Philadelphia or Boston..where should I live? Please help me choose

I am only looking for opinions from people who know a lot about at least one of the cities, as tourists might have skewed perspective either good or bad.

I prefer if you have lived in one of the cities, so please mention how long you've lived in the city. I've been to both cities many times as a visitor but I'm not prepared to make judgments on what is is like to live in either city.

So without further hesitation, Boston versus Philly in regards to...

#1. Job opportunities - My gf is coming to America to get her masters in Business accounting, I have a BA in Sociology.

#2. Public transportation - We will not have a car. Which city is easier to get around via PT? What city is better connected to other cities around America and internationally?

#3. Cost of living - obviously in our current economic climate, this could be the biggest factor. What city is cheaper to live in? What city typically has cheaper rent? In Boston, the colleges we are looking at are: Bentley. Philadelphia: Temple

#4. Safety - What city is safer, and has a lower crime rate? Especially around the area of Bentley (Boston) and Temple (Philly). I think there were a few other business schools she choose in Boston, but I can not remember them.

#5. This one is hard and very well could be close, but Culture. Especially tasty food. of course this is a smaller factor than the first four.

Wildcard cities: Chicago (Loyola University and U. of Illinois), NYC (Pace), wherever U. of Maryland is located, Washington DC (George Washington U.).

Reaches (meaning, unlikely to go, almost decided we will not go): San Diego, Denver (U. of Denver)

Not really looking for opinions on other cities we should go to, as it is likely between Philly and Boston, though feel free to throw in your opinions about Chicago and Maryland.

THANKS for any input!

 

Boston. Without a doubt. Been living in Mass my whole life btw.

 

Is it a pretty cheap place to live? Is it at all possible to get a cheap apartment under 750 for two people in Boston? I don't need a huge place, we live a frugal lifestyle.

I know Portland Maine is not comparable at all to Boston in regards to cost of living, but I got a really beautiful place for 575, and was able to live with 3 different room mates (not all at the same time of course, one at a time) and my gf during my three years. In other words, for 575, found a place comfortable enough for two people at a time.

I have visited Boston like a dozen times and like what I saw, but again, know it is different to live, compared to visiting.

edit: I also like that both cities are very historical places. Lots of history!

 

Ok, I can only tell you what I know about Philly, I grew up there and still live close to there. I can't compare it to Boston, I've never been there and know nothing about it, but hopefully this will shed some insight on Philly...

I don't think it will be hard to find a job in Philly. Center City is made up almost entirely of office/business buildings of every type.

Philly has a lot of PT options. It's not cheap, but it's easier than paying for a car and fighting for parking. SEPTA goes on strike like every other day though, so make sure you can work out alternate transportation plans should that happen. I think Philly might be a little better connected since it's closer to NY.

You can definitely find cheap places to live in Philly but you get what you pay for so as long as you don't mind not living in a luxury loft in Society Hill, you can definitely find something livable and affordable... maybe not the safest, but since you don't have a car that's at least one thing you don't have to worry about getting stolen/broken into. I will say this: Temple is in tha Hood. I'm sure on-campus security is fine, but don't wander too far in either direction late at night if you obviously look like newcomers.

Couldn't say for sure which is safer but going on a limb I'd say Philly might be a little rougher. Like I said, Temple is in a rough area but on-campus is probably fine. I don't go around that way too much but whenever I've been up there it seened well-lit and doesn't look run down or anything. Philly has good and bad "pockets".. one neighborhood will be an upscale, wealthy-ish residential or business center, but wander a few blocks too far in either direction and you're in the hood. Once you learn the streets, you're fine.

Philly has amazing food from every culture, every fusion, every flavor. Philly is diverse for sure. Some aspects of Philly are irritating (like the accents, but so is Boston lol) but for the most part I love Philly's culture. It's a rare day you'll be bored in Philly.

I went to Pace in NYC for a while and I enjoyed it. It wasn't the right time in my life to be going to school so it didn't work out, but if I had the chance again I'd probably go. Although I'd pick San Diego over NYC if I had the chance... NYC is cool but it's just a bigger, busier, dirtier version of Philly so it's nothing new to me

 

Cool, awesome post! Thanks so much for the help!

 

I live in Philly and spent a lot of time in Boston.

Boston is nicer, more expensive, and as a region just more worldly. On the whole I think that people in Boston are better educated and treat each other better.

Philly is cool-a great town, easy to live, easy to get around if you live in certain areas-but there are a lot of non-worldly sort of ignorant people. People who don't really give a dam about other people-more uneducated-assholes. Yes they are everywhere but there are a lot of them in Philly.

You can't go wrong with either town.

 

Yeah, I forgot to throw that in lol there are a lot of jerks in Philly, but just as many cool people if you know where to look.

 

I know you don't want opinions about other cities, buttt,

If you're going with two large cities relatively close to New York, why not just live in New York. The pro sides:

1. Metro. By far the best public transportation system in the US. In fact NYC is the only major city in the world where subway lines stay open 24 hours a day.

2. Crime. New York is not as deadly as Law and Order makes it seem. New York City's crime rate is actually one of the lowest in the country by big cities. It's only 1/2 that of both Boston and Philadelphia.
http://www.city-data.com/city/New-York-New-York.html
http://www.city-data.com/city/Boston-Massachusetts.html
http://www.city-data.com/city/Philadelphia-Pennsylvania.html

3. Jobs. NYC is one of the business capitals of the world, and the culture and media center of the country. People with a degree in accounting and sociology should have no problem getting a job.

4. Forget just the country, thanks to all the immigrant neighborhoods though the decades NYC gives you one of the widest ranges of places to buy food from in the whole world.

 

Of course there are jobs, tons of them, depends what you want to do. As far as transportation the T basically covers all of Boston, besides, it's not like the city is HUGE like NYC, the T is more than enough. You can get a decent place, specially in the older neighborhoods like Madapan, Roxbury, Dorchester, Charleston, etc. And since there are TONS of colleges and universities, there are always good deals around. It's safe, I'd say safer than Philly. And if it's culture you want, then your in the right city. Culture is something we thrive on and have plenty of. Experience it for yourself.

 

isn't new york ridiculously expensive though?

 

Philly is THE BEST place to party, but the shittist place to live. People romanticize the fuck out of boston so I'd go there.

i always wanted to see boston. get drunk at Cheers

 

I went there, but all I had was a bowl of clam chowder.

Boston's a great place though.:2thumbsup:

 

i would go to boston because i have friends up there but if that was not the case i would live in philly for sure.. way more affordable

 

BOSTON! I love Boston so much. I love visiting whenever I can. You could probably live in Watertown right outside of Boston. It's very nice.
#1. Boston is a very nice place to study sociology. Philadelphia is overdone with studying.
#2. Transportation: It has those nice little trolleys. : )
#3. Boston has a lower crime rate and lovely schools.
#4. Philly has a lot of Chinese and Italian restauraunts but Boston has Tai, Chinese, Italian, older styled restaraunts from the older days, and alot of oriental things and plenty of culture from early America.
It's just a very overall nice place to live, very nice people very cultural, nice schools, and just beautiful. I would highly recommend Boston.

 

Thanks for your input everyone.

If someone from Boston knows anything about "Bentley University," that would help me a lot too. Is it in a nice/safe area of Boston? Any details about that UNI!! Thanks

 

I know Bentley is a quality business school. I haven't looked into Bentley in 8 years or so, so I'm not sure what has changed. I know a few who went there and they say they got a good education. Master's are top rated as well.

I know its located in Waltham, ~10 miles outside of Boston. Looks like they have a shuttle from Harvard Sq. How often that runs, not sure...but once you get connected to the red line at harvard square, you'll have much more access to trains and buses around Cambridge and Boston, which gives you a lot more job and housing options, along with access to the school.

not so much crime out in that area from the local news reports that I hear of...

 

Bentley is a very good school with strong academics but it often takes a back seat to Brandeis University which is also located in Waltham, Massachusetts :2thumbsup:


Hotwater

 

carl...i feel slighted that you dont want my opinion...its not fair...i have seen parking wars on tv so i am an expert on philly and i watched every episode of cheers so i feel i am an expert on that city as well

....if you change your mind let me know:mickey:

 

Time to move off from the far east Carl?

 

Philly!!!!