Is New York City Living Cheaper Than the 'Burbs?

Well it looks like we're on the road again, going places that...well, places that we've been before. New York City, center of the Universe. While our New York area friends are all jazzed about our pending return, the contingency in other spaces are not as thrilled.

"Oh it's so expensive," they cry, "the noise, the crime, the pollution! It's so inconvenient, how could you live there?"

Well not really so much. We have been living in South Carolina these past few months; we've also lived in Los Angeles and we've visited everywhere else over the last three years, so we've seen a lot. There are a few caveats to the New York City (and adjacent five boroughs) experience which could actually make New York City life less expensive, in my estimation. Think I'm blowing smoke? Well consider the following and then tell me I'm wrong.

Cost of Living: Yes, New York City cost of living is markedly higher than many other spots in the lexicon. How could it not be? With rents sometimes beginning two or three times higher to start, some would draw that the cost of living makes New York City a non-starter straight away. Until you peel back the layers. As an example, in New York City apartment life one of the things I always thought was a little strange was that they advertised "Free heat and hot water."

'How much could heat and hot water cost,' I'd ponder.

Actually quite a lot. Down here in the Low Country of Charleston my grandpa's always going on about the costs of electricity and water. Granted, you still have to pay your electric bill, but with that I'd offer that the costs of lighting your smaller NYC apartment are going to be a lot less than a big suburban home. Furthermore when you're talking about water, this can get pretty expensive! In Los Angeles our water bill was out of sight; sometimes running as much as sixty or eighty dollars a month! And that was just for two people. The consideration of having to pay for your water bill all year and your heat in the winter leads me to sing a different tune about New York City life and how expensive it is.

Gas, Insurance, Car Payments: Here's a doozy, the car payments. My brother and his girlfriend live in Mt. Pleasant. They both have cars (which I think are paid off) and they both have insurance and they both have to pay for gas. Now, my brother goes to school and works in downtown Charleston. It's the same place I'm working right now but I work overnight so I don't have to deal with traffic or parking restrictions. Not only does my brother have to travel the same 30 miles round trip at least once (sometimes twice) a day but he's got to do so during the daytime when he has to deal with traffic, then park. That turns into an issue. His girlfriend works twenty miles one way up the road in the other direction, so it's not like they could even share a ride into town, they have to go it alone. In New York City my transit bill? At most $182 a month for my wife and I to get unlimited Metro Cards. $182 total. That's it. No insurance, no gas, no car payments, no tickets for parking, no paying for parking, nothing.

Crime: Yes crime happens in New York City. There are also more cops in New York City than virtually anywhere. I've lived in a variety of neighborhoods in Manhattan and Brooklyn and traveled these neighborhoods at all hours of the day. If you're smart, you will be fine. Also there's 8 million people in New York City so of course there's bound to be more crime than in your hamlet of 22,000.

Quality of Life: People say that the biggest problem with living in New York City is the quality of life issue. I'm sorry but here in coastal South Carolina, what the heck do people do? They go to places like New York City. The foods better, the entertainment's better, the quality of life is better. Plus my wife still has family in neighboring Connecticut and I still have family in Long Island so if we want to get away we've got options.

Cost of Living II: The final reason that living in New York City will be better for my wife and I than living in Charleston South Carolina or anywhere else for that matter is that we will make so much more money! Five times as much money truthfully. When you're living anywhere else and you're making so much less money all you can think is "Gosh, living in New York City is so expensive!" But if you factor all these things into the equation, compounded with the fact that workers in New York City are paid so much better, you'll quickly see that there's no place on Earth that I'd rather be.