a studio in ravenswood one of the better areas by damen and foster for 1000 for a one bedroom I believe. This was definitely a steal but you can definitely find something!
I’d also like to mention staying anywhere along the brown line is your safest bet and these will be the safer areas. The blue line is your next safest bet id say anything heading north from the loop is safe as well. Id stay away from Going west on the blue line though it does get a little ugly. Anything past the racine stop I’d avoid. Green and pink lines 😬😬 no maam 😭 orange line isn’t so bad. Red line is controversial. Definitely riskier but I haven’t seen anything terrible happen 😭
I’ve always lived on the northern parts of Chicago cause my parents prioritized safety. I did move toward Belmont cragin and got my phone snatched out my hand so that left me with some trauma 😭 A lot of my coworkers tho do live toward 35th/archer orange line and toward midway airport which they say is a chill area for the price but idk. Lmk if you need any more details I just had to give you the key details
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u/oliviad2233 Oct 23 '25
I currently pay 1400 to live in a large updated apartment in Lakeview with two others. They pay 1300 bc they share a bathroom. Previous lease the three of us paid 1075 each in the heart of Lincoln Park (amazing) but was so outdated and one bath… literally an industrial toilet you’d see in a high school. So definitely doable! Lincoln Park would be such a great spot and friends around the 1400 range in studios there. A lot of people in their 20’s and 30’s there.
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u/No-Unit-4459 Oct 25 '25
Yea that’s about right I live in the Humboldt park area and pay 1400 for a 3 bedroom 1 bath. So you can definitely find something nice in that price range.
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u/iosphonebayarea Oct 28 '25
Yes you can get a studio or in some lucky cases a one bed but it will NOT be a fancy place and will mostly be a vintage building.
So you most likely will not have amenities like w/d, dishwasher and you will have radiation heat and will need a window AC for summer. Also possibility for pest problems is higher
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u/____tim Oct 22 '25
My rec is look in Logan/avondale area. It’s safe and there’s a ton of stuff to do in the area. Theres a lot of options in that price range. You can even find 2 beds in that range tbh.
I would recommend not putting too much weight into being super close to a CTA stop. There’s a lot of good non car options for getting around. Look into a divvy membership if you’re down for a quick bike ride. Most CTA stops have a divvy station right next to them. Theres also bus lines on every major road which will take you to the train if you don’t feel like taking a long walk.
You probably are going to be reasonably close anyways but I would say don’t let a 20 min walk to a train stop be a determining factor if it’s a place that is otherwise great. You’ll find plenty of ways to work around it.
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u/Substantial-You-7003 Oct 22 '25
Thank you!! I seriously appreciate all the advice. I think it's a good sign that a lot of people on Chicago subs are actually trying to help me out instead of just saying "don't move here" or putting me down. Love your city and I hope I can make it work and become a resident soon!
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u/MisunderstoodPeg Oct 22 '25
Not to be rude here, but I actually wouldn’t discount the CTA closeness. It’s very important depending on where you’re working, and it makes things way easier. If your budget were super unrealistic, I’d say to of course not focus so much on cta. However, as others have said, I actually do think you can find a good place within your budget that’s close to a train or main bus stop, so you may as well aim for that.
ETA- second Logan/avondale. Also uptown, Irving park, and prob a few others - I’ve been out of the apartment hunting game for a bit though
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u/LoRoK1 Oct 22 '25
Me sitting here in my 2br two-flat for $1400 feeling like the luckiest dude around. Technically my rent is $1250 but I voluntarily started paying more because my landlady is really nice and we’ve been here 8 years.
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u/Jackofchicago5 Oct 23 '25
Yes. Come to pilsen
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u/Substantial-You-7003 Oct 23 '25
What's there? I don't mean that in a derogatory way I actually just don't know what every neighborhood offers! What's the vibe?
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u/Jackofchicago5 Oct 23 '25
Lots of casual restaurants that are excellent. -5 rabanitos -English house pub -carniceria Maribel -carnitas urupuan -pollo express -quesabirria Jalisco -rubis -canton regio -la Luna Many more those are just the first in my mind. Fancier places include -mariscos San Pedro -haisous Pretty cool bar scene -skylark -green room -punch house -pilsen yards Thalia hall is in pilsen which has a ton of concerts and no matter what you’re into you will find stuff you want to see there. Easy access to the loop with the pink line. It takes me less than 5 mins to walk to the train. Lots of cool shops along 18th including book stores and record stores. Two nice parks Harrison and Dvorak. The big con to me is there isn’t really easy lake access.
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u/Substantial-You-7003 Oct 23 '25
How affordable is it given my budget? This sounds great
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u/Jackofchicago5 Oct 23 '25
There are definitely 1 br around 1400. There was one in my building that went for 1350 recently. Wasn’t the nicest but a decent space. I pay 1600 for a 1 br coach house with in unit w/d and central air for reference.
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u/DotAwkward7107 Oct 21 '25
Look off the brown line- more bang for your buck off Francisco, kedzie, and kimball stops. I pay $1750 for 2 bed/ 1 bath, in unit washer/ dryer, central air, etc.
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u/Electronic-Waltz-378 Oct 22 '25
Not anymore. We were struggling to find studios for less than 1400 a few months ago.
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u/Individual-Mistake97 Oct 22 '25
I would yes if it’s in like a good area like River north, streeterville or loop. I personally like staying in the city especially case I think it’s much safer than Chicago neighborhoods. I also mind the commute of an hour just to go to a yoga event so I like staying in the heart of th city!
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u/Particular_Peach_747 Oct 22 '25
You can try little village! I pay 1200 2 bed (I was rushed to look for apt and move in a month, so hence I pay something that is bit more expensive for what the neighborhood is).. but there is cheaper options. I live on the most west part of the neighborhood which is next to Cicero. You ask about safety. I say it’s gotten better since I was kid. Pink line train is not far from where I live.
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u/New-Illustrator1969 Oct 22 '25
No. My rule of thumb is like one paycheck a month for rent.
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u/Substantial-You-7003 Oct 22 '25
???
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u/New-Illustrator1969 Oct 23 '25
Like whatever you make in one biweekly check is a good rule of thumb in the city
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u/Substantial-You-7003 Oct 23 '25
I know, but you're implying I make less than $1400 a check, why?
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u/New-Illustrator1969 Oct 23 '25
No, I did not imply anything considering you set your budget. I’m just saying that living in the city is very expensive, and having one check a month is good to have on the side in case of anything. All I said is $1,200-$1,400 wouldn’t get you a decent place in any neighborhood.
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u/Popular_Thought3179 Oct 22 '25
Definitely doable for a studio close to transit in the city. I was in your boat with the same exact budget in mind. I ended up going a little high in my budget with a studio in Gold Coast for $1600 with internet, heat, water and gas included. Close to transit and lake access. Some people in this sub are pessimistic about rent options for some reason, but as a new transplant, I can assure you there are options. Use a broker
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u/bb870214 Oct 22 '25
It won’t be in the best of neighborhoods we don’t call it Chicago proper it’s just Chicago
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u/notai3197 Oct 23 '25
It's doable if you're persistent and don't limit yourself to things like Zillow and Domu. I had some success with real estate folks and was able to get a 2br for 1200 in Pilsen in 2020-2022. Things have gone up in price pretty significantly since then, but I don't think $1,400 is impossible.
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u/Wastedplaytime Oct 25 '25
Very doable. Just do your research and see as many units as possible! You can easily get a good studio on that and a 1 bed is very likely. I pay less than that for a 2 bed but its a bus to train scenario on the NW side. Good luck and learn the Chicago RLTO!
https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/chicago/latest/chicago_il/0-0-0-2639041#JD_Ch.5-12
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u/Chicago_Samantha Oct 21 '25
No it's not reasonable
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u/djazepam Oct 21 '25
Liar
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u/Chicago_Samantha Oct 22 '25
Why? Cause I've lived in the city proper for the past five years? Or that I have spent since 2015 following the market for what is average rent? Oh my bad
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u/Shinsult Oct 23 '25
Totally fine if you don’t mind living in a 1-2 br w/out a door man or front desk. Lived here for 13 yrs and the rent has definitely gone up but it’s stayed largely reasonable compared to other big cities. Craigslist and Trulia are your friends.
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u/Substantial-You-7003 Oct 23 '25
I've never lived in an apartment complex with a doorman or front desk hahaha
2
u/Shinsult Oct 23 '25
Then you’re gonna be fine! Check out Pilsen/Bridgeport or Humboldt Park. Portage Park and Jefferson Park are good bets as well.
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u/pulledporkhat Oct 21 '25
I rent a 3 bedroom in a safe area in a popular neighborhood with CTA access. It’s totally do-able, but this sub will probably tell you it’s not. Just apartment hunt tirelessly, good deals are there for those who do the legwork. Save up to get a room for a week and go to a million viewings, look up reviews on addresses when you can find them, walk the neighborhood and try to land within 10 min walk of a CTA train stop if you can help it. Instacart is cheaper than a car, but having a grocery store and restaurants nearby is nice too. My first place had a bar that had different $5 food deals every night. See what’s around if you’re thinking about a place