Ask HN - What's it like living in New York?

[film42]

I'm from California, I've lived in the Bay Area, and recently New York has been put on the table as a relocation option, probably Manhattan.

I love San Francisco, it's an amazing place (having grown up near LA, you can basically eat off the sidewalks). Tell me though, what's it like being a developer out there? How long is your commute? How much is rent? Is it hard to connect with other people?

I'd love some feedback as I've never been to the city, but still want to be educated on the matter!

[metaphorm]

Commute depends on where you live and where you work, obviously. There's a lot of public transportation and its a pretty good system. Almost impossible to end up with a commute that takes more than 1 hour. My commute is about 45 minutes and I'm going Brooklyn (Park Slope) to Manhattan (Flatiron district).

Rent is high pretty much everywhere. You're in the Bay Area though so you already know about insane rents. New York is in the same insanely too high range as San Francisco. However, NY based jobs usually pay a bit more to help compensate for the high cost of living.

There's a burgeoning tech scene here. The so-called "Silicon Alley" runs along Broadway between Soho all the way up Flatiron. Its not as large of a community as in San Francisco but its pretty well established at this point. Many of the tech companies in New York are doing web based services that are linked in some way to one of New York's other major industries (real estate, media, advertising/marketing, finance).

[film42]

Thank you for this!!

[T-hawk]

The best place to live in New York is actually New Jersey. The PATH subway in Jersey City or Hoboken gives a quick (15 minute) commute to the downtown and midtown business areas, or there's also bus and ferry options.

Rent goes very roughly 25% cheaper than Manhattan for similar digs, everything from basement studios (~$1500) to modern luxury towers, and gets cheaper with more distance from the PATH.

Bonuses: You dodge the NYC income tax (over 3% of income). NJ sales tax is a bit less too. And NJ has easier driving and flying (Newark) access to the rest of the world.

I've lived on the NJ Gold Coast and commuted to Manhattan for basically my entire professional life, and quite satisfied with that. I've never lived in any other area than NJ/NY so can't compare it with the west coast.

[nrj]

This is purely an opinion and totally depends on where your priorities lie. All of these things are true and your overall cost of living will be lower. However you will most likely need a car and your social life won't be as exciting because everything will be happening in the city.

[kennethtilton]

All true, but there is something special about having NYC outside one's door. Astoria is a good option if money is an issue, but I would splurge on the rent and go for Manhattan. West Side was my roost for 30yrs, East Side far from the Lex is also cheaper way to go.

[keiferski]

I've visited NYC dozens of times, but never actually "lived there". My recommendation is to optimize one of two things:

1. Minimizing cost

2. Maximizing proximity

In other words, either pick somewhere that's cheaper, or pick somewhere that's ideal for work/social life/etc. For option 1, living in New Jersey isn't a terrible idea. The commute isn't any longer than outer boroughs of the city (15 mins from Hoboken NJ vs. 45mins from Park Slope). To be fair, Park Slope and other outer-borough neighborhoods might be more interesting to live in than NJ, but to each his own. For option 2, live in lower Manhattan. It'll be expensive, it'll be cramped, but you'll be within walking distance to basically everything you could ever want.

Personally, I hate commuting. I'd rather live in a 2nd tier city and commute 5 minutes to work than live in NYC and commute for an hour.

[AznHisoka]

1) What it's like being a developer out there? lots of choices, but mostly in the financial industry. Startups too, but you're already in the Bay area, so not as much.

2) How long is your commute? 1 hr + 15 minutes. Prepare to tolerate crowded trains/subways with smelly bums occasionally in the same train as you.

3) How much is rent? I own a home, but rent out a floor to someone for $1900 a month. This is in Queens

4) Is it hard to connect with other people? Can't answer, as I'm an introvert and my answer would be clearly biased :)

[richsin]

Living in NYC is an amazing experience. If you are relocating, I recommend staying in the city first, before moving into Brooklyn, Astoria or NJ for example. Williamsburg is hot right now, but don't expect to pay less to live in the good parts. I have seen others cut corners and live outside of the popular pockets and it's the equivalent of me moving to the Sunset - close but no cigar.

Commute: Within Manhattan your travel will be 5-25 minutes depending on how far you're going. Cabs are cheap when your in a hurry. If you enjoy walking, even better. Bicycles are taking over NYC, it's been an amazing transformation as of recent and if you enjoy riding, thats a bonus.

Work: I do freelance development and there is alot of business in the city, ALOT. I get calls every week for developer roles. Another great part of being in the city is the diversity across all boards. You will meet people from all over the world, working in so many different industries...it will give you an amazing perspective.

Rent: Expect to pay at least $1800 for a small studio or a room share in a nice 2 bedroom apartment. You can definitely find cheaper places in the city, but where you live in the city defines you and your lifestyle to an extent.

Areas to consider: (without knowing much about you)

East Village, West Village, Lower East Side, Chelsea, Hell's Kitchen, Union Square, Murray Hill, Upper West Side, Upper East Side, Midtown (East and West). Great food, convenient, always busy.

Meeting people:

There are many meetups and networking events, but your work will be your gateway to expanding your circle. If your single, NYC is a huge dating market. Get some good pics, throw it up on Tinder, Match, Howaboutwe and have fun. Also there are great places like 3rd Ward in Williamsburg which is just a few stops away on the L Train and they have an amazing creative community. Going back to my emphasis of staying in the city, it's 100X easier to meet people while living there than commuting into it.

[throwmeaway2525]

Do you have any advice for getting a (good) place without knowing anyone there, and without giving an arm to a broker?

I tracked Craigslist ads daily for all of those neighborhoods a couple of years ago when I was considering relocating, and it looked _brutal_.

(I suppose an employer or potential co-workers might be able to help, but it just seems so competitive I'm not sure what can really be done.)

[throwaway1979]

Minor nit: I believe 3rd Ward shut down in a sad, spectacular way :(

All your advice seems spot on. One problem I had was distinguishing between neighborhoods. While I lived in midtown east, I was oddly in a restaurant blackhole. All my favorite restaurants and hangout places were around 33'rd, st. marks, etc. There are some bad spots in Manhattan ... one should be aware of that.

[throwaway1979]

I suggest you visit before moving. NYC is simultaneously one of the most amazing and most frustrating cities in the world. Also, NY gives you a different experience based on where you live and the season. I moved in early winter and it was brutal! Also, be very aware of cost of living. My jaw dropped the first time I went grocery shopping. I never felt poor in the Bay area. In Manhattan, I was poor making low six figures. If you are single, straight and male, then ignore everything bad I said about NYC and just get on the first flight here.