OffToTheApple

Hi there,

I am being transferred with my company from London, where I was born and have lived all my life apart from university, to New York to work in the Head Office.

I am 30 / m, going on my own and have no partner or dependants. I am trying to work out where to live, probably on a budget of about $1500 a month, although I could go higher. I will be working on Park Avenue South.

Does anyone have any advice about literally anything, but particularly accommodation? I have been to New York 5 times before but never for more than a few days so am quite flummoxed about how and where to get a flat!

Thanks so much!

Jayson_Lond

I did exactly the same thing London to Nyc with my company. I lived in Manhattan for a year and Brooklyn for 2. I would give Brooklyn a go. Try anywhere on the G or L within 10 stops of Manhattan. You get more for your money. Astoria is also affordable and near to the city.

Hoeboken in Jersey is good and also affordable.

md95065

When figuring out where to live in the New York area you really need to consider your total budget to determine which places you can afford to live that are within a viable commute distance.

To be honest, if you are working in Manhattan then I don't really think that such a place exists for $1500. If it does it will basically be a closet in a shared apartment that is still quite far away from work.

Try networking with colleagues in the NY office to see if you can find a room that way. Failing that, look on craigslist (but beware of anything that looks too good to be true because it will be a scam ...)

gcjunkie

Try NJ easier to commute to than the boroughs of NYC also for $1500 you aint going to get anything you could stay in longer than a week!

Pulaski

My thoughts exactly. My wife and I moved to NY in 2001 and rentals in Manhattan started at $2,000 for a tiny studio apartment. I doubt that much exists in Manhattan as a stand-alone unit in 2015 for much less less than about $3,000.

You could try asking Reigndrop, (their first post was deleted, but I quoted it in my post, #51 of that thread) because they think that NYC is "cheaper [than] London in all aspects".

gcjunkie

You'll find most things more expensive than the UK, groceries etc Only thing that is cheaper is petrol and cars a bit but you drive so much more everywhere and the cars lot less fuel efficient that the cheap petrol frankly doesnt count for anything.

No idea where this idea cost of living so much less here! I havent see any evidence so far

Pulaski

I think that part of the problem is that people increase their consumption to offset the price difference. If I lived in a 700sqft terraced house on 0.03acre, ate out about once every 2-3 months and owned a ten year old car, as I did in London, I could live on peatnuts in the US. But I don't, I have three vehicles including an F250 and a Mustang GT, and live in a 2,750sqft house on 2.75 acres, and eat out at least once every week.

The fact that I do so on about the same income (at current exchange rates) as I earned in London 13 years ago, means that the cost of living is, from my perspective, a LOT cheaper where I live now than when I lived in London, but if I lived in NYC my perspective would be entirely different.

gcjunkie

Exactly compare like for like for example where you are to perhaps rural wales for example!

notonuksoil

You won't get a shoe box in NYC for $1500 people pay more than that a month for their parking spot. You will struggle to get a studio in Jersey City, Long Island City or Holboken on that budget.

Ha e you thought about sharing an apartment, very popular with singles who want to live close to the city.

Chrisdc

Hi there - I was in NYC for 7 years and left two years ago. You may have to up your budget or consider a long commute. I was paying $2500 for a studio in Battery Park City a few years back. I just checked and they are going for almost $3K now! When I first moved to NY I stayed at Waterside Plaze - Waterside Plaza, 30 Waterside Plaza - Rental Apartments | CityRealty - it's walking distance to your work though studios are still nearing $3Kpcm. If you want to stay in manhattan, you can check out prices at big apartment buildings at nybits.com. Stay away from Craigslist.

I would suggest sticking to places on the 4/5/6. Changing trains can be a PITA, especially if you have to switch between the 4/5 express and the 6 local to get to your destination. Park Slope and Prospect Park in Brooklyn are nice but pricey neighborhoods. In Manhattan you could look at the upper east side - though again, it's pricey. I always chose to live in a shoebox closer to the action than do a long commute - not sure what Union Square is like these days, but I always fancied living around there. If you can walk from 14th Street to your office, then I would look at Williamsburg and other places on the L train (in Brooklyn.)
Google maps will show you walking times and commute times.
HTH
Chris

rpjs

Sounds like OP is near GCT so another option is look somewhere along the Metro-North commuter rail. Even so, I doubt $1,500 would get much anywhere nice.

I have a sneaking suspicion that OP may have been offered a straight conversion of his London salary to dollars. Certainly in my line, software development, the going rate in NYC is about 50% more at current exchange rates than in London.

unique_boy

In my opinion when moving to New York it would be a mistake not to live in Manhattan for at least a year. Especially when you are young and have no dependents, it will be far more enjoyable being in the city.

As for your budget, getting a place by yourself isn't an option unless you up your rent. I would be surprised if you are getting a 1 bed in London for 1000gbp without a fairly chunky commute.

I pay about 40% more in rent here than I did in London and I live in the middle of Manhattan and I haven't looked back.

I would look at the shared apartment for a couple reasons. You are generally going to be taking on a lease that has already been signed and thus can avoid the upfront fees. This is double beneficial whilst you spend time building your US credit history. It is a good way to meet people providing you get lucky with the roommates.

Untitled 3

Agreed. This good advice!