Boston vs. New York - Cost of Living (Springfield, Cambridge: rent, health insurance)

[New Englander]

Originally Posted by wivenhoe

The electric bills must be triple in NYC compared to MA.

I just received my ConEdison bill for an empty, 900 sq foot, top floor, two bedroom (Jr 4) co-op in Van Cortlandt Village (in greater Riverdale) - $159.17. That's over $300 for the last two months for an empty, two-bedroom co-op. ConEdison is estimating the electric bill based on last year's costs. Pirates. Absolute pirates.

In MA, we're paying 1/3-1/4 of the NYC electric bill.

Still, I miss the bathrooms being open in the NYC playgrounds after Labor Day.

BUT - I don't know miss for a second the state of the public school education system in NYC. NYC public schools are in a complete mess, to say the least. It's a major reason why families leave the city once their children reach kindergarten and grade school.

See these are the things that rile me up. I mean we are talking about basic necessities here, and NYC seems to gouge people for things we will all need. I mean imagine being working poor in NYC, having to pay higher utility bills, more for the Metrocard, and absolutely crazy amounts for taxes. On top of that you have to settle for less in terms of housing, have to deal with maddening crowds, traffic congestion etc – how do you survive?

[thenewtexan]

Mid-town Manhattan is where it gets so outrageously expensive. The Boroughs, even Brooklyn are more in line with Boston proper.

[holden125]

Originally Posted by New Englander

See these are the things that rile me up. I mean we are talking about basic necessities here, and NYC seems to gouge people for things we will all need. I mean imagine being working poor in NYC, having to pay higher utility bills, more for the Metrocard, and absolutely crazy amounts for taxes. On top of that you have to settle for less in terms of housing, have to deal with maddening crowds, traffic congestion etc – how do you survive?

A large part of why I left. I also just like Boston more, but these reasons are part of why I like Boston more. It can be very hard to make it in NYC.

The one thing I'll say about Con Ed is they do this "estimated bill" stuff all the time, and overcharge just to give a big credit later on. The actual bill may turn out to be far lower, but they're earning interest off everyone's cash in the interim. My uncle got a $3500 credit from Con Ed once they actually came and read the meter in person.

[New Englander]

Originally Posted by thenewtexan

Mid-town Manhattan is where it gets so outrageously expensive. The Boroughs, even Brooklyn are more in line with Boston proper.

I don't think so because you are still paying:

- NYC income tax.
- NYC sales tax
- Metrocard for commuting

If anything I would rather pay more to live in Midtown (assuming work is walking distance) than the boros. Plus living in Brooklyn means greater commute times to Manhattan, if thats where you work.

Boy, I sound like a NYC hater, but the truth is that New Yorkers are paying more to get less. I truly feel for people out there. I think everyone considering a move to NYC should look at things very carefully.

[holden125]

Originally Posted by thenewtexan

Mid-town Manhattan is where it gets so outrageously expensive. The Boroughs, even Brooklyn are more in line with Boston proper.

For some things, but not income tax, etc. The thing is that Boston proper is the heart of the action here, while the outer boros (depending on where you are) can be quite a trek.

[New Englander]

Originally Posted by holden125

A large part of why I left. I also just like Boston more, but these reasons are part of why I like Boston more. It can be very hard to make it in NYC.

The one thing I'll say about Con Ed is they do this "estimated bill" stuff all the time, and overcharge just to give a big credit later on. The actual bill may turn out to be far lower, but they're earning interest off everyone's cash in the interim. My uncle got a $3500 credit from Con Ed once they actually came and read the meter in person.

Wow, I glad that your uncle got that refund but these things really bother me. Also, I forgot to mention renting an apartment: talk about a hassle. Besides agreeing to pay the full broker fee, first, last, I was also asked to “apply” for the apartment. Having rented in Boston, I thought “how bad could it be?” well it was almost like having to get a mortgage, where they asked me for w-2s, references, credit checks, and here is the kicker: They wanted me to meet the coop board before renting. The apartment was in the Upper East Side, in the 70s, nice building but the interior was definitely worse than my Harvard Square condo.

When I went back to the folks who had given me the offer, they said “oh look at all the opportunities you will have here – Wall street, all the Banks, Hedge Funds etc” I asked them whether they would put me on the partner track at their firm, and I was met with silence. The decision, for me, was made already.

[PaulDenton]

I read today that the MTA is toying with the idea of a 130$ monthly metrocard. and biking from an outer borough to manhattan is literally taking your life in your hands.

[wivenhoe]

The MTA is talking about toying with capping the number of rides on an unlimited monthly card. MTA is thinking about capping the number of rides to 90-rides on a monthly card so it's no longer unlimited.

Read - MTA unveils proposal for $130 monthly MetroCard - NYPOST.com
Open Wide for $104 Monthly Unlimited MetroCard - Gothamist

I know the MBTA has problems and is a considerably smaller (though older) and less used transit system than NYC, but it doesn't seem to face anything like the MTA. NYC MTA is a completely mismanaged, crumbling transit system. What a mess!

[New Englander]

Originally Posted by wivenhoe

The MTA is talking about toying with capping the number of rides on an unlimited monthly card. MTA is thinking about capping the number of rides to 90-rides on a monthly card so it's no longer unlimited.

Read - MTA unveils proposal for $130 monthly MetroCard - NYPOST.com
Open Wide for $104 Monthly Unlimited MetroCard - Gothamist

I know the MBTA has problems and is a considerably smaller (though older) and less used transit system than NYC, but it doesn't seem to face anything like the MTA. NYC MTA is a completely mismanaged, crumbling transit system. What a mess!

This is going to directly and negatively impact the working poor who NEED the subway or the buses to get to work. I am talking about normal, hardworking people who are working at CVS, or as a paralegal in Manhattan. For these people, every dollar that is spent in commuting takes away from other basic necessities like food, rent, and clothing.

I am absolutely shocked that there isn’t an investigation into the MTA’s finances. A city on the scale of New York has to have an efficient mass transit system. From what I have seen (granted its limited), the subway stations are in disrepair, busses/trains are not running on schedule, and there always seems to be “track work” or other construction work which we (the commuters) don’t see.

There is no doubt that MBTA has it’s share of issues and Boston is considerably smaller – but the fact that fares are cheaper and your voice does get heard is considerably better than what is going on in NYC.

If I were a politician, I would not only call for an immediate freeze of any fare hikes, but also launch an independent investigation into the MTA finances. If that did not yield results, I would break up the agency into separate pieces, to foster a sense of competition between managers of each agency. Where is the outrage in New York City?

[wivenhoe]

There's outrage in NYC over the MTA finances. I think every week there's something in the Metro, AmNY, NY Times, NY Post, or elsewhere. Every day people are screaming about the political corruption and mismanagement. Still, the MTA goes on and nothing seems to change.

You're right about the MTA and everything you've read is true - subway stations are in disrepair and not running to schedule. Many trains do not operate on the weekend due to ongoing (never ending) maintenance - 'track work'. Buses do not operate to schedule either. Both trains and buses are overcrowded as it cattle car crowded conditions.

Crime and filth are increasing at subway and bus stations as well. I'm from MA, lived in NYC (greater Riverdale) for 5 years), and moved back to MA in April. One of the first things I noticed on the T was how clean the stations are compared to NYC. Some of the subway stations are so dark, dingy, and stifling hot in the summer. It's bad.

The working and middle class in NYC will be hard hit with the MTA increases. Librarians, teachers, policemen, firefighters, etc. will be affected as well as restaurant staff, hotel workers, shop clerks, etc. You're right these people rely heavily on the MTA.

I don't know what it's going to take for a massive restructuring of the MTA. I don't know how much longer they can keep passing fare hikes with lousy service either.