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Food is generally equal to what you would pay for renting a room. Food is expensive and controlled and there are food-deserts at impoverished areas. Live within close access to a large grocery store chain with organic produce. Basically every living expense has potential to be more in New York City. Newcomers tend to get ripped off and taken here and there until learning the ropes. If you rent a room with other people, always ask to see the gas bill, and the electric, and really look at them. If you rent a room with other people, meet those people, and really look at them. If you have never lived in New York City you have no idea what you are getting yourself into. Generally it takes a ton of money to scrape by here and about the same amount to get the hell out. People insist that newcomers plan and learn in advance how to move to New York, but I'd recommend just jumping in to the whole mess and giving it a go. Planners are less likely to actually move to this cesspool. I recommend an opposite approach: first plan your escape (financially) in case you might want to head back after a year or two. For some it is New York City but for many it's Not Your City.
If you're earning $3,000/mo or $36,000/year then you'd qualify only for an apartment that costs no more than $900/month. I doubt you'd be able to find a studio for that amount in Brooklyn. So, you'd probably have to find a roommate. There should still be good roommate opportunities for that amount of money in Williamsburg or Prospect Heights or Sunset Park, no?
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