What does 3k get me in Manhattan? (low income, salon)

[Cipher_17]

Originally Posted by canyontothesky

I think these people are all overreacting. The first person who responded doesn't even live in Manhattan! I live with my boyfriend and he doesn't make nearly $3,000 a month. Granted, I pay 2/3 of the rent, but at our old apartment he paid half and that's more than he pays now. (We don't and never have lived in a studio, though.) He pays half all the expenses, which aren't that much to begin with. And he is doing just fine.
You can get a studio somewhere in the Upper East Side (which is the cheapest place to rent, most times) for around $1,550-1,700. If you have utilities (some don't) that'll be $60. Cable and Internet, another $70. Metrocard is $82. Food, depending on whether or not you cook, is about $200 a month. Comes to $2,100-ish for basic expenses.
Studios are cheapest closest to the river (on York) and further north. I highly recommend living near 86th street as your subway because you can take the 4, 5 (both express) or 6, versus 77th St or 68th St, which is local only. There's also a lot of studios in that same price range on the west side in Hell's Kitchen.
The problem is not whether you can afford it, it's whether you have the credit and income to get the lease.
And if you can't, you can room with someone in a 1br or a studio for less than $1000, and that saves you a lot right there. Look on craigslist.

If you really want to move here, I say go for it because I don't think living on 3K is that tough, these people must be used to buying Whole Foods and designer clothes or something.

Thanks for your input canyontothesky. I definately don't need luxuries, I'm actually quite simple and don't spend too much money on expensive clothes and gadgets. I was talking to another person and he said the issue in my case would be to get someone that will allow me. That is, cause I don't have a credit rating in the USA. I do have a very good reputation in the DR, I've even been in various articles in newspapers and the company we have is well established, but I'm unsure if a realtor would actually see that as something significant or only check the numbers and say no.

I do know some people in NYC, one of them is a reputable arts broker. Is this kind of refferals useful in NYC? I know all this questions may sound simple to you guys, but here in the DR we are not so sophisticated :P

In other words, what could I show a property owner so that he trusts me with his property that is not a credit report.

[passdoubt]

Just live with roommates.

[Henna]

Originally Posted by canyontothesky

I think these people are all overreacting. The first person who responded doesn't even live in Manhattan! I live with my boyfriend and he doesn't make nearly $3,000 a month. Granted, I pay 2/3 of the rent, but at our old apartment he paid half and that's more than he pays now. (We don't and never have lived in a studio, though.) He pays half all the expenses, which aren't that much to begin with. And he is doing just fine.
You can get a studio somewhere in the Upper East Side (which is the cheapest place to rent, most times) for around $1,550-1,700. If you have utilities (some don't) that'll be $60. Cable and Internet, another $70. Metrocard is $82. Food, depending on whether or not you cook, is about $200 a month. Comes to $2,100-ish for basic expenses.
Studios are cheapest closest to the river (on York) and further north. I highly recommend living near 86th street as your subway because you can take the 4, 5 (both express) or 6, versus 77th St or 68th St, which is local only. There's also a lot of studios in that same price range on the west side in Hell's Kitchen.
The problem is not whether you can afford it, it's whether you have the credit and income to get the lease.
And if you can't, you can room with someone in a 1br or a studio for less than $1000, and that saves you a lot right there. Look on craigslist.

If you really want to move here, I say go for it because I don't think living on 3K is that tough, these people must be used to buying Whole Foods and designer clothes or something.

I guess this kind of budget with work if
1. you never want to go out to eat or even get take-out
2. your apartment comes fully furnished, down to linens, towels, dishes, appliances
3. nothing you own ever breaks
4. you don't need a home phone or a cell phone
5. you never need to go to the doctor or the dentist
6. you don't need any drugs of any sort (prescription or over the counter)
7. you don't need personal hygiene items like toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo
8. you never need to travel anywhere outside the MTA system

[Ace Rock]

Originally Posted by Cipher_17

Yes, the US$ 3,000 would be something like an allowance, since it wouldn't be income generated by business or a USA company, just money deposited on a bank account on a monthly basis. Anyways, it's probably subject to some kind of tax.

First, despite what you say about not needing luxuries, living in Manhattan IS a luxury unto itself.

Second, with your $3000 allowance from mommy & daddy, you'd fit right in with all the other grown "kids" in Manhattan. Although you might want to ask for a little more from mommy & daddy so you can keep up the other "kids".

[Cipher_17]

Originally Posted by Ace Rock

First, despite what you say about not needing luxuries, living in Manhattan IS a luxury unto itself.

Second, with your $3000 allowance from mommy & daddy, you'd fit right in with all the other grown "kids" in Manhattan. Although you might want to ask for a little more from mommy & daddy so you can keep up the other "kids".

I agree with you that living in Manhattan is a luxury by itself. What I meant is that I don't need extra luxuries, like expensive clothing and fancy dinning and so on. Comparing the prices of NYC to Santo Domingo in many aspects, many times its more expensive here.

The US$ 3,000 is not an allowance from my parents, that's the salary in the company I founded in the DR. I also have a car that I would sell, so that gives me a total budget of US$ 4,200 aprox (cars are expensive in the DR). I have no need of keeping with the other 'kids' in the block, I'm just evaluating if I can live in NYC within my reasonable needs. If I can't right now, I'll just have to wait one or two years more so my income gets higher, but If I don't ask and research I'd never know.

I guess many people have the same "dream" that I'm having.

[krichton]

Originally Posted by Cipher_17

Thank you very much to all for the info!

Yes, the US$ 3,000 would be something like an allowance, since it wouldn't be income generated by business or a USA company, just money deposited on a bank account on a monthly basis. Anyways, it's probably subject to some kind of tax.

I think you guys are right, it would be better if the amount was a bit higher, unless a very very good deal can be found on an apartment/studio.

Well then you have no proof of income so no landlord would be willing to rent to you. You'd have to live in "apartments" or rooms within someone's house in brooklyn or queens. It's funny you mention an allowance because some other guy on here stated that most ppl he knew renting in manhattan were actually having their rent paid by their parents.

[canyontothesky]

Nevermind the budget thing that we're talking about now, I have no clue how landlords with respond to you not having a credit score. I can't imagine they'll be too sympathetic. The landlords here are so picky and they have so many candidates. Maybe they'll understand that your score doesn't exist, versus it being very low like some people? You may just have to try and see, and if not get a roommate.

[Viralmd]

I don't think people are overreacting. I agree, one needs more than $3000/month.

To live here, even if you're not working, as a foreign national you need more than a tourist visa....Also, you can't just 'bring in' $36,000 to the US.

[Fred314X]

$3,000 might get you a Manhattan street address if you got lucky. But if you're talking about anything more than an address, you might want to consider some of the other four boroughs!

[Jdawg8181]

Originally Posted by Cipher_17

Hi!,

I've been reading quite a lot of posts in the forum and I've decided to register and open my own thread.

I'm a single man, 23 years old and I'm currently dreaming of living in NYC since my last vacations a couple of months ago. Now of course, that dream is based on the "nice" things I saw, the bad you only get to know when you live there.

Anyway, I have my own family company in the Dominican Republic. Fortunately the kind of business I can work remotely, and most important I could eventually expand our business in NYC if I look into the future.

Taking into account my current expenses, salary and car payment (which I would ditch), my monthly income would be arround US$ 3,000. Is that enough for a single person to live in Manhattan?

Location is very important, and I'd like to live between 10th and 80th street. I don't need luxuries, I just need something that is OK. I don't need a car, and also I'm willing to use the metro, cabs only for exceptions.

Is this possible or should I wait a little more or just try to be a little further away than 80th street to find something lower in price?

Thank you in advance!

$3,000 is def. not a enough live on in the city- considering more than half that would be just for your rent...