Moving to Chicago

At first glance, Chicago seems like an unlikely expat destination; tucked between the American heartland and Lake Michigan, foreigners would seem more inclined to stop at the coastal cities of Boston and New York before they ventured inland to Chicago. Yet many expats are bypassing these cities and instead opting for a vibrant, multicultural and business-oriented experience in Chicago.

Chicago is America's third largest city and keeps investing in itself, continuously improving infrastructure, trying to fix its educational system, providing some of the country's top higher educational universities and, as expats will notice, courting the world's largest companies to relocate their headquarters to within its windy borders. Expats moving to Chicago with children will be pleased to find that the city offers a solid range of private and international schooling options.

While the cost of living in Chicago is considerably higher than the national average, it is lower than many other American cities such as New York; this is also offset by the fact that salaries in Chicago are also higher than the national average. Yet for all these advantages, Chicago has many of the same entrenched problems that plague most American cities. Public education can be dismal and high crime rates force families away from the city.

While health insurance is one of the major expenses expats will need to account for when moving anywhere in the USA, those relocating to Chicago can rest assured that they will have access to good quality medical services. The city is home to some of the best hospitals in the USA, largely due to the presences of many medical schools.

Overall, expats can look forward to an exciting time in the Windy City, with plenty of things to explore, learn and experience.