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Except there are people in NYC who have large apartments and houses. There are also people who have laundry machines in their building (my building has laundry machines). So there are plenty of New Yorkers who live like adults.
Perhaps you were doing something wrong in your stay in NYC.........
Nope, I was just a recent college grad with a solid job that paid in the 50s, but somehow I was still always broke. Maybe it was the hefty rent payment and ConEd bill that I shelled out each month just to live in a decent (not fancy or overly clean) area in Manhattan, that didn't have any real building amenities.
I guess I could have found better housing in Queens or Brooklyn but I lived within walking distance to my job. I have such fond memories of the blackout. Unlike the bulk of NYC residents working in Manhattan, I was able to walk home and put on a few candles. Ahh the memories.
The answer is that people's circumstances are different. Not every New Yorker who tries to make it in DC will do well. In the same token, not every person in DC who tries to make it in NYC will succeed.
With that said, most of NY's job growth has been in low-paying positions. Not a lot in the mid-pay level. That should be a wake up call to everyone.
I never knew the COL in MD was moderate at all. DC and its suburbs can be quite expensive from what I've been told (I have family in Arlington, VA and Montgomery County).
Lol, this post is so funny to me because the person reminds me of how I felt when I initially left NYC for the first time. I was relieved... but deep down I knew I made a mistake by leaving. Yes, it was more comfortable going back to my home state of Michigan. The rent was cheaper, the air was cleaner, the living was admittedly easier... but it was also boring as hell. After awhile, I started to admit how limited my career opportunities were there and how dead I felt inside. It took me awhile to admit this.
The truth is that people move to New York with wildly unrealistic expectations, especially when they are very young. I just assumed I deserved to live in Manhattan, as I had always had the best of everything in my previous life. I assumed I would start making great money right away. These things take time. I moved back after some serious soul-searching, and can say it was the best decision I have ever made. My career is finally taking off and I am getting closer and closer to making 6 figures a reality. My work as an artist continues to constantly improve, under the eye of someone with international training and a celebrity clientel. Hooking up with someone so accomplished simply would not have happened back home.
It does get more difficult after 30, especially if you are single. I still haul my clothes to the laundromat every few days in sweltering heat, often outright exhausted. I live in an apartment one third the size of the one I had in Michigan. I have to transfer three times to get to work every day, and often work double the standard work week. I don't get sick days and sometimes the demands that get placed on me are borderline insane.
But would I go back home? No! You have to truly want to be here, understand what the payoff is, and be someone who truly wants it. You don't come to New York looking for a 'normal, comfortable life'. You don't come with the intention of only achieving a basic middle class lifestyle (not anymore). You come to 'make it', to achieve and become someone noteworthy in your chosen profession... basically to be the best and push the boundaries of what you're capable of. It is not always easy but living with that challenge every day makes me feel so much more alive than just existing.
Last edited by EastBoundandDownChick; 06-18-2013 at 08:17 PM..
I never knew the COL in MD was moderate at all. DC and its suburbs can be quite expensive from what I've been told (I have family in Arlington, VA and Montgomery County).
It's still expensive, but I make far more here. And, you get a lot more for your money. A nice building with 24 hour concierge services in Montgomery County - North Bethesda (with a nearby metro) will run you around 1750-2000 for a one bedroom apartment. But you get a luxury unit with really nice walk-in closets, a state of the art gym, a washer/dryer, granite counter tops/stainless steel appliances, a pool and usually a parking space. The best part is, you can be in DC (via metro) in under 15 minutes.
Nope, I was just a recent college grad with a solid job that paid in the 50s, but somehow I was still always broke. Maybe it was the hefty rent payment and ConEd bill that I shelled out each month just to live in a decent (not fancy or overly clean) area in Manhattan, that didn't have any real building amenities.
I guess I could have found better housing in Queens or Brooklyn but I lived within walking distance to my job. I have such fond memories of the blackout. Unlike the bulk of NYC residents working in Manhattan, I was able to walk home and put on a few candles. Ahh the memories.
Well, even in Manhattan, you can get a lot of space and a building with parking . There are even residences with backyards . Its just going to cost you a FANTASTIC amount of money. I would say its basically imposible to expect to support yourself market rate in Manhattan making 50k.
^I agree. I'm surprised people making less than 100K even look to live in Manhattan. Op you would have been better off in Brooklyn or Queens. But I'm glad you're happy in MD.
I feel so grateful that I've managed to carve out a nice life in MD (15 miles outside of DC).
That's a huge change from NYC. Straight suburban 15 miles out (Rockville?)
I personally wouldn't trade NYC's urbanity for that. I lived inside the city of DC for a few years. The place was getting better in terms of amenities (great in some aspects), but it was so stale. The culture is much different there. At the same time DC doesn't feel nearly as complete as New York, from the limited subway hours to the small scale nightlife and limited urban retail (Metro Center will continue to be a joke until City Center is complete and Georgetown lacks Metro service, fail. Even then, pitiful compared to NYC even if you include Tyson's Corner generic suburban mall).
Nice place to visit for a weekend.
Now the burbs, I'll pass... Most people in the DC burbs like any Metro work inside the city. The traffic was absolutely awful because the mass transit options were very limited from certain directions (Especially VA). Exburb traffic created congestion 30 miles out and the Beltway is horrid. I could personally never live in a suburban area but that's me.
People that want to live in areas like NYC do not want to live in suburban DC.
Edit: Wait you live in Friendship Heights? That's right outside DC (not 15 miles), literally adjacent and family oriented. It's an inner burb.
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I think deep down (although many won't admit it) a number of NYC residents would get out in a heartbeat if they could. Your thoughts??
I'm pretty confident that most people that live in NYC are here because they want to be. It's not exactly the cheapest area to reside in.
Last edited by nykiddo718718; 06-18-2013 at 09:31 PM..
Lol, this post is so funny to me because the person reminds me of how I felt when I initially left NYC for the first time. I was relieved... but deep down I knew I made a mistake by leaving. Yes, it was more comfortable going back to my home state of Michigan. The rent was cheaper, the air was cleaner, the living was admittedly easier... but it was also boring as hell. After awhile, I started to admit how limited my career opportunities were there and how dead I felt inside. It took me awhile to admit this.
I was born and raised in NYC. After college, I returned to NYC where I landed my first professional gig and resided in Manhattan for around 7 years, before relocating to the DC metro area due to a new career opportunity. I was definitely looking for a way out of Manhattan at the time.
The rent isn't really cheaper here, but you certainly get far more for your money and there aren't as many people crowded in one area. I do think NYC is a great place to reside when you're 20 something, but as you approach the 30 mark, many middle income people begin searching for more. I imagine that living in many parts of Michigan may get a little boring, but Michigan is not DC. Also, there are probably more lucrative well paying jobs here than in NYC so career opportunities are plentiful if you have the right experience, education and network.
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The truth is that people move to New York with wildly unrealistic expectations, especially when they are very young. I just assumed I deserved to live in Manhattan, as I had always had the best of everything in my previous life. I assumed I would start making great money right away. These things take time. I moved back after some serious soul-searching, and can say it was the best decision I have ever made. My career is finally taking off and I am getting closer and closer to making 6 figures a reality. My work as an artist continues to constantly improve, under the eye of someone with international training and a celebrity clientel. Hooking up with someone so accomplished simply would not have happened back home.
I'm happy that things have worked out for you. NYC can be an amazing place for some people.
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It does get more difficult after 30, especially if you are single. I still haul my clothes to the laundromat every few days in sweltering heat, often outright exhausted. I live in an apartment one third the size of the one I had in Michigan. I have to transfer three times to get to work every day, and often work double the standard work week. I don't get sick days and sometimes the demands that get placed on me are borderline insane.
I don't know how you continue to do it, but if you are happy that's all that matters.
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But would I go back home? No! You have to truly want to be here, understand what the payoff is, and be someone who truly wants it. You don't come to New York looking for a 'normal, comfortable life'.
I was born and raised in NYC so home is NY and I don't have any plans on returning as a permanent resident. On a side note, I told my mom that an opening was available at my organization in the NYC office and she quickly retorted, "...Probably because everyone jumped ship to get out of NYC so they have openings for a few naive individuals who don't know NYC life." I because she is so right. LOL
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You don't come with the intention of only achieving a basic middle class lifestyle (not anymore).
Try telling that to the bulk of NYC residents who are out of a job or underemployed.
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You come to 'make it', to achieve and become someone noteworthy in your chosen profession... basically to be the best and push the boundaries of what you're capable of. It is not always easy but living with that challenge every day makes me feel so much more alive than just existing.
I guess NYC isn't some magical place for me because I was born and raised there. I wanted to experience a normal existence and many of my friends who visit have told me that they are now trying to leave Manhattan and Brooklyn. The DC metro area definitely has its issues, but I much prefer the vibe and pace of this location over NYC.
At the same time DC doesn't feel nearly as complete as New York, from the limited subway hours to the small scale nightlife and limited urban retail (Metro Center will continue to be a joke until City Center is complete and Georgetown lacks Metro service, fail. Even then, pitiful compared to NYC even if you include Tyson's Corner generic suburban mall).
LOL I'm more of an Adams Morgan type of girl. The metro runs until 2am on weekends, is this not late enough? At least it's clean and we don't have panhandlers and performers.
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Nice place to visit for a weekend.
I say the same thing about NYC!!
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Now the burbs, I'll pass... Most people in the DC burbs like any Metro are live inside the city. The traffic was absolutely awful because the mass transit options were very limited from certain directions (Especially VA). I could personally never live in a suburban area but that's me.
People that want to live in areas like NYC do not want to live in suburban DC.
Edit: Wait you live in Friendship Heights? That's right outside DC (not 15 miles), literally adjacent and family oriented. It's an inner burb.
I actually live near Friendships Heights (but a little further out --around North Bethesda).
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because she is so right. LOL 
At least it's clean and we don't have panhandlers and performers. 
