There is quite a bit of difference between renting an apartment in one of the residential neighborhoods and living in downtown Chicago. Sure, there are plenty of advantages in finding a home outside of the hustle and bustle in the city proper. For one, the rent is often quite a bit cheaper than a condo or apartment in the Loop. Depending on the neighborhood there are probably less panhandlers between the bus stop and your front door. Parking is cheaper and easier to find, and the traffic is definitely lighter. But don’t write off downtown just yet!

If you want a real city experience, go where the skyscrapers are. After all, living closer to the Loop puts you closer to all of the action. Where is the Taste of Chicago held? Downtown. Looptopia? The Loop, of course. Daley Plaza is constantly playing host to a diverse selection of seasonal and cultural festivals, from the Christmas village to the Halloween haunted plaza. Downtown is where it’s at in Chicago. Plus one does not have to live directly in the Loop to be close to the action, there are several nearby neighborhoods that allow you to take advantage of the benefits of living downtown without many of the drawbacks. Instead of the Loop, consider the South Loop, or Streeterville, or River North. Apartments in neighborhoods like these give you access to all the benefits of living downtown without having the headache of, well, living downtown.

Take River North, for example. Assuming that you aren’t intimately familiar with the city, you could walk from the Loop to River North without ever noticing that you crossed into a new district. It lies very close to the center of the city, close enough to still be surrounded by incredibly sculpted facades of the skyscrapers, yet far enough away to avoid most of the crowds and the chaos of State Street or Madison Avenue. Instead of hordes of tourists and shoppers, the streets of River North are filled with business people on their way to and from work or local residents out for a morning jog. The big box outlet stores are replaced by art galleries and cafes. River North apartments are priced about the same as their counterparts in the Loop, but are set just far enough away to avoid most of the drawbacks. On average River North apartments cost roughly $1,600 for a single bedroom flat and often include secure parking spots in the lower floors. Or you can skip the parking and just walk to work, downtown is only a short trip down the street. Neighborhoods near the Loop help promote balance between work and life by providing everything you want close at hand.