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While I am not a New Yorker I am pretty familiar with the city. I grew up 45 mins outside of Manhattan, have worked in SOHO, and have gotten drunk all over Manhattan and Brooklyn. I am now looking to move into the city and find myself very conflicted as to what neighborhood would be best for me.
$1700 is the max amount I can spend on rent.
The neighborhoods I am most seriously considering in no particular order are:
- Lower East Side
- Upper East Side
- Murray Hill
- Astoria
- Williamsburg (Very concerned about all the hipsters though)
- Carroll Gardens
- Cobble Hill
- Park Slope
Characteristics I am looking for in a neighborhood are:
- Other young people
- Plentiful nightlife options
- Lots of cafes/restaurants
- Generally lively
- Safe
- Reasonable commute to Manhattan
Any help would be greatly appreciated and if you help me make a choice… I’ll buy you a beer in my new neighborhood!
Does Astoria actually have a lot of nightlife? I understand if it’s not as popping as LES or other parts of Manhattan, but if I were to live there I would want to make sure there was enough diversity in the way of night life.
Your focus s/b finding a decent quality place in a fairly safe neighborhood.
As you appear to have experienced, from living in the burbs, public transport, car, or taxi, will get you to whereever the party is and back. So, neighborhood nightlife isn't that important.
1700 is not a lot, but is enough for a fair place in a fair neighborhood. Astoria is the best option for the money, if your intention is to live alone. Less trendy neighborhoods will get you a nicer apt. If you choose to share, then all those neighborhoods are an option.
Thank you for the input. I understand what you are saying about public transport, still I like the idea of not always having to go to other neighborhoods just to have fun. I am just trying to figure out if Astoria has enough to keep me occupied most of the time.
I could be wrong, but I have the impression that Astoria is fast-changing and could become the next East Village. Wouldn't you want to be a pioneer and settle in an up-and-coming neighborhood for cheap, rather than pay through the nose for an established hot spot?
I assume you are ok with a small studio? you are generally listing pricey areas.
Not a Manhattan fan but I like Cobble Hill the best on the list, awesome area
@urbanintllctl
I rather not have you push your agenda on me. As I am living with a female, it is important to live in a safe neighborhood. If I were to live alone I would consider places like Bushwick, East Harlem, Hamilton Heights, etc… (not to say you can't be safe in these neighborhoods) However I will not be alone, so I will leave being a pioneer to you.
@pureistheword and DoomDan515
In both Astoria and Upper East Side I have personally seen real 1 bedrooms within this price range. They did not have stainless steel appliances, and granite countertops, but I will say this. The APT’s in the Upper East Side were good enough, whereas the ones in the Astoria were kind of charming. The other neighborhoods I listed I need to do more research on concerning rent prices.
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