Should I move to Miami or NYC (Westchester, South Beach: apartments, insurance)

[Elvi03]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

your location says Westchester which isn't NYC

I have friends living on St. Nich right now who are paying FAR less than 2000 a month for a one bedroom. Also know people living in Washington heights for far less than what you have quoted. As stated previously though these places are "hood".

I grew up in Inwood, Manhattan, which I guess can be considered very close to "the hood". You can walk to Washington Heights. I moved to Westchester 2 years ago. St Nick in Washington Heights is certainly far less in rent per month- there you can find 1 bedrooms approximately 1200- 1500 but at what expense? It is not the nicest place to live - and I say so because I grew up so close to that area (which is why I am not there now). The more gentrified areas west of Broadway, will give you a nicer apartment and bigger than downtown, but you are still shelling out a pretty penny. With a few exceptions (of course), you find way too many slumlord buildings in Washington Heights.

[Wild Style]

true, you do deal with more crap but again its what you are willing to deal with. I have cousins uptown and they love it. One is FDNY and the other is a actor

Believe it or not I can get a one bedroom right now in Bed Stuy (brooklyn) for 800 - 1000 a month. Not going to say where in bed stuy cause I need to snap that up when I move back lol. What do you think about Westchester? I was going to move there once upon a time but things didnt work out.

Originally Posted by Elvi03

I grew up in Inwood, Manhattan, which I guess can be considered very close to "the hood". You can walk to Washington Heights. I moved to Westchester 2 years ago. St Nick in Washington Heights is certainly far less in rent per month- there you can find 1 bedrooms approximately 1200- 1500 but at what expense? It is not the nicest place to live - and I say so because I grew up so close to that area (which is why I am not there now). The more gentrified areas west of Broadway, will give you a nicer apartment and bigger than downtown, but you are still shelling out a pretty penny. With a few exceptions (of course), you find way too many slumlord buildings in Washington Heights.

Originally Posted by miamiblue

I was just about to ask the same question. What line of work would offer the exact same salary in two very different cost of living areas?

By and large, I would think that if you did a salary comparison between both places, you should see that NYC salaries would be more in line with NYC cost of living, and likewise for Miami for the same type of position (although, I think this can be debatable with the COL inflation over the past 10 years in South Florida and salaries not really moving along with it).

I found this cost of living comparison thing online. I was able to compare fort lauderdale to brooklyn and at that time (a year ago) brooklyn was less by like 1,000 or something :S. South Florida is out of hand.

[Elvi03]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

true, you do deal with more crap but again its what you are willing to deal with. I have cousins uptown and they love it. One is FDNY and the other is a actor

Believe it or not I can get a one bedroom right now in Bed Stuy (brooklyn) for 800 - 1000 a month. Not going to say where in bed stuy cause I need to snap that up when I move back lol. What do you think about Westchester? I was going to move there once upon a time but things didnt work out.

I found this cost of living comparison thing online. I was able to compare fort lauderdale to brooklyn and at that time (a year ago) brooklyn was less by like 1,000 or something :S. South Florida is out of hand.

Have you been to Bed Stuy? I really think you should check it out before considering a move there. My thing goes like this, if its cheap - particularly in NYC, there is a reason. Westchester is very nice, I guess like everywhere you go has good and bad. I like in a town called Armonk - the schools are fantastic, the houses are very beautiful (pretty expensive), taxes are high, but its boring as can get! It depends on what you are looking for -

[Wild Style]

I am from east Flatbush and a ton of my family lives in Marcy Houses. Have cousins all over Bed stuy and it is not a bad place. Some parts of bed stuy are bad but lots of it is just working class people

Originally Posted by Elvi03

Have you been to Bed Stuy? I really think you should check it out before considering a move there. My thing goes like this, if its cheap - particularly in NYC, there is a reason. Westchester is very nice, I guess like everywhere you go has good and bad. I like in a town called Armonk - the schools are fantastic, the houses are very beautiful (pretty expensive), taxes are high, but its boring as can get! It depends on what you are looking for -

[Jerseymiami]

60K in Miami or anywhere is a respectable income. HOWEVER, something about the air here makes you feel like it is never enough! In my opinion, you could have the most humblest of intentions, but lifestyles here are so OVER THE TOP, you can't help to want some for yourself, and then............160K isn't enough!!!!

[just wondering]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

I am from NYC, my family is there and I currently live in South Florida.

NYC is extremely dynamic, tons to do and it is expensive. Living in Manhattan on that pay will be tough unless you are willing to live in a "less desirable areas" like L.E.S. (lower east side), east harlem or even parts of west harlem like Washington heights. There are other areas but you get the picture. You could definitely live in the outer boroughs like Brooklyn, queens, the Bronx or Staten Island for that sort of money. You could get more bang for your buck if you are willing to live in the "hood". Some hoods are better than others and many are safer than you would expect. Like parts of fort green and bedstuy, these areas have predominantly black populations ranging from afro america and carribean to west african; however it is not strange to see whites, asians and arabs in abundance in some areas in these "hoods". You could also look at east flatbush/crown heights border areas, like around the Nostrand Ave and Sterling area, pretty decent rents.

As for Miami it has a very nice Latin American/Caribbean flavor to it. Night life is good too if you are into clubs and restaurants. though you wont find tons of cultural events like you will find in say NYC they do have them and they are pretty fun. You will have to generally pay to do things like that though but they are worth it. Housing in Miami is darn expensive in while not as expensive as part of Manhattan I will say they can be on par with the outer boroughs. If you are into Jamaican food, I can say Brooklyn can not hang with south florida's Jamaican beef patties (thats right, I said it)

So all in all it is really up to you and what you are looking for in a place. If you want a extremely cosmopolitan city with tons and tons to do both free and for a fee then NYC. If you want a slightly more laid back, Latin American/ Carribean vibe in a American metro area then Miami might be it. Miami also comes with top notch dance clubs on south beach (not sure if thats your thing), excellent salt water fishing (and fresh water) and other things I may have missed.

I'm a 34-year-old, single, female looking for work as a legal secretary....i want work and nightlife....and eventually to settle down one day....where is a better option to live, Miami/West Palm beach areas or NYC?

I love the ocean and the aesthetic feel of Florida, but i'm a city girl at heart and i kinda miss city life (I'm from Chicago but broke up w/my fiance and wanted to start new so moved to FL, but there is no work in Port Orange, next to Daytona beach so i'm def moving more south in Florida or now thinking of NY). Any opinion/thoughts on your part would be extremely helpful in making my decision...i'm so confused on what to do! i could probably get anywhere btwn, 60k to 75k in NY and i would live in a roommate situation in either place, NY or FL....so what do you think is a better option 4me?

[kevinkagy]

I say Miami is best. You'll get a lot more for your money living in Miami, than living in New York. In New York, you'll get a small studio shared with a couple roommates, where in Miami you can get yourself a nice apartment all to yourself in hotspots (Downtown, South Beach, Brickell, etc.) Best of luck!

[doggiebus]

JUST WONDERING, you can get a small studio or a sudo one bedroom, without roommates, probably a walk-up, no doorman in Manhattan on that salary. But in Miami depending on where you are you can get much more for your money, apartment wise.

To your question of which place? I think this really depends on what type of experience you want to have. And what you want to get out of the experience of living in Miami or NYC. I will have to say that IMO, NYC is a place to live while you are young and single, to really experience it. So if you ever wanted to live in NYC, now is the time to do it.

[THX 1138]

$60K/year wont' go far in South Florida unless you have no debt, live on a budget and pay cheap rent (if you don't own paid in full). Paying cheap rent is hard to find unless you live in the projects.

Miami is expensive and South Beach is even more $$$$$.

$60K in NYC would be even worse.

Average salary for a Legal Secretary in Miami is approx $34K

Legal Secretary Salary in Miami, FL - CBsalary.com

I would research salaries before moving here, they tend to be less then elsewhere.

[just wondering]

Originally Posted by THX 1138

$60K/year wont' go far in South Florida unless you have no debt, live on a budget and pay cheap rent (if you don't own paid in full). Paying cheap rent is hard to find unless you live in the projects.

Miami is expensive and South Beach is even more $$$$$.

$60K in NYC would be even worse.

Average salary for a Legal Secretary in Miami is approx $34K

Legal Secretary Salary in Miami, FL - CBsalary.com

I would research salaries before moving here, they tend to be less then elsewhere.

yeah but i have 10 years experience and made 43k in Chicago, i know salaries are less in FL and def higher in NY, I can def get, and know this from applying for position in Miami anywhere btwn 43k - 48k and in NY anywhere btwn 60k-80k b/c of my experience so based on those salaries b/c of my experience wouldn't i b able to make it in either area?

mind u i will def b in a roommate situation in both places, which i would like to be b/c i won't know anyone in either place....so that's okay, i will def not b buying anything anywhere in the near future, if i do buy it'll def b 5 years from now....give me opinions now with that info....PLEASE..