Gothamist: Rents Up All Over Manhattan

dragonballyee

Mon, 01 Nov 2004 12:44:20 -0500

I took the leap and moved all the way to Philadelphia. I took all my stuff and all the money I had and moved, with no job and no prospects. I have a studio in the middle of the city, 5 blocks from my office, for $650 a month. The only utilities I pay are electricity and my precious digital cable. $650! You can't find ANY apartment in the NYC area for that and my place is nice!

dragonballyee

Mon, 01 Nov 2004 12:43:30 -0500

I took the leap and moved all the way to Philadelphia. I have a studio in the middle of the city, 5 blocks from my office, for $650 a month. The only utilities I pay are electricity and my precious digital cable. $650! You can't find ANY apartment in the NYC area for that and my place is nice!

BrianVan

Mon, 01 Nov 2004 11:25:08 -0500

Yeah, but think about it. Living in Jersey is not what it seems. Rents are really high in the good areas (yes, shoebox apartments for $1100 instead of $1500), cars are staggeringly expensive to keep and maintain (cancelling out any savings on rent), and the public transit sucks. New Jersey is cheaper than Manhattan, but generally more overpriced - makes less sense based on what you get out of it. Besides, living in NJ means... well, living in NJ. You are not only geographically outside of the city. You're now looking at a terrible commute to do anything in New York. Nightlife becomes inconvenient. You can't just bounce to museums, art galleries, or public parks in Manhattan any time you feel like it... such trips need planning and lots of time. People in NJ don't spontaneously think of hanging out in Manhattan because of that. People in Jersey do Jersey things. And I'd rather not get into that here. (It ranges from weak to downright depressing) If your life revolves around your job and your family, I guess it's a smart move to the other side of the Hudson. You won't miss anything in Manhattan. If you're young and looking to save money on rent... then don't do it. (My authority on this is the three-year struggle I waged in NJ to ultimately decide that I was wasting my time and money trying to do in NJ what is better done in Manhattan. It was a tough decision, but ultimately it makes sense)

Kojak

Mon, 01 Nov 2004 10:28:20 -0500

All the more reason to move to one of the Outer Boroughs, or maybe even Jersey. 1,600 a Month to live in a shoebox? No Thx