I toured a Chicago rental that was twice the size of my $2,200 NYC apartment

I rent a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment in Queens for $2,200 a month. The 650-square-foot unit has an open kitchen and living area plus a small extra room I use for storage, but it lacks in-unit laundry and an oven. On a recent trip to Chicago I toured a brand-new, top-floor three-bedroom, two-bath unit listed for the same $2,200.

The 1,400-square-foot apartment sits in the Woodlawn neighborhood about 45 minutes from downtown by train, and the two-unit property stood next to similar homes under construction. The Chicago kitchen was larger, with marble countertops, a geometric backsplash, and stainless-steel appliances, including an oven.

The living area had three tall windows, a long hallway with three closets, and a primary bedroom with a walk-in closet and an en-suite bathroom; both bathrooms had marble floors and contrasting backsplashes. A laundry closet was empty during the tour, but the agent said a washer and dryer would be installed later.

United States, Queens, New York; Woodlawn, Chicago

nyc, queens, $2,200, chicago, woodlawn, three-bedroom, 1400 sqft, 650 sqft, washer dryer, oven