An average one bedroom in Manhattan can cost you about $2500, a two bedroom $3200. This number varies WIDELY as you can find deals and sublets, but depending on what kind of living you're used to, let's use these numbers as bases. So, if you're spending about $2500 on your one bedroom apartment in the City you're probably also working in the city, which means you get the pleasure of spending another 2% of you income on taxes paid to the City of New York. That's right, a 2% tax just for working here. Groceries for one are perhaps $300 or $400 or more if there are two or more people. Then there is your monthly subway pass at about $100 and your occasional cab or Zipcar at $80. Maybe you want to go out and entertain yourself and while there are many free options, you will probably drop quite a bit of money on dinner and a movie since tickets are $12 and dinners usually aren't less than $12-$15 a plate. I feel kind of silly writing this because so many people I know get by on so little. They scrimp and save because they want to or have to or some combination of the two. They don't eat out, order in, ever take cabs or see movies. They are able to survive on very little and I commend them. I, however, would be so unhappy if I had to watch every single penny so closely. I know this because I had to do it.
I think I can pin down the main problem to grocery shopping. Food is so expensive here. Regulars like cereal are so much higher than the national average. Meat is another big one. One way or another money just leaves you here. I really don't think it's something I can explain to someone who hasn't lived here. It really depends on your lifestyle and what circumstances brought you here, but if you are on a tight budget because you are a student or have a limited salary I would just encourage you to figure out what drives you absolutely crazy about living here and then just decide that you will spend the money if you need to to keep yourself sane.
Here is my example:
I missed my car and the convenience it gave me when I moved here. Even when I figured out how get around without needing to own a car to live my life, I would still be faced with constant reminders of my old life. This kept me from getting to a place where I could embrace all the City had to offer for many months. One evening my husband and I ate dinner on 72nd street, about 40 blocks away from our apartment. I think we had taken the subway down and were waiting for the bus to take us back not only because we had a free transfer from the train (people in NY call the subway the train, too) but also because the bus would drop us off right in front of our apartment and I didn't want to walk the 1/3 mile from the subway home. Did I mention it was bitterly cold, windy and raining? And did I mention I was wearing the least weather appropriate clothing and that I was pregnant? So here we are waiting and waiting. I know the bus was supposed to come every 15 minutes, so at the very longest I would just have to wait 15 minutes. Well 15 minutes came and went with no bus. It was so cold and I was so irate. It was moments like those that I longed for a car to drive me home. As we waited for the bus that never came cab after empty cab passed us by. It would have cost me and my husband about $7 including tip to get home, but it wasn't an option. We weren't living in NYC on a big salary. We were students! We lived the student lifestyle. We didn't take cabs. I remember standing in the middle of the street to look to see if the bus was coming and I saying to my husband, "If the bus doesn't come by the next light I'm getting in a cab." I didn't really give him much of a choice since I was getting in a cab regardless of whether he joined me or not. To make a long story even longer, we took a cab home that night. I had many repeat experiences similar to that one. I had many times when I was late to an event that was taking place just over walking distance away-more than a mile. It was not really feasible to be on time and walk so I had to wait for the bus or subway. Oh the times I was running late and became more infuriated by the minute waiting for the bus!
After my first summer I just decided that from then on if I wanted to take a cab I was just going to take it. This was not something I planned on doing frequently, but on a, "I'll know it when I see it basis." There's this funny anecdote I've heard before, that a New Yorker who easily drops $200 on jeans will agonize for 20 minutes on whether to take the subway or pay the $7 for a cab. This little tip of taking a cab has helped many of my friends deal with New York City much better. It's not an all the time thing, but if you need to do it, just do it. That is what it means to live here.
Each of you will have a different thing. Some people really hate making the big trek to Fairway or to New Jersey. They would rather do their bulk shopping online or shop at their neighborhood grocer even if it means it is more expensive. I have other friends who really love Broadway shows so they make an effort to see them frequently. Still other friends like to travel so most of their money goes to taking trips. I think my overall recommendation is that if you want to be sane living here then you need to give yourself a lot of wiggle room, more than you would have to anywhere else because there are so many things that make living here hard.
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