Post: #1

Moving from the bay to NYC what can I expect as a mid-20s guy? I'm a newbie in the game but have my shit together and location independent income. Id like to live in manhattan but I'm not sure I can afford it (little less than $4k/month take home). This will probably be a temporary move and I have money already saved so I don't care if I blow all my income

Post: #2

What advice are you looking for specifically ?

Post: #3

Where should I live (can I afford manhattan) and what's the best way to find an apartment?

Post: #4

With $4k a month no you cannot afford Manhattan, with $4k a month all you can pay is rent on a really shitty apartment in Manhattan. Then you cannot afford anything else at all, food, electricity, internet, nada. $4k is simply chump change in Manhattan, to put this into perspective you're talking about living in the most expensive neighborhood on earth while making lower middle class income. Thats what $48k a year in New York is Look at another borough

Post: #5

4k takehome is way more than 48k a year salary. Making 48k a year, after taxes, you probably take home around 2,600 a month.

I have known many people to get by in Manhattan on 45-50k salaries. I have no idea how they did it, paying like 1,300 a month for an apt. w roomates. It seems like their expenses cant add up between eating out, drinking, etc... But people do it.

You, as a broke downtown Manhattanite, can definitely live it up amidst your financial insecurity. You may skimp on a lot of things butt here are tons of girls around if thats your main goal.

Brooklyn, any part worth going to for immediate acess to cute girls, is if anything a tiny bit cheaper than manhattan. You get a bit more space for maybe 100 a month less. So its basically equivalent. Its also a tiny bit more peaceful.

But shit just go live in the West Village and have a blast.

Post: #6

StreetEasy.com is a good site to give you an idea of rental costs. You can live in Manhattan on $4k "take home" pay.

Also Google "Manhattan No Fee Apts" and browse some sites. Apts with a broker fee require a commission paid of 15% of the yearly rent. It sucks, but the idea is the apt should be cheaper.

Keep in mind when figuring out your take home pay that NYC taxes your income.

Post: #7

With that kind of income, you're sort of restricted. You can find semi-decent apartments in Inwood or Washington Heights for 13-1500 a month. That doesn't include utilities, food, etc. Many of these will be one bedrooms in walk-up apartments. Some can actually be alright if you search carefully.

Unless you can get to the city and spend a good two weeks searching, a broker will be critical. Their fee is a pain in the ass, but the convenience is sometimes worth while.

Manhattan is a really fucking expensive city. You rarely factor it in, but when you go out to a nice bar, a cocktail is close to $15, meals out can be expensive, and those cab rides home after long nights can eat away at your bank account.

Other parts of Manhattan are scary expensive if you're coming from the bay area. A one bedroom can easily cost 2000+ for something decent. Cost increases with quality of area obviously.

Roommates can make it easier, but holy shit, there's a lot of fucking crazy people in NYC and finding people you are compatible is almost impossible.

Think very carefully about your finances before pulling off this move, this city can eat you alive and it's the reason why so many are so stressed out as they pass through the subways every day.

Post: #8

slubu spent $4,700 a month going out 3x a week spending $2,300 on rent in the West Village.

Post: #9

(10-04-2014 11:31 PM)Sonsowey Wrote:  4k takehome is way more than 48k a year salary. Making 48k a year, after taxes, you probably take home around 2,600 a month.

I have known many people to get by in Manhattan on 45-50k salaries. I have no idea how they did it, paying like 1,300 a month for an apt. w roomates. It seems like their expenses cant add up between eating out, drinking, etc... But people do it.

You, as a broke downtown Manhattanite, can definitely live it up amidst your financial insecurity. You may skimp on a lot of things butt here are tons of girls around if thats your main goal.

Brooklyn, any part worth going to for immediate acess to cute girls, is if anything a tiny bit cheaper than manhattan. You get a bit more space for maybe 100 a month less. So its basically equivalent. Its also a tiny bit more peaceful.

But shit just go live in the West Village and have a blast.

I didn't say $48k salary I said that's $48k a year, and from my experiences in New York, it will be tough with that kind of money. If the OP plans on partying, going out often, eating out, dates, clubs, bars etc... It will be really tough, can it be done yes but will t be as fun as expected with that type of budget??..... It will be fun but maybe not for very long. The op should be prepared to blow his savings and enjoy...

Post: #10

$48,000 take-home per year is not bad. I'd say that you can live in Manhattan fairly well with a bit of thriftiness.

After federal, state, and city taxes, $48k is probably $70k or more yearly pre-tax income.

You can get a 2BR apartment in the East Village for $1,400 per person.

$1,400x12 = $16,800, plus one-month broker fee of $1,400 + last month's rent of $1,400 = $19,600 on first year's rent

Unlimited metrocard of about $125 per month x 12 = $1,500 per year on basic transportation, not including taxis

So that's about $21,000 to start on a $48,000 take-home pay for fixed costs to live in a nice and happening area of Manhattan. With that to start, anyone who really wants to live in Manhattan can navigate the other costs - food, taxis for when you don't want to take the subway - in such a way that money for entertainment and going out is maximized. It can be done.

Some people just don't eat that much. If you cook some basic meals and buy in bulk, you can cut down your food expenses to about $10-15 per day. That's $3,600-5,400 per year.

So you can get away with living in Manhattan on $48k take-home and use about $20,000 of that on going out. Of course depending on lifestyle and goals, you may spend more here or there.

For example, some people want a swanky apartment. But anyone who lives here will tell you that you don't need a swanky apartment to pull good-looking girls. Most girls here live in decidedly spartan pads themselves. Once she's at your place, as long as it's clean and smells okay, it doesn't really matter if you pay $1,400 in rent or $4,000. It doesn't matter if you have roommates - she does as well.

That doesn't even get in to the people in NYC who live beyond their means. This assumes that you're living within your means. A lot of people don't. They move to NYC for 2-4 years, advance (or not) their careers, and burn up a bunch of credit card debt or live on their parents' handouts.

But for OP, $48k take-home pay is good enough, in my experience, to have a good enough lifestyle living in Manhattan to go out and have fun a fair amount.