As I was exploring the Mag Mile are and attending the air/water show I began to wonder how you good folks who live in the city afford it? I picked up some real esate guides and was amazed at the prices.

Also if you have infants, how do you ride in taxis? Do you have things delivered(groceries) etc. Chicago seems very non car friendly so I'm sure getting products is no problem but I wondered what daily life is like in the big city.

Country dweller here.

If you think it's bad here, you should see NYC! It's not as bad as it seems as far as driving goes and keep in mind that salaries are higher than they are out in the country! My inlaws who live downstate are always amazing at the housing costs and our salaries so it seems it evens out in the end. Plus, where you were is one of the priciest neighborhoods in the city -- Oprah lives on Mich. Ave! As for groceries, when we lived in the city, we shopped in smaller batches on our way home.

Well, I don't own a car. Walk or take public transit everywhere. The rare times I need a car (to drive back to Michigan where I'm originally from) I just rent one. Obviously, not owning a car saves me a lot of money. As far as real estate goes, I rent. You're right. Housing prices are out of control. I'm single so it's more understandable how I couldn't afford to buy. But honestly, I don't even know how the dual income people do it. Despite the awful winter weather, Chicago is a great city so we make some sacrifices to live here.

By the way, as far as groceries, I just walk to the grocery store and pull along my little fold-up black cart. Used to think it was for old ladies, but it actually works out well! I grew up in the Detroit area and got my license the very day I turned 16 so I am very well aware of the car culture. Actually, I love not owning a car. Obviously, you can only live like this in a major city with public transportation but it's too much of a pain to own a car here. Not to mention the extra money I save I spend on vacations. All that walking keeps the thighs thin too!

I lived in Chicago for 9 years. I did not have a car for the first 6 years, and for the last 3 years I wondered how I ever survived without a car for those 6 years!

I didn't have a car until a couple of years ago-- got a job in the 'burbs, so have to commute now--blech. Even though I now have wheels, I usually walk to get groceries, pick up drycleaning, etc. For longer hauls, public transportation is plentiful (and can be very interesting) and cabs are everywhere, so if you work downtown, a car is a very unecessary expense.

Also, when I do drive the car in the city (which I admittedly do more often in place of CTA now that I can), I guess we're just used to the traffic-- I've learned to drive very aggressively, so I just get my "mean on" and go for it!

Well, I do have a car, and also a parking place at work (east of Michigan near Ontario), so we do drive to work, though sometimes we take either the red line or an express bus. Commuting time is 30 minutes MAX. We recently moved back to the city from the suburbs and love being so close for theater, opera, restaurants, etc., and having a much shorter commute to work. We find life in the city very convenient because of the access to everything. As to groceries, there are a million little corner stores to pick things up at in between trips to a bigger grocery, dry cleaners are everywhere, lots of little restaurants to carry out from, etc. My neighborhood has a Mexican bakery open 7 days a week until 9 pm, where you can get a tray full of rolls, cookies, etc., for like 3 dollars--actually, I try to stay away from there!

Wow 3 bucks for a plate of goodies? I'm so there!!!!

I'm so in awe of city life. I've tried to convince my husband that we should move to the city but he doesn't like the idea of raising a child in the city. Pfftt.... he thinks there is not enough green space for them to run around or not enough other children for friends.

I'm sure plenty of people live in the city with kids. I just love the whole feel of the city. The enormous choices for food and entertainment and the history.

The only thing I don't like is being pestered by street people. I feel bad for them but also intimidated.

One of my dear girlfriends moved out of Buckhead, which is an area of Atlanta, Georgia to Chicago. Her one bedroom condo is a half block from the Mag Mile (N. Pearson) in a building next door to the building Oprah lives in and her condo was cheaper than the one in Atlanta. It is also larger and has a view of Lake Michigan and the water tower.

I've been living in the city on and off since 1991 (and grew up less than 25 miles away and came downtown very often growing up). I left for a bit to head off to a small town to finish school, but promptly came back (can take the girl outta city but... well you know the rest), I didn't have a car for a few years but now I do and don't know how I got on without it (although I could live without the $50 parking tickets). For the most part though, I don't drive to the city center, ever, and I usually walk to the grocery store as well. On the weekends I generally take the "L" or if it is late, a cab to where I want to go, unless it is out of town or I know for a fact there is parking (I almost always check beforehand). It isn't as expensive though as people seem to think, my apartment is actually cheaper here than I could get in any of the surrounding suburbs (but lacks a lot of the ameneties too such as laundry, air conditioning, dishwasher, etc.) I love having the world at my fingertips and if that means I have to schlep my laundry across the street, then so be it. That being said, to buy something here is a joke, real estate is outrageous(sadly) but not nearly as bad though as New York.

In a word - it can be "stressful."

I'm a born-and-raised Chicago-proper native, currently live in an area called the West Loop (think trendy restaurants, galleries and expensive loft-style condos). I bought my loft when I was 27 (three years ago), own a car, and the parking garage space for it that cost me $20,000. The price of living in the city kind of comes with the territory, so when someone actually calls it out, I have to stop and think about how expensive my lifestyle actually is.

I'm a city girl at heart with country aspirations (I'm counting the days when I have my own house with a nice big backyard and deck), but I'll defend my hometown to anyone till I'm blue in the face. Though I'm the first to complain about the traffic, parking, prices, taxes, etc. I'm planning to get out to the West Coast soon enough (can't take these winters anymore), but until then, it's home....

Born and raised Chicago also. I don't know how they do it either right now in 2004. Moved out of there 20 years ago, but visit often. My mom and dad still live in city proper and I take them groceries etc. Grocery shopping and housewares shopping by them is horrid, compared to where I shop.

Family members (cousins) have retired to an apartment downtown. They are downtown city people and enjoy it immensely, as they are musicians too and appreciate/get into some of the entertainment. BUT, they have 8 kids (yes, I know- crazy)who although successful with kids of their own, are not allowed to come "up" to the apartment. RULES OF THE BUILDING. They have a car and a house in Evergreen Park where most of their real lives still are.

I actually had the opportunity to have an apartment for next to nothing almost straight across the street from the Art Institute, when they gutted the building and sold the units about 10 years ago. Tried it for just a few months and absolutely hated it. But I love to spend weekends or a week downtown each year. Way too many people and too little personal space, way too much grey and dirt, and way, way too much personal detachment. Being friendly, is NOT being friends.

redshoe, most of the people who live in Chicago do NOT live in the areas you visit or read about. Bungalow neighborhoods north, south and southwest have every level of housing and most have 30-45 minute commute to downtown by RTA systems. Most of the parking and winter snow removal is bad. I do know people who have raised kids in all or most of these neighborhoods. More power to them, I guess, but it sure wouldn't be me. And right now to do a half way decent job takes big bucks and probably if not always, two working parents. The two I know have a nanny who is raising the children, not them. Saying all that, I do know of lots of DINC's who love it. And even personally know some brave hearts that are trying to rehab/ gentrify in an area that I wouldn't care to have ANYONE walk in at night.

I love our city! You don't need a car. I have one but it's so much easier now that we have a garage, street parking was a pain. I'm orig from Houston so it's very pricey to me too. We wanted a house but for about had to buy a condo. Homes in the city start at about $600K. We walk or drive to the grocery store, pretty normal! nad our friends with babies do bring the car seat into the cab if they take it (often just take public transit)

$600,000 to start????

There are many levels of living arrangements, but there are hundreds and hundreds of single family homes available at any time in Chicago for much, much less than $600,000.

I don't know what part of the "city" that eroz is referring to. Downtown or in trendier Near North, Near West or some Near South maybe you could say $400,000 to $500,000 (for an small apartment or condo) to start, and much more for spacious living areas- but little is equivalent to the coop / condo prices with restrictions as quoted in the latest NYC thread. Also- you don't have a city income tax- just city property and sales taxes- and a fairly resonable Illinois State income tax. And you do OWN your single family dwelling and most probably your condo eventually.

My mom and dad, plus many of my relatives live in all areas of Chicago and none of their homes will sell for near $600,000. In my parents' neighborhood, Ashburn, the houses sell for about $150,000 if they are not rehabbed or expanded bungalows. Most of the fireman/ policeman etc. live near them or in Burbank, Mt. Greenwood, Garfield etc. neighborhoods and their house prices will run from $140,000- up to $350,000 unless the house has been gutted- rehabbed or had second floors or pools added. On the Northwest side my aunt just had a little house (1800 square feet- spacious in NYC) with lawn/ gardens sell for about $300,000.

As far as groceries go, the prices are high and the choices as far as quality- if it is GOOD- you PAY. Many eat in restaurants and there are so many good neighborhood ones without the downtown or trendy prices. Check Please! on PBS television network hghlights many of these at the present time.

All of the above neighborhoods are in CHICAGO as are about 40 more, and most people who live in any of them will need a car and use a car. In fact, I do not know anyone with a child who does not own a car. LOTS of these children go to private school, sometimes at quite a distance. I had one cousin who tried loft living with a baby and was out of there by the time the child was two.

I find the best way to live in the city is not to do it. I live in an inner suburb near the border. There is more affordable housing, more open space, plenty of free parking, better schools and libraries, and more responsive government. BUT, I can take the El or Metra (trains) into the city in about half an hour. I really have the best of both worlds. And it's not like people who live right in the heart of the city spend all there time at museums and trendy restaurants. People still have to do laundry, clean the house, help the kids with homework, etc. So, it's not really an inconvenience having to take the 1/2 hour trip into the city, because I don't have time to do it that often. BTW, I'm single with no kids. So if you have a family, you may be overestimating how much time you'll have to take advantage of the cities attractions.