Originally Posted by just_jenn

Just a thought but your apartment budget would go much further if you were willing to go just outside the Island

I'm in Jersey City and they have some wonderful high rises with fantastic views of Manhattan and a 2-3 bed typically rents for around $2,500-$3,000 a month. There's also a lot of great infrastructure (good private schools, easy transport, shopping etc.) and we have lower tax on purchases (as low as 3.5% in some areas). That said, it's not the most convenient place for commuting to the East Side (I used to work for another NGO near Grand Central and I could get door to door in about an hour).

Have you considered Long Island City?

Originally Posted by LillyRobeson

Yes, I looked at LIC although on the streetview on google maps it looks a bit seedy.

I also heard that Roosevelt Island's a good choice - although seems a bit weird to live on a tiny island in the middle of a river!

Also looked at Astoria.

I don't mind not being in Manhattan, just don't want to deal with a long commute or live in a dodgy area.

Originally Posted by Sarah

If you don't want to deal with a long commute then live in Manhattan. Even if you have a short commute traveling on the subway during rush hour is a pain in the arse.
Also you mentioned that your employers will pay part of private school fees. Probably worth checking out the British School for your kids. http://www.bis-ny.org/

Originally Posted by LillyRobeson

I pack myself into the Northern line and Victoria line on a daily basis. Please tell me that the NY subway isn't worse?! I remember it being annoyingly slow when I've used it but not stupidly over-crowded like in London.

Originally Posted by LillyRobeson

I pack myself into the Northern line and Victoria line on a daily basis. Please tell me that the NY subway isn't worse?! I remember it being annoyingly slow when I've used it but not stupidly over-crowded like in London.

Originally Posted by LillyRobeson

Ac on the subway?? Luxury!

Reminds me of the American tourists on the tube the other day. They got on and cried "oh my god, someone's left the heating on by mistake". Wonder when they discovered the sad truth

Originally Posted by Nutmegger

You mean just like this?

http://www.nestseekers.com/32904/cen...-home-for-sale

Originally Posted by LillyRobeson

I have a possible job offer from an international organization in NYC. I'm based in London, partner and two kids, with combined take-home income of about £4000 and we manage fine on that.

So the job offer in NYC would give us:
about $7800 take home pay per month (just me - after all deductions)
for the first 4 years, they'll pay a % of rent - the calculation is complicated but works out best for us to rent in the region of $5000 and we'd pay $3000 with organization paying the rest.
Health insurance is excellent (zero deductibles etc) but contribution of about $800 a month depending on the package I choose
They also pay 75% of private school tuition and my two are in nursery adn Y2 (so pre-K and 2nd grade in Sept - right?)

OK, so that's the package. My partner would want to work so once he gets himself set up we'll have that income. We have the 4 years rent subsidy that gives us the breathing space until he starts earning.

So, my questions for you lovely and knowledgeable folk are:

*If you've lived in London and NYC, do you think they're comparable in price? If we manage in London, will we be OK in NYC, especially since we'll be earning more?

*We love London -do you think NYC is really all that different? I don't really feel any particular attraction to NYC (I've spent quite a bit of time there but never lived there) but am certainly a city girl, so I'm guessing most of what I like in London, I'll like in NYC (minus my Mum of course )

*Is $5000 per month reasonable for a nice Manhattan apartment, easy travelling to midtown east? Any areas in Manhattan you'd recommend? Should we look outside of Manhattan? Any areas you'd recommend there (LIC, Astoria, Roosevelt Island have all been mentioned)?

*I can't get my head around the health insurance stuff. Completely bonkers! Do you guys really pay that kind of money for health? Is that normal?

*What are the public schools like? Are we guaranteed a certain school if we just roll up mid-year (ie not like here!!)? Do we have a hope in hell of getting in to a decent private school? I've heard school entry is insane and there's some kind of NYC baby boom. We've been through it in London as we moved in-year and it was nightmarish. As we're not super-duper rich, would my kids feel out of place at private school? They go to regular state school here in London.

*Does this budget look reasonable to you:
Rent $3000 (for $5000 apartment)
Food/household $1000
Utilities $400
Health $800
Transport $400 (figure $200 for public transport and another couple of taxi rides per week at $25 each)
Other expenses (clothes, going out, trips, kids activities etc) $800
Possibly we'll need to factor in $1000-$1500 as 25% of school fees for 2 children God, I thought London private schools were pricey!!!
(you can see private school takes us a bit over budget until partner gets an income but we have savings we can use plus very generous relocation payment that we can save from if we're frugal)

Thank you so so much! Any info will be incredibly helpful. I'm really torn about this decision. I love London but NYC doesn't seem that bad and the job is fab. Plus the fact that I'm public sector so have pay freeze at the moment and losing child benefit next year makes the NYC move all the more attractive.

Originally Posted by IPM

Given what you describe, I'd probably recommend either (a) Park Slope, Brooklyn - great park, brownstone houses and nice scene with decent commute, or (b) White Plains, Scarsdale - North with a decent commute into GCS, high quality schools and bigger yards. Reckon on at least $5,000 pcm for a decent house