Pittsburgh to New York City? Looking for a new metro (school, university)

[paprikaplains]

I am a mechanical engineer in Pittsburgh who has contemplated moving to a bigger metro area for some time. I am 26, M, and 4 years out of school and, after gaining some work experience at a large company and exploring what Pittsburgh has to offer, I am ready for a change of scenery.

What I like about Pittsburgh:
Decent-sized metro
Comfortable, cheap
Changing demographics, i.e. growing younger generation
Some good engineering/tech companies and university presence
Surprisingly decent food and culture
Decent night-life
Not overly congested and easy to get around

What I don't like:
Distance from bigger, more "relevant" metro areas
Can feel a bit closed off
Lack of diversity as a whole
Despite all the good press, it's just not cosmopolitan enough for me
Not a fan of the sports culture


I am originally from NJ so am familiar with NYC. For me, it has all the culture, diversity, and inspiring things that I'm looking for and have dreamed of returning to. I'm really afraid though, that I would quickly regret the decision to actually move there, once it hits me that housing is more expensive, taxes are higher, transportation is different from what I'm used to, the people will likely **** me off, etc. Having said that, I am open to a lifestyle change. I also have family in NYC who seem to get by making less than what I will be, which hopefully will be more than, or at least in the ballpark, of the ~$80k I am making now in Pittsburgh.

I know this is a highly personal decision, but am I stupid to give up a relatively well-paying job in a comfortable, medium sized city, to move to an expensive, crowded, often-cited-as-difficult city? Secondly, if I were to move to New Jersey, would this be a backwards step? Expensive and perhaps not the best scene for singles? How easily accessible is NYC if I were to move to Northern Jersey, say around Hillsborough?

I have also contemplated working in DC area, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. I like the fact that DC feels like a "relevant" and significant metro area. Chicago is all-around nice but far from the coasts and extremely cold in the winter. I don't have much experience in the other cities, but I have had prospective job offers in LA, Boston, and San Fran.