How Do People Afford to Live in NYC?

[needamagic8ball]

The average, entry-level, non-trustfund 20 & 30-something: Roommates, small spaces, odd jobs in addition to jobs with perks, friends with perks, Craigslist "Free," & becoming an expert @ being resourceful.

I live in a newly "discovered" neighborhood in Downtown Manhattan & make very little money by anyone's standards (poverty level by most Manhattanite's). With no connections, starting salary in this bad economy is $10-$14/hr. I sacrifice space in exchange for cheap rent with roommates, have a job that has good fridge benefits, take advantage of my friends' work discounts, & know where to find great free/cheap food & entertainment. I go off the beaten path & stay away from tourist areas (where everything cost 5x more). It's hard, but do-able. I know plenty of people with 2 jobs, plus do what they love (i.e. art, music) on the side. Others work & play in the city but have a 45min-1hr commute from a further, more affordable area in Jersey, Queens, the Bronx. Truly proves you have to love it here to live here.

[indeh]

Good education, good jobs, no car, budgeting.

[dalparadise]

Originally Posted by needamagic8ball

I... have a job that has good fridge benefits,

Are you stealing food from a restaurant job?

[grimace8]

Originally Posted by dalparadise

Are you stealing food from a restaurant job?

lol @ "fridge" benefits. thoughts of the proverbial office lunch thief came to mind

[Ron.]

Originally Posted by anders

You either have to make tons of money, or live in not-yet-"discovered" neighborhoods in the outer boroughs.
And we COULD buy/rent a mansion elsewhere for what we pay for a not-too-bad or semi-dump NYC apartment.
Many of us get used to living like grad students well into adulthood -- in cramped spaces or 5th-floor walkups, with roommates, in OK apartments in crummy neighborhoods, or in crummy apartments in OK neighborhoods.
We also make lots of allowances for things like weirdly laid-out space, minimal building services, etcetera.

Not everyone values the size of a home.

I don't mind spending the high rents to live in NYC........it's a lifestyle choice.

It's not about cost it's about preference.

Also, some of us can actually afford bigger space and the higher prices. Not everyone is trying to "get by" on $50K a year. I know people that can put that much in the bank every month AFTER all expenses.........

[Ron.]

Originally Posted by DonnaReed

Work our asses off (and work damn smart) to live relatively comfortably.

Hustle and grind.

Be resourceful.

Everything/anything from looking for bargains to using coupons when shopping to car pooling to going without a car if trains are nearby to adopting a roomate if necessary).

And it's worth it...I love NY!

Not everyone needs to " hustle and grind".............some can EASILY afford to live in NYC.

[Ron.]

You have people that have those 4 options in Columbus,Ohio.


You guys make it sound like every other place besides NYC is affordable. A guy in Columbus, would be lucky to find someone to rent them a $400 a month apartment with a $8.00/hr job.

What you're saying is not unique to NYC. They are lots of people in very small, a lot less expensive than NYC than are barely making it. The smaller the city, the harder it is to find a job. The cycle continues.

My take: Whatever it is that you want to do, figure out how you can afford it.

Originally Posted by tomonlineli

Average people can't afford to live in NYC. You have one of 4 options:

1. Make a working salary and live very far from the city and ride the subway for 45 minutes each way.

2. Spend most of your working salary on an apartment and live very sparingly

3. Get government assistance

4. Make more than an average salary.

Don't move to NYC if you're planning on making a "working" salary. You can just get so much more for your money somewhere else. NYC is a horrible place to be if you don't have the money for the restaurants, clubs, theaters, bars, sports games, and parties.