One of the first things you notice when living in the U.S. is the difference in the cost of living.

Even within the U.S., costs vary greatly by city, so one of the most frequently asked questions is, "Which area is cheaper and livable?"

I have been living in Chicago for 10 years, and since my friends are in LA and my relatives are in Texas, we often compare living costs.

The differences are surprisingly large.

The biggest factors are undoubtedly rent and home prices.

In major cities like LA, the climate is nice and there is a large Korean community, so many people want to live there.

This drives rent prices extremely high. A one-bedroom apartment in a decent location easily exceeds $2000 a month, and buying a house typically costs around a million dollars or more. In contrast, while Chicago is also a major city, it is located in the Midwest, where prices are relatively stable.

Luxury apartments near downtown Chicago are expensive, but if you go a little further out, you can find one-bedroom apartments for around $1500, and home prices are less than half of those in LA.

Texas is even cheaper compared to this. Especially in major cities like Dallas and Houston, which are rapidly growing but still have plenty of land available. Therefore, you can find two or three-bedroom apartments for about $1200, and home prices are generally lower than the national average.

Food costs also vary by region. In fact, grocery prices are steadily rising across the U.S., making it hard to find particularly cheap places. However, LA has many Korean markets, making it easy to find ingredients for Korean dishes like kimchi, ramen, meat, and fish, although the prices are relatively high.

Chicago has a Korean town, making it convenient to buy Korean food, but it is not as diverse as LA, and prices are a bit higher. In Texas, it can be difficult to find Korean ingredients in some areas, but recently, markets like H-Mart have been opening in major cities, improving the situation.

However, when comparing to American local supermarkets, Texas is definitely cheaper. Especially for produce, you can buy fresh vegetables and meat much cheaper than in LA.

Then there are car maintenance costs. The U.S. is a country where living without a car is difficult. LA is a car culture city with wide roads, but traffic is heavy, and insurance rates are high. Gas prices are also the highest in the nation due to California's state taxes.

Chicago has public transportation, so it is possible to live without a car, but if you live in the suburbs, a car is essential. Gas prices are much cheaper than in LA, but winter heating costs add up. Car insurance rates are moderate.

In Texas, many people live in the suburbs, making it impossible to live without a car. However, gas prices are low, and the wide roads make driving convenient, although the rapid growth of cities is leading to increasing traffic issues.

Utility costs are slightly different as well. In LA, winters are warm, so heating costs are minimal, but in summer, you need to keep the air conditioning on, leading to high electricity bills. Chicago has harsh winters, leading to high gas heating costs, and summers are humid, requiring air conditioning as well. Therefore, costs are spread out throughout the year. Texas has long, hot summers, leading to significant electricity bills, but winters are short, resulting in almost no heating costs.

Overall, to summarize, LA is great to live in due to its climate and the convenience of the Korean community, but it has the highest cost of living. Chicago offers a balance of urban culture and living infrastructure at a relatively moderate cost, while Texas has significantly lower housing and living costs but requires adaptation to the climate and high dependence on transportation.

Ultimately, which place is better depends on what you prioritize. If you need Korean food, LA is the place; if saving on living costs is your top priority, Texas is the way to go; and if you want a balance of urban culture and reasonable living costs, Chicago could be a good choice.

Even while living in Chicago, I sometimes wonder, "Should I go to LA? Or is Texas better?" But when I think about it, there are definitely advantages to what I enjoy here.

The cost of living as an immigrant in the U.S. is not just a matter of numbers; it must align with the lifestyle I desire, which I have personally experienced.