Expensive as hell, but worth it if you've got the
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10/21/2009
I've been living in NYC most of my life. I went to college and came back here. What a mistake! Not that it's not a good place... it's just that it's not a good place to start a life, I think. I think being able to save a little bit of money early on is important so that you can do things with your money to create comfort around yourself... I like to invest. Anyway, the ratio of income to cost of living here typically sucks. It's hard to save money here. I came back because my family and friends are here. Little did I know that I would have been much better off moving elsewhere. I'm now looking at going west... after 5 years of trying a bunch of trying to do it right here in NYC. With student loan debt and a desire to save, well, you've really got to be incredibly motivated to live comfortably here. While I'm motivated, I don't feel like making my job my whole life. Plus... it's really hard to find a few minutes alone here by a lake or something like that.
On the other hand, this really is the greatest place to live. The culture and activities that are available to someone here are second-to-none. I've traveled through Europe, Asia, and parts of South America. The only cities that I've found that compare with the night life are London, Tokyo, and Seoul... also very expensive cities. In terms of culture, well, we're talking some of the same cities. There's always something new to discover here. I've lived here over 20 years and the surprises keep on coming... some good, some bad... but it's all worth it, I think.
A young person looking to move out here should really look at living in the outer-boroughs, speaking as a former real estate agent here. Unless, of course, you're like a buddy of mine who graduated in the top 10% of an ivy league law firm and has a six-figure salary waiting for him right out of college, look at the outer-boroughs.
I'm not sure what else to say about NYC... it's home... I love it... but the city loves no one... it loves money. In NYC one can only find "home" in small nooks and crannies around the city. For me it's an isolated spot along the Hudson River in the norther part of Manhattan.
Arcenis | Odenton, MD