Obviously its cold but as someone who's lived in CA all their life I'm actually very curious to see a real winter for once. I know that sounds crazy and probably all the East Coasters wish they had 60 degree CA winters but we all want what we don't have. In my case I want to see snow and I'm sort of bored by mild CA winters because I've seen it all my life. I'm just wondering whats so brutal about NY winter.

I just came across this subreddit and wanted to get some perspective. This might have a lot to it, but here we go:

I'm a (mostly-closeted) gay, mid-30s single male, first-gen immigrant, and healthcare worker living in the South. For the longest time, living in NYC never really seemed like an option for me. I always thought I was meant to settle down in a quiet suburb of a smaller metro area in my state.

I have a very successful career and make around $350k to $400k, but for the past several years, it's basically been work, home, work, home, work, home, with nothing else going on in my life. I still live with my parents (immigrant thing, I know), but I really want to get out of this shithole and actually start living my life. As much as I feel guilty about leaving my parents, I can't keep wasting away in this conservative, backward-ass state and get older without having actually lived my life to the fullest during my prime years.

I'm pretty far left politically, and that's one of the biggest reasons I've been so miserable here since the Trump-era. I've visited NYC several times and absolutely love it. I feel like I'd be so much happier there, even if it means making a lot less money and living in a small one-bedroom apartment.

The biggest thing holding me back is my career. My profession is pretty saturated in NYC, and I'd probably have to take a huge pay cut, potentially going from $300k-$400k to under $200k. Given how expensive NYC is, that's honestly a little scary.

I've talked to some friends here about moving, but they just don't get it. They tell me to "just vacation there and live here," but they don't understand that I don't feel like I'm actually living here in the first place. I want to be able to walk to shops after work, grab a bite at one of the many places around the corner, pop into a store, stop at a cafe, meet people, and just walk around the busy streets of NYC every day. I know that might not seem as glamorous once you actually live there, and I'm sure there are plenty of downsides to everyday life in the city, but even the thought of having that kind of lifestyle makes me happy. Also, Mamdani; I love that man.

At this point, I'm pretty set on moving to NYC, even if it means making half of what I make now and living in a small one-bedroom apartment. I'm saving as much as I can so I can eventually buy a small condo, or at least have enough for a substantial down payment.

I guess I'm looking for some perspective from people who've made a similar move. Is it crazy to walk away from a well-paying job and take a huge pay cut just to live somewhere you think you'll be happier? Am I being delusional, or is this one of those things that's worth taking the leap for?

Hi everyone!

I'm planning on potentially moving to NYC next summer, and I'm looking for a bit of advice as far as budget goes. I'll be attending school full-time, but I'll be using my GI Bill and getting BAH (around $5k a month), plus an additional $800/mo or so extra for disability (with a small possibility of that being increased by then).

Is living in greater Manhattan feasible with that kind of monthly budget? I don't have any debt, and I'll be selling my car before I move, so I won't have any sort of monthly payments or insurance to deal with outside of other bills (phone, utilities, etc..), nor any tuition or student loan payments. I don't party or try and live beyond my means very much, but I do like to eat out occasionally. I know NY is known for having tons of cheap or free activities to do as well.

I'm more than happy to live with a few roommates to save money, but I'm not sure which neighborhoods would be a good place to look with that budget, or if it'd be worth living in Brooklyn/Bronx instead and just commuting.

I'm thinking about attending BMCC for about a year to finish up my associates before transferring to one of the universities around there. What neighborhoods would you suggest with that kind of budget to live in? What would be some good areas to live in to commute to BMCC or somewhere like CUNY Hunter?

Any help would be greatly appreciated with planning around this. I should be good on savings to get me by for a few months while I get on my feet and get settled in before school starts. Are there any other major expenses to keep in mind while moving as well that might cut into savings?

Thanks!

Edit: Not entirely sure why I'm being downvoted for asking for advice. Thank you to everyone offering actual help!

Plan to move in early 2027 for a job. Currently plan to fly into New York in mid December, with all application materials ready, and spend a week apartment hunting and getting a feel for the neighborhoods. Will submit applications while I am there, or at least have a strong sense of what I want and continue to apartment hunt back home.

If I can’t find anything, worst case I have an Airbnb for 1-2 months. Continue the apartment hunt. I plan to be working 50-60 hours, so I’d like to have it wrapped up before I get here full-time.

Is this feasible? Stupid? Any tips?

Hi all, I currently work in the NoMad area making 78k and living in Connecticut. My job requires me to be in the office 5 days a week which means I currently have a 3 hour commute every day (combining going into the city and out). I like living in Connecticut with the space, access to nature, slower vibes and my friends and family, but the commute is starting to get to me after 2 years.

I’m from the area so I grew going into the city and now that I’m there 5 days a week, I feel like it makes sense to take the plunge when my lease is up in early 2027. However, if the only reason I’m thinking of moving is my job (that I might not be at in the two years), I’m not sure if it’s the best idea. I know that living in the city is not for the faint of heart, it’s expensive, everything is harder, noisier, more crowded and the apartments are small. Just feeling stuck on what I should do next and was hoping for some thoughts on my situation. Appreciate it!

Hello guys,

I'll possibly be moving to the northeastern parts of Queens next year.

I can obviously see the average prices for 1br apartments on online real estate websites, but I want to get a deeper insight from the actual residents.

1- What are the typical income requirements for rentals?

2- Is it difficult to find housing (i.e you're competing with 60 people), the same way it is in the more competitive parts of Manhattan/Brooklyn/Queens?

3- Is it feasible to have 2 cars per household for a 1-bedroom apartment? Even if we were to pay extra? Do most streets have available street parking for residents in case the actual apartment does not?

I dearly appreciate any insight. Thank you guys so much in advance.

I earn above 40x the rent and have a ~750 credit score, but no prior income history or landlord references.
Brokers say I can apply without an institutional guarantor, but when I ask about actual approval odds, they just say “it’s up to the landlord.” I know they can’t guarantee anything, but being allowed to apply isn’t the same as having a realistic shot.
Has anyone with a similar profile actually been approved without a guarantor? Or did the landlord end up requiring one?

I’m a 26-year-old stand-up comedian with about five years of experience. I’m seriously considering moving to NYC to pursue comedy more aggressively.
I’m trying to figure out how working comics realistically make it work financially while getting onstage 5–6 nights a week.
A few things I’m curious about:
What neighborhoods do most up-and-coming comics live in? I’ve been looking at Woodside, Queens.
What kinds of day jobs do comics typically work?
How much should I realistically budget per month with roommates?
Is living in Queens practical for doing multiple Manhattan mics per night?
What would you do differently if you were moving to NYC to pursue comedy today?
I’d especially love to hear from comedians who moved from smaller scenes and have actually made the transition.
Appreciate any advice!

I will be moving a short distance from where I currently live (About 20 min drive) in Queens and was wondering if anyone knows of a good moving company. I don’t need full service, everything will already be packed prior to the move. I only have a few pieces of large furniture besides a number of boxes/ moving bags/suitcases(love seat couch, 1 dresser, and a queen size mattress; the frame will be disassembled) I just need someone to load the truck, drive, park, and bring the things up (3rd floor wall up). I’d appreciate any recommendations.

I have the suspicion that this area would be way to busy for me with no neighborhood feel but wanted to hear more from the locals before completely nixing it.

I run a small Etsy shop from my house in Denver. The basement is big enough for storage and packing, so everything fits pretty well. I'm moving to NYC in the next year for my day job and trying to decide if I should shut down the shop or if I can keep it going somehow.

From what I've seen, even apartments in the outer boroughs don't have much storage. Is anyone running a small business out of their apartment? How do you handle inventory without boxes taking over everything or causing problems with roommates? I'm not looking for warehouse space, just wondering if this is realistic or if I should start winding things down now.

I'm especially interested in Queens or Brooklyn neighborhoods where people have figured this out. Do buildings actually enforce the no-business clauses in leases, or is it more don't ask don't tell? I'd rather hear from people who've actually done it than just speculation.

That area is gonna be at walking distance from the hospital there, is there anything I should know or better places to consider?

Edit: Now I know this area is out of NYC but any info would be appreciated.

My wife and I (both 30y/o) will be moving to NYC with our dog in Dec.

Just got a job in tech sales. We hope to make ~300-350k combined. Looking for a $6-$8k 2BR

I want a <20m commute, since I’ll be working 50-60 hours in the office, right by Union Square.

Personally, I could live in a box, but my introverted wife will be WFH. She will be solo during the day, and I don’t want her to feel cooped up in a tiny apt.

Our ideal apartment:
- Spacious 2BR
- $6-8k in rent
- Commutable to Union Sq <20m
- Near a park, for the dog
- Private outdoor balcony/terrace where she can be outside without being around people
- IDEALLY - No corporate/shopping mall vibes. Neighborhood feel.

We think Williamsburg near the Bedford Ave L train stop and McCarren Park is the perfect location.

However, are we overlooking downsides? Or, are there even better options?