# Can any NY citizens advise me on living costs?



## tjobbe (Jan 10, 2013)

Hi, I'm a single guy, 31, and I'm moving to NYC very soon, and I need to calculate my living expenses.

I'll be looking at sharing an apartment and my monthly budget for that is about $850 with bills included.

My take home salary will be roughly $2500 so that would leave me $1650 per month to live.

I don't know how much anything costs in the US, so could I get an idea on the following please?


Train travel to manhattan from brooklyn, every day
cellphone (sim card only) - prepay
Cheap but good pizza restaurant meal price, excl drinks
Price for drinks (wine & beer) in an average bar
Sandwich, drink and a packet of chips for lunch

I think that's all I need for now, thanks in advance!


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## 2fargone (Jun 14, 2011)

tjobbe said:


> Hi, I'm a single guy, 31, and I'm moving to NYC very soon, and I need to calculate my living expenses.
> 
> I'll be looking at sharing an apartment and my monthly budget for that is about $850 with bills included.
> 
> ...


You are not going to be able to live on $1,650 in NYC! Are you including your rent in the $1,650? I lived in Manhattan and Brooklyn and it's very expensive.

- Subway about $75 a month (When I was there is was $72 a month) I thin it's $75 now
- Cell phone call it $50 and up a month 
- Cheap but good meal pizza $15
- Wine and beer is $$$ in NYC so $20 and up
- Sandwich and drink for lunch $12-16

I don't think you are going to get a nice shared place for $850 in NYC. What bills are you including in that price? 

Have you included health insurance? You will need that living in NYC.


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## tjobbe (Jan 10, 2013)

Thanks for replying. That $1600 is AFTER rent. And the places I'm looking at on Craigslist seem fine for that money. It includes all utilities as far as I know. 

How much is health insurance per month roughly?

And did you mean $20 per beer / glass of wine?


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## tjobbe (Jan 10, 2013)

Oh, I'll be earning $44k. And have based my earnings on 30% in taxes. Does that sound fair?


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## 2fargone (Jun 14, 2011)

Health Insurance it's really hard to give an exact number. It really varies. I would plan for around $300-$400 a month. You don't want crappy insurance, and then if something does come up you aren't covered. 

I meant $20 for a couple of drinks in NYC. Not that expensive. 

Where are you going to be working? In Manhattan or Brooklyn? You might want to go to NYC and spend a couple of nights in a hotel before you commit to an apt. A lot of times the pictures on craigslist are a lot nicer then the actual place is! Plus you don't want to be traveling all day on the subway before and after work. You might want to see where you are working and see if you can find a place close to your work.

$44,000 is pretty low for NYC. Is your company in the UK sending you over? Maybe arrange with them health insurance?


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

There can be a wide gap between Craigslist and reality. 
Have you included medical/dental insurance, rainy-day-fund, start up costs, ... in your calculations?

Btw - you never told us what visa your employer uses to bring you on board.


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## tjobbe (Jan 10, 2013)

I'll be working in manhattan. Thanks for all your advise on here everyone. 

I'm not sure what the visa is called, but there is definitely a way for me to go over there in a short timeframe but not lie there just yet, I won't be moving until my visa comes through, I'll just be spending a lot of time in NYC for meetings and conferences to get me up to speed first.

As for health insurance, I think I silly ry and get my employer to sort this. 

I spoke to some one in my field who lives in Brooklyn who earns less than me an is comfortable.


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

tjobbe said:


> I'll be working in manhattan. Thanks for all your advise on here everyone.
> 
> I'm not sure what the visa is called, but there is definitely a way for me to go over there in a short timeframe but not lie there just yet, I won't be moving until my visa comes through, I'll just be spending a lot of time in NYC for meetings and conferences to get me up to speed first.
> 
> ...


If you are going for a job which does NOT provide health insurance then the job is not worth going for.

If you have to get your own individual insurance, there is no guarantee that you will be offered a policy (whereas with a company insurance that is virtually guaranteed) and without insurance you could be tens of thousands of dollars in debt with the first hospitalisation.


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

tjobbe said:


> I'll be working in manhattan. Thanks for all your advise on here everyone.
> 
> I'm not sure what the visa is called, but there is definitely a way for me to go over there in a short timeframe but not lie there just yet, I won't be moving until my visa comes through, I'll just be spending a lot of time in NYC for meetings and conferences to get me up to speed first.
> 
> ...


So why not get the information you need from the guy in Brooklyn? Someone "on the ground" who actually lives in the area you are researching.


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## heidirose (Sep 17, 2013)

*Cost of Living in NY*

Hi there!
While I do not live in NY, I would suggest Googling Numbeo. This is an excellent and fairly accurate site when looking up the cost of living in different cities.

-H


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## anthonyc12 (Sep 18, 2013)

The cost of food and small expenditures, the ones that you don't count eat up income fast..this rings true more for NY where the cost of living is high to begin with.

Try to eat out at a restaurant once or twice a week if you can. Just bringing lunch to work can save you a bundle.this, and quitting the cigarettes recently has helped me. And as for entertainment, it looks like a good budget. You want to save but not deprive yourself of enjoyment that you work hard to earn. I was on this side of the coin for 4 months trying to save more..awful. put something away each week/month but live and enjoy. Enjoyment of the now and planning for the future can be achieved. Enjoy NY and have some good times!


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