New York, NY

[roguesenna]

Thoughts on living in the Bronx? I've been accepted to Fordham and I'm seriously considering it, and I see a lot of discussion of Manhattan and Brooklyn, but not much for the Bronx. There's no way I could afford to live in Manhattan, but how do Brooklyn and the Bronx compare as to cost of living, safety, etc. As a twenty-two year old woman who isn't really "tough" looking or anything like that, is the Bronx less safe of a place for me? Most of my experience is living in relatively small towns with not much NYC experience, although I'm used to living alone/walking alone/traveling alone.

 

Have you considered Northern Manhattan? i.e. Inwood, Washington Heights, etc.? It's pretty cheap compared to the rest of Manhattan and is closer to the center of the city than the Bronx if you ever want to socialize and stuff. I'm not sure where Fordham is in the Bronx, but it might be slightly safer. A lot of the nicer places in the Bronx can be much like expensive suburbs (i.e. Riverdale, etc.)

 

 

Would it be ridiculous to commute to NYU from New Jersey? Would the rent savings be cancelled out by the cost of commuting? Any recommendations for areas worth considering commuting from in order to save on rent?

 

Kind of, yeah. I am looking at commuting from Wash. Heights to NYU and am already considering moving closer. From Wash Heights, it takes me 40m to get to midtown. About an hour to NYU. If you're coming from Jersey, add at least 30m. It's not that it's impossible, but it will make you much more reluctant to socialize and participate in anything more than the bare minimum requirements. I have considered moving to Jersey but my SO and I decided the savings weren't worth the commute.

 

 

 

The MacCracken housing in Stuyvesant Town costs ~$13,000 for 11.5 months

I have not researched on the tax rate in NYC yet, but if I set 10% as the deducted amount of the total income, 

then I have (31*0.9-13)/12~$1250 to spend per month, not including the expenses for moving in summer as you mentioned. 

 

 

I agree with the earlier poster, the tax rate for this income bracket is about 20%. This year I declared myself exempt from federal taxes (this can be risky, so you have to make absolutely sure you're eligible) and my tax rate was 12.75% (state taxes, NYC taxes, plus a few things you can't exempt from, like social security). So your 10% is way too low.

[Hanyuye]

You guys should look at Woodside,Jackson Heights, Prospect Heights. Prices are within 800-1200 usually. And there express stops on the 7, E, and Brooklyn lines

[prepare2deluze]

You guys should look at Woodside,Jackson Heights, Prospect Heights. Prices are within 800-1200 usually. And there express stops on the 7, E, and Brooklyn lines

 

Would those be good places to look for people going to the New School of Social Research?

 

I haven't been to NYC since I was a kid and have been looking through the most recent pages of this topic and it seems like Brooklyn and Queens are the places to live for NSSR. Seems like the commute would be somewhere around 30 mins. 

 

My partner and I could probably be fine with a 1 room place. 

[cedricyu803]

Just FYI, I would count on a higher tax rate for NYC, more like 15-18%. In addition to federal and state taxes, you have to pay city taxes. I work in the city right now, and I pay upwards of 20% in taxes. One of the grad students in my lab pays about 16%. I hope this helps!

1000$ per month after rent? welllllll

 

~120$/mo on metro card (fixed amount)

~250$/mo on food (slightly more than I spend between my boyfriend and I, but we always go over)

~100$/mo on various utilities (depending on what your apartment is like)

~100$/mo on phone (my phone bill with an iPhone on Verizon)

??? -- health insurance (depends on you)

??? -- fun money (bars, eating out, etc.)

??? -- previous student loan bills?

 

I agree with the earlier poster, the tax rate for this income bracket is about 20%. This year I declared myself exempt from federal taxes (this can be risky, so you have to make absolutely sure you're eligible) and my tax rate was 12.75% (state taxes, NYC taxes, plus a few things you can't exempt from, like social security). So your 10% is way too low.

 

OK. I am an international student. If the tax is still about 20% and the pre-tax income is $31500, then I have around $1,000 to spend per month excluding the rent. 

 

If I stick to roguesenna's plan I may still manage to survive, though I don't cook. (maybe it's time for me to learn to cook)

 

Thanks a lot

[tac0d00d]

I am trying to find a studio in/near the upper east side for around $1,000-1200. Seems impossible

[juilletmercredi]

It is.  In the UES I would expect to pay at least $1500 for a small studio, but more realistically closer to $2,000.  It's the Upper East Side - one of the toniest neighborhoods in Manhattan.

[perpetuavix]

I am trying to find a studio in/near the upper east side for around $1,000-1200. Seems impossible

You should probably do some research about what it costs to live in various neighborhoods if you're thinking about moving to NYC. $1000 for a studio on the UES is not realistic at all. Do you want to live somewhere near the 4-5-6? You can look in Harlem, although you still might struggle to find something nice at that price point. If living on the UES is very important to you, you could probably find an apartment share for that price. But NYC has one of the most expensive real estate markets in the country. You should have a solid idea of what you're getting yourself into before you move here. 

[roguesenna]

OK. I am an international student. If the tax is still about 20% and the pre-tax income is $31500, then I have around $1,000 to spend per month excluding the rent. 

 

If I stick to roguesenna's plan I may still manage to survive, though I don't cook. (maybe it's time for me to learn to cook)

 

Thanks a lot

 

Do learn to cook. It's fun! It's a great way to be healthy and save money and it's a good skill to have. It will also help you attract romantic interests. Also, invest in spices. Having a lot of spices can be the difference between a delicious meal and a bland one. They are expensive up front, but they last a long time. And don't buy one of those carousel spice things (with a bunch of different lids), you don't use all spices evenly, so you'll just end up replacing some and not others.

[tac0d00d]

You should probably do some research about what it costs to live in various neighborhoods if you're thinking about moving to NYC. $1000 for a studio on the UES is not realistic at all. Do you want to live somewhere near the 4-5-6? You can look in Harlem, although you still might struggle to find something nice at that price point. If living on the UES is very important to you, you could probably find an apartment share for that price. But NYC has one of the most expensive real estate markets in the country. You should have a solid idea of what you're getting yourself into before you move here. 

 

 

It is.  In the UES I would expect to pay at least $1500 for a small studio, but more realistically closer to $2,000.  It's the Upper East Side - one of the toniest neighborhoods in Manhattan.

 

 

Yeah, I dont know the area at all (im from Cali). Im looking for something in that price range that is a reasonable commute to Mt Sinai hospital. Any ideas?

[perpetuavix]

Yeah, I dont know the area at all (im from Cali). Im looking for something in that price range that is a reasonable commute to Mt Sinai hospital. Any ideas?

If you definitely want to live alone and plan to spend $1000-$1200, you can look in Bushwick. I know someone who lives in a (tiny and awful) studio for $800. It would probably be a 45 min-1 hour commute. You can also look in the Bronx along the 4, 5, or 6 lines. Astoria is also an option, but I don't know if you could find something that cheap there. Maybe somewhere along the 7 in Woodside or Jackson Heights would work. As long as you live near a train that connects easily to the 4-5-6, your commute will likely be less than an hour. 

[roguesenna]

Yeah, I dont know the area at all (im from Cali). Im looking for something in that price range that is a reasonable commute to Mt Sinai hospital. Any ideas?

 

It really depends on your price range. Don't look for average prices online because In NYC when you are looking at averages, that includes the shitty 200sq ft apartment for 500$/mo and also the ridiculous penthouse that costs 20,000$/mo. So averages are just not helpful. I would suggest getting on craigslist, putting in your parameters (number of bedrooms, whether you want pets, etc) and searching by neighborhood. Neighborhoods I recommend:

 

 In Northern Manhattan:  Harlem, Washington Heights, Inwood, Fort George

 In Southern Manhattan: (more expensive) anything south of the Village.

 

As far as Manhattan goes, avoid anything between Harlem and the Village. You will not find anything good for a decent price.

 

 In Brooklyn I'm only familiar with Sunset Park & neighboring Borough Park. General rule of thumb is closer to the Manhattan = more expensive. Farther from Manhattan = cheap but QUICKLY diminishing public transpo access, so if you are going to look in Brooklyn make sure you are less than five minutes from a subway stop. Buses suck.

[monkeych]

 In Brooklyn I'm only familiar with Sunset Park & neighboring Borough Park. General rule of thumb is closer to the Manhattan = more expensive. Farther from Manhattan = cheap but QUICKLY diminishing public transpo access, so if you are going to look in Brooklyn make sure you are less than five minutes from a subway stop. Buses suck.

 

Hi roguesenna-

 

Could you tell us a bit about your experience with Sunset Park? On craigslist, rents seem cheaper. In addition to anything else you would care to mention, I would be interested in hearing about your experience with transportation. What kind of commute time would I be looking at, for example, from Sunset Park to NYU or the New School?

 

Thanks!

[dstar]

I live in NYC and am renting out a very nice two bedroom in brooklyn heights, which is a lovely neighborhood right next to Manhattan. The rent is 2600 including utilities except phone, cable and internet. For the neighborhood it is a great deal. The place is sharing, well painted anmd furnished, great windows, and right by the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. Also by tons of subways- a-c and 2-3 are each two minutes away. We are hoping to rent it soon (this spring) but might be flexible if someone is moving in early summer. If you want to know more, please email me at dhortsch@Hotmail.com

[tac0d00d]

Perpet and Rogue-

That's some good info thanks. Where do you suggest looking? Craigslist has a bunch of scams apparently.

Also how can I avoid broker fees?

[Hanyuye]

Would those be good places to look for people going to the New School of Social Research?

 

I haven't been to NYC since I was a kid and have been looking through the most recent pages of this topic and it seems like Brooklyn and Queens are the places to live for NSSR. Seems like the commute would be somewhere around 30 mins. 

 

My partner and I could probably be fine with a 1 room place. 

 He Deluze,

 

If you lived in Jackson Heights, all you had to do is take the E train straight from there to the NSSR. It's about 30-40 minutes express. And the costs there are manageable plus it's a very family oriented neighborhood with lots of Indian/Hispanic/Middle Eastern supermarkets. Though it is a very congested neighborhood, try to look at it from google search?? I think it'll be your best bet.

As for Woodside, it's an up and coming young professional neighborhood so the prices are more above the 1200 with more of an Asian fengshui, sort to speak. 

[perpetuavix]

Perpet and Rogue-

That's some good info thanks. Where do you suggest looking? Craigslist has a bunch of scams apparently.

Also how can I avoid broker fees?

Padmapper is my favorite place to look. It's the easiest to sort and look across multiple neighborhoods at once. It has a commuting distance function, but it doesn't work with mass transit (although it can easily show you where the subway lines are). It pulls from Craigslist as well as a lot of other places. 

[roguesenna]

Hi roguesenna-

 

Could you tell us a bit about your experience with Sunset Park? On craigslist, rents seem cheaper. In addition to anything else you would care to mention, I would be interested in hearing about your experience with transportation. What kind of commute time would I be looking at, for example, from Sunset Park to NYU or the New School?

 

Thanks!

 

I loved Sunset Park! Only think about it that I didn't like was my crappy roommate. Sunset Park (the acutal park) is UH-MAZING. It's a large beautiful park, lots of space to hang out, there are tennis courts, a couple playgrounds, chess boards, lots of space for running around and doing whatever, and a free olympic-sized pool in the summer with a free lane-swimming program. The area is mostly Chinese and Mexican and while the blocks are pretty cut-and-paste, the food in the area is great. If you do go there, check out Tacos El Bronco, they have a great menu with lots of authentic mexican food, fresh ingredients and great prices. The chinese food in the area is good too. The area in general is really beautiful, most of the buildings are brownstones or brownstone-esque. Everyone decorates for the holidays, the sidewalks are wide and all the buildings are set back from the street. Parking is alternate side, a pain in the butt, but better than Manhattan. There are a lot of families and lifetime residents in the area, so it is pretty safe and friendly so long as you stay inland of 3rd ave. 5th ave is the main drag. We lived at 44th & 4th (heh) which was a fantastic location. The Green-Wood cemetery is also much like a giant park and is very nice in the summer.

 

I didn't travel to downtown Manhattan from there very much, but my estimate is about 40 minutes or so. Maybe someone else can corroborate or deny. Definitely no more than an hour. I would be careful to make sure you get a spot within a 3-5 minute walk of a subway. Our stop was just around the block and it fascillitate a lot of things. We were also only a couple stops from Atlantic Terminal which has a great mall with a lot of food options and the Barclay Center right there. If you can find it, I recommed things near the 36th st stop because you can catch the N and D express from there and that will get you a lot of places very quickly. Getting to Williamsburg or Queens was kind of a pain in the but, but Manhattan was pretty easy.

 

does that answer your questions? got anything more specific?

 

Perpet and Rogue-

That's some good info thanks. Where do you suggest looking? Craigslist has a bunch of scams apparently.

Also how can I avoid broker fees?

 

 Like I said, Manhattan north of Harlem, and in Brooklyn I am only familiar with Sunset Park, but it has lower rents and it's a beautiful up and coming neighborhood.

 

And sorry, I know nothing about broker fees, never used a broker. Which, in essence, is how you avoid them. Deal directly with the person leasing. Try subletting if it's just you and you're not picky about roommates.

[meep15]

I'll have to start reading this topic extensively because I find myself leaning more and more towards attending nyu.

[sea_shell]

Can anyone give advice about living near the Upper East Side and Hunter College (68th)? Budget is pretty limited so the cheaper, the better, but I know it's an expensive part of town..

[Hanyuye]

I go to Hunter College, apartments there are generally way above 1300, and the neighborhood is very pricey (Yorkville, is what it's called). Though the further east you live towards the East  River, the cheaper, but you'll be counting dollars if you decide to be there. Seems like everyone wants to live in Manhattan only with new transplants here, there are plenty other options with 20-45 minute commute with cheaper rent, food, utilities, etc. Is that area your only option?

[Varangian]

As I grew up in Brooklyn and will be moving to New Haven for school come August, I will be leasing out a room in a nicely sized apartment in Bensonhurst. Very close to the D train and lots of buses, very safe and comfortable neighborhood. It's close to a lovely park, lots of shops, restaurants, take-out places, gyms and supermarkets, there is a very nice bar scene about 10 minutes ride by bus during non-rush hour (obviously during rush hour traffic it would take a bit longer). Room and apartment are fully furnished. The room would include a twin bed and mattress (new), desk, closet and possibly additional dresser.  Rent includes all utilities, cable tv and internet. The room gets great heat in summer and has a built in AC. The apartment faces east, so the morning light fills the living room, while the setting sun hits the bedrooms and fills them with natural light. $700. Feel free to pm me with questions. Person must be cat friendly. 

 

I would not recommend Bushwick. It still pretty much a slum and where many of Brooklyn's murders happen (Bushwick, Crown Heights, Flatbush and The Flatlands are all neighborhoods I would not recommend). Sunset Park used to be like this a few years ago but is slowly gentrifying. It's a heavily Latino neighborhood (so there's great food and discotecqs) but some streets are still questionable. 

 

For most New Yorkers average time to work is anything from 40 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes. This is normal. If you want to live right next to your university, I wish you the best but you will be paying all your stipend for rent with nothing left over. If anyone wants, if they know what school they are attending, I can give a rough ETA from the apartment's location. 

[tac0d00d]

 Person must be cat friendly. 

 

Ugh

[Varangian]

Ugh

[juilletmercredi]

If you use the interactive map here (http://maps.nyc.gov/crime/) and click through the months, you'll see that in many months there were more murders per capita in Williamsburg than Bushwick.  Honestly, it looks like you're more likely to get murdered in Midtown than Bushwick, lol - but nobody would say don't live in Midtown because it's not safe.   I'm not saying that some neighborhoods aren't safer or nicer than others, but saying that Bushwick is still "pretty much a slum" is exaggerating quite a bit.  I repeat my point from a few pages back that I generally don't put a whole lot of stock in ruling out entire neighborhoods in the city.

 

For those trying to figure out commuting time, I recommend HopStop.com.  You can enter an address or cross-streets and it will give you a variety of ways to reach your destination (subway/rail and bus if you ask it to), plus pretty accurate travel times.  Google Maps also gives accurate directions but their travel times are always an underestimate for me, usually by about 10 minutes.  But the advantage there is that you can see the entire travel mapped out on the map and they give you two or three different routes on the map at a time.

[perpetuavix]

If you use the interactive map here (http://maps.nyc.gov/crime/) and click through the months, you'll see that in many months there were more murders per capita in Williamsburg than Bushwick.  Honestly, it looks like you're more likely to get murdered in Midtown than Bushwick, lol - but nobody would say don't live in Midtown because it's not safe.   I'm not saying that some neighborhoods aren't safer or nicer than others, but saying that Bushwick is still "pretty much a slum" is exaggerating quite a bit.  I repeat my point from a few pages back that I generally don't put a whole lot of stock in ruling out entire neighborhoods in the city.

 

For those trying to figure out commuting time, I recommend HopStop.com.  You can enter an address or cross-streets and it will give you a variety of ways to reach your destination (subway/rail and bus if you ask it to), plus pretty accurate travel times.  Google Maps also gives accurate directions but their travel times are always an underestimate for me, usually by about 10 minutes.  But the advantage there is that you can see the entire travel mapped out on the map and they give you two or three different routes on the map at a time.

Thank you! New York is by far the safest city of its size. There is some variation in this by neighborhood, but even the worst neighborhoods are still better than many other cities. Midtown does in fact have the highest crime rate in the city, which is mostly explained by low population and a large amount of theft. 

And Bushwick is definitely a quickly changing neighborhood, as are many places in New York. I haven't lived in the city for that long, and I feel like I have a very different experience of the city than people who lived here was legitimately dangerous (in the 80s and early 90s).