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I agree with Bronxguyanese & riaelise. I would like to try a smaller mid-sized city in the future. NYC is awesome, but on my income I cannot live the way that I want to. I personally can say that I won't ever go back to small town or suburban living. Currently looking into Indianapolis, Chicago, Cincinnati, and Atlanta.
i hear wat u sayin, but id prolly still live somewhere else like chicago if i was that kinda person
I'd like to visit Chicago, but not sure about living there. Wifey has a problem with being landlocked. I tell her about that really big lake, but apparently its not the same. Another nice thing about NYC is its proximity to many other different states for recreational purposes. I like the New England network of quaint little villages and being able to ski.
Quote:
Originally Posted by riaelise
You can have the latter and still have cultural/ethnic diversity. My neighborhood is probably 60% White, and 40% other races/cultures.
Within just a few mile radius from my home I have access to, I don't even know how many different types of ethnic restaurants and markets. Never seen another place with as many options. If you know of one, please let me know. I'd be interested in exploring.
I'd like to visit Chicago, but not sure about living there. Wifey has a problem with being landlocked. I tell her about that really big lake, but apparently its not the same. Another nice thing about NYC is its proximity to many other different states for recreational purposes. I like the New England network of quaint little villages and being able to ski.
Within just a few mile radius from my home I have access to, I don't even know how many different types of ethnic restaurants and markets. Never seen another place with as many options. If you know of one, please let me know. I'd be interested in exploring.
I have about the same, as well as local farmer's markets. There's also at least two Asian strip malls. I live in the Austin, TX area. The thing is, more and more people move here and bring their cuisine with them. If it's good, people will patronize it.
I agree and I had to rep you, smaller cities can be just as festive as NYC, but so many people are caught in a bubble and say NYC is great for this and for that, and NYC is best for this and best for that. If people are happy and content with what they got in NYC that is good for them and for those that are not content with where they are from and want to move to NYC to make something out for themselves, so be it, Transplants can have NYC. For those that are not happy in NYC and want to move somewhere else that is worthwhile, can give them some breathing room, more space, cleaner environment, less people, and a place to be themselves or raise a family, so be it. People should just be happy. If someone is happy to pay 3k dollars for a shoebox studio in Manhattan good for them, while some is happy to pay 3k for a Mcmansion in Atlanta, good for them too. Some of the best fun that I have in my life is usually outside of NYC.
it doesn't make sense to not care but want to know why at the same time.
i don't get that. 27 pages of comments to not even care in the first place?
lol
i dont kno these people, why would i care wat they do with their life?
it makes sense because thats how we learn, by studying human behavior and wat each's view is
I'd like to visit Chicago, but not sure about living there. Wifey has a problem with being landlocked. I tell her about that really big lake, but apparently its not the same. Another nice thing about NYC is its proximity to many other different states for recreational purposes. I like the New England network of quaint little villages and being able to ski.
Within just a few mile radius from my home I have access to, I don't even know how many different types of ethnic restaurants and markets. Never seen another place with as many options. If you know of one, please let me know. I'd be interested in exploring.
nyc location is definitely superior, i enjoy the ocean beaches here, but theres always some tradeoff, chi has 90% of wat nyc has, but is much more affordable and manageable, there are also smaller dense cities, like sf, dc, boston, which are expensive, but offer less hectic living
By average I mean everyone except rich. I might be missing someth, but unless one makes 120k+ a yr, which is actually middle class here, even in the outer boroughs and suburbs, what's the point of living here? Most people don't make that much so why are they still here? Quality of life is an arguable concept, but standard of living is not, and it is quite low around here. I can understand if you prefer NYC to other cities because of unique things it offers, BUT when you don't have much money, you can't use those amenities anyway so what's the point? I don't really understand all the people who are not stuck here due to families or what not choosing to live in such subpar living conditions. Is it because they haven't traveled around this country to see how much easier life can be or scared to leave or what? This includes NYC suburbs too, which don't really offer a way out cuz they are also overpriced and overcrowded. Bad quality of housing and small amount of new housing makes it even worse.
With the cost of living so expensive, it's easy to get "stuck" here because it takes money to relocate even if you're moving to start a new job. I have asked myself the question you're asking many times over the past few years. Trying to leave but still "stuck" for the moment. You said $120K annually but I assumed most people in NYC (who are not on public assistance) make at least $70k a year. IMO, that is the minimum salary for a single person to make and still be ok. If they're part of a family with more than one income earner the better for them. Anything lower than $70k is a nickel and dime lifestyle. But you're right, with all the amenities (cultural events, Broadway, concerts, pro-sports, distinguished speakers or authors, fashion-week, etc) you can't afford them if you pay market value mortgage/rent, renter's insurance, utilities, transportation costs, or car insurance, tolls, gas, and other bills. Yes, living in NYC and not being rich equals a subpar lifestyle compared to the rest of the country. The lifestyle for the middle and working class in NYC is better ONLY compared to third-world places.
With the cost of living so expensive, it's easy to get "stuck" here because it takes money to relocate even if you're moving to start a new job. I have asked myself the question you're asking many times over the past few years. Trying to leave but still "stuck" for the moment. You said $120K annually but I assumed most people in NYC (who are not on public assistance) make at least $70k a year. IMO, that is the minimum salary for a single person to make and still be ok. If they're part of a family with more than one income earner the better for them. Anything lower than $70k is a nickel and dime lifestyle. But you're right, with all the amenities (cultural events, Broadway, concerts, pro-sports, distinguished speakers or authors, fashion-week, etc) you can't afford them if you pay market value mortgage/rent, renter's insurance, utilities, transportation costs, or car insurance, tolls, gas, and other bills. Yes, living in NYC and not being rich equals a subpar lifestyle compared to the rest of the country. The lifestyle for the middle and working class in NYC is better ONLY compared to third-world places.
Yes, living in NYC and not being rich equals a subpar lifestyle compared to the rest of the country. The lifestyle for the middle and working class in NYC is better ONLY compared to third-world places.
This first sentence is definitely true, but the second is complete nonsense.
Again, I don't know how so many can ignore stories like mine (or Seventh's), and there's plenty of people who live just like us in NYC. I own my own home, have two cars (one brand new), my wife, two kids, a dog, plenty of expensive toys and at least one vacation per year, and we're doing it all on my just slightly over 6 figure salary with no debt and no assistance from family or government.
Having spent 4 different tours overseas in REAL 3rd world countries, I find it absolutely hilarious that you would compare ANY American's lifestyle to that. Even bums in the subway tunnels have it better than what I saw the 3rd world to really be. I certainly don't consider myself only better when compared to the third world. My brand new Jeep, discretionary funds for "toys", and multiple retirement savings accounts are miles above the average 3rd world resident.
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Stuck
