| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | ||
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1 | Chicago (control city) | Knoxville, TN (control city) | Tacoma, WA | Victoria, BC, Canada | Lima, Peru | Albuquerque, NM | Portland, OR | Denver, CO | |||||||||||||||||||
2 | Cost of Living | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | -Housing (http://www.city-data.com) | Median gross rent in 2016: $1,034. (http://www.city-data.com/city/Chicago-Illinois.html) | Median gross rent in 2016: $763. http://www.city-data.com/city/Knoxville-Tennessee.html | Median gross rent in 2016: $1,054. (http://www.city-data.com/city/Tacoma-Washington.html) | Surcharge for foreign buyers of property. Remember median housing prices as expensive. | $400-$900 per month (anecdotal) | Median gross rent in 2016: $809. | Median gross rent in 2016: $1,153. | Median gross rent in 2016: $1,223. | ||||||||||||||||||
4 | Ride-share City? | Zipcar, Lyft & Uber | Zipcar, Lyft & Uber | Zipcar, Lyft & Uber | MODO(like Zipcar) | Easy Taxi | Uber & Lyft | Zipcar, Uber & Lyft | Uber & Lyft | ||||||||||||||||||
5 | -Vehicle Required? (https://www.walkscore.com) | No | Yes | Somewhat Walkable | Walkable, Bikeable. Public transit exists and is affordable. The most walkable Victoria neighborhoods are Harris Green, Downtown and North Park. | Depends on where you live, but getting around requires a car. Driving here isn't feasible for other reasons. Ride shares are equivalent to public transit fees in other cities. | Yes | Maybe. | Not in the downtown area, but to get out of the city yes | ||||||||||||||||||
6 | -State Taxes (https://www.retirementliving.com/taxes-by-state) | State Sales Tax: 6.25% (1% on qualifying food, prescription & non-prescription drugs, medical appliances). Local government taxes can raise the total to a high of 8.45% (over 10% in Chicago). Gasoline Tax: 52.41 cents/gallon (Includes all taxes) | State Sales Tax: 7% on tangible property (prescription drugs exempt); 6% on food and food ingredients. Counties and cities may add another 1.5% to 2.75% to the total of either rate. Gasoline Tax: 39.8 cents/gallon (Includes all taxes) Personal Income Taxes: Salaries, wages, Social Security, IRAs and pension income are not taxed. | State Sales Tax: None Gasoline Tax: 49.52 cents/gallon (Includes all taxes) | Would have to satisfy foreign entry requirements, so this may be moot. | N/A. 180 day limit, then would have to do a "visa run" to gain reentry. Understand from expat groups that taxes on foreign nationals is extremely high. Movement of money in and out of the country can also be prohibitive unless you have banking with reciprocity in Peru. | State Tax Rate: 5.125% (prescription drugs exempt); county and city taxes may add another 3.9375%. Certain food and medical expenses are exempt. Gasoline Tax: 37.28 cents/gallon (Includes all taxes) | State Sales Tax: None Gasoline Tax: 49.52 cents/gallon (Includes all taxes) Diesel Fuel Tax: 54.76 cents/gallon (Includes all taxes) Cigarette Tax: $1.32/pack of 20 | State Sales Tax: 2.9% (food and prescription drugs exempt); many cities and counties have their own rates which are added to the state rate. The local tax rate could be as high as 8.3%, and the total tax rate ranges from 2.9% to 11.2%. Gasoline Tax: 40.4 cents/gallon (Includes all taxes) Diesel Fuel Tax: 44.9 cents/gallon (Includes all taxes) Cigarette Tax: 84 cents/pack of 20 | ||||||||||||||||||
7 | -Cost of Living Score (https://www.payscale.com/cost-of-living-calculator/) | Baseline | 34% lower | 12% lower | Lowest cost of living in South America (multiple sources) | 23% lower | 5% higher | ||||||||||||||||||||
8 | -Cost of Living Score (http://www.bestplaces.net/cost-of-living/) | Baseline | Knoxville is 27% cheaper than Chicago. Housing is the biggest factor in the cost of living difference. Housing is 43% cheaper in Knoxville. | Tacoma is 2% more expensive than Chicago. Miscellaneous is the biggest factor in the cost of living difference. Miscellaneous is 9% more expensive in Tacoma. | No online tool | No online tool | 16.6% less than Chicago. Median Home Cost is the biggest factor in the cost of living difference. - Median Home Cost is 15% cheaper in Albuquerque. | - Overall, Portland, Oregon is 25.5% more expensive than Chicago, Illinois - Median Home Cost is the biggest factor in the cost of living difference. - Median Home Cost is 89% more expensive in Portland. | 9% lower than Chicago. | ||||||||||||||||||
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10 | Quality of Life | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | Language | English | English | English | English | Spanish, some English spoken | English | English | English | ||||||||||||||||||
12 | -Average Temperature (http://www.holiday-weather.com/chicago/averages/) | July is the hottest month in Chicago with an average temperature of 73°F and the coldest is January at 21°F with the most daily sunshine hours at 12 in July. | July is the hottest month in Knoxville with an average temperature of 79°F and the coldest is January at 39°F. | July is the hottest month in Seattle with an average temperature of 64°F. The coldest is January at 41°F. | 40s-50 November - April. 60s-80s through late spring/early fall | 70°-80° year round. Little to no rainfall. | Summers average in the 90's, Spring/Fall in the 70's. Winter ranges from 30s-50s. Daytime. | Summers range in 60s-70s; 40s-50s the rest of the year | |||||||||||||||||||
13 | -Walkable? (https://www.walkscore.com) | 78 | 31 | 53 | 78 | Some neighborhoods are walkable | 43 | 65 | 61 | ||||||||||||||||||
14 | -Public Transit? (https://www.walkscore.com) | 65 | N/A | N/A | 62 | Scary minibuses | 30 | 51 | 47 | ||||||||||||||||||
15 | -Biking (https://www.walkscore.com) | 70 | N/A | 49 | Galloping Goose Trail | No | 60 | 80 | 71 | ||||||||||||||||||
16 | -Restaurants (walkscore.com) | Off da chain | There are about 950 restaurants, bars and coffee shops in Knoxville. People in Knoxville can walk to an average of 0.9 restaurants, bars and coffee shops in 5 minutes. | There are about 774 restaurants, bars and coffee shops in Tacoma. People in Tacoma can walk to an average of 2 restaurants, bars and coffee shops in 5 minutes. | Lots, especially downtown. Hanks! Korean food! China town! Good bakeries. | Focus is on Peruvian cuisine. Not a cosmopolitan mix of offerings as in similar-sized cities. | Great if you love green chilies and NM cuisine. We do. Lack of variety could become trying. | There are about 3,602 restaurants, bars and coffee shops in Portland. People in Portland can walk to an average of 6 restaurants, bars and coffee shops in 5 minutes. | There are about 3,335 restaurants, bars and coffee shops in Denver. People in Denver can walk to an average of 0.7 restaurants, bars and coffee shops in 5 minutes. | ||||||||||||||||||
17 | Breweries | 130+ | Odd Otter, other small breweries | The BC scene is smoking hot. Moon Under Water, Dageraad, Two Dogs, Category 12 | Ugh. Magdalena was the only drinkable brew we found. | Decent & growing. Bow & Arrow; Tractor Brewing; Santa Fe Brewing; Marble, La Cumbre, Abbey Brewing | Fab brewery scene. Esp love Mockery, Crooked Stave, Trve for the sour scene. | ||||||||||||||||||||
18 | -Pet Friendly? | No | Yes | Yes | Dogs everywhere | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||
19 | -Garden Friendly? | No | Possible | Yes | No, arid environment. | No, arid environment | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||
20 | -Low Crime? | No | No | Yes | No | High in some areas; drugs are a problem | Lots of dope heads walking around downtown. Concerned about crime increasing due to it. | Seems decent in the Capitol Hill/City Park area. MJ is legal here, so some concern about increase in that scene. | |||||||||||||||||||
21 | -Access to Outdoors? | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||||||||||||||
22 | -Access to Water? | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||
23 | -Tourist Activity | High downtown, low everywhere else | No | Stained glass museum | Very tourist-oriented, esp downtown | Yes | Route 66 & Balloon festival seem to be draws | Some | Some | ||||||||||||||||||
24 | -Hockey Team | Blackhawks | Predators | Canucks | Victoria Royals; Canucks | N/A Soccer town | N/A | Avalanche | |||||||||||||||||||
25 | -Proximity to Family/Friends | Good | Very Good (Jan) | Meh | Okay | Bad | Okay | Okay | Good | ||||||||||||||||||
26 | -Politics | Blue | Red | Blue | Bureaucratic, lots of corruption | Purple | Blue | Blue-ish in Denver, Purple in the rest of the state. | |||||||||||||||||||
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28 | Must Haves | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
29 | -1 Hour to Airport | Yes (ORD) | Yes | Yes (SEA TAC) | Yes | Yes | Yes (ABQ) | Yes | Yes, light rail to the airport | ||||||||||||||||||
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31 | Job Market | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
32 | -Concentration of Companies | High (tech, hospitality, healthcare) | Low, industry based (education, extraction) | Would have to be in a consulting position | Seems mixed. Probably have more success with consulting. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
33 | -Seasonal? | No | No | No | No | ||||||||||||||||||||||
34 | -Growth? | Declining | Declining | Unknown | Growing | Growing area | |||||||||||||||||||||
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