“Once you have lived in New York and it has become your home, no place else is good enough.” – John Steinbeck
We’ve lived in NYC for almost 7 years now, and get lots of questions about how to live in NYC. This isn’t about how to move here, we’ve already done a post explaining that. You may also enjoy our post on what not to do in NYC. Or if you want to see all of our New York content you can click here. Ok, now onto the topic at hand. Here is how to live in NYC!
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expect to have roommates
Unless you make A LOT of money, living by yourself in NYC is just not something that is very common. Shelby and I have always lived together here, and a few years ago we got a larger apartment with more space and added another roommate. I honestly don’t mind having roommates at all, especially when it comes to splitting expenses, but if that’s not your cup of tea NYC is probably not the place for you.
you’ll walk a lot
You think you’re prepared for this, but you won’t be. I very quickly realized I needed to invest in comfortable, durable shoes. Walking everywhere is actually one of my absolute favorite things about living in NYC. There are studies that say by more walking, your mood increases, and you have more creative output, therefore you live a happier life!
you appreciate conveniences
In NYC, especially with technology how it is these days, you can get everything done for you in the push of a button from your phone. It’s not super common to have washers/dryers in apartment buildings (we actually have one now, but our first apartment didn’t) so you can either go sit at a laundromat or drop your clothes and have them washed/folded for you. You can have your groceries delivered, or actually any food delivered. With a great public transportation system, you don’t have to worry about having a car and all that comes along with that. I feel that these conveniences give me the time to put my focus towards other things. And I sure do miss them when I’m traveling elsewhere.
the subway runs 24/7
Not that I would take it a 3AM, but knowing that I could is nice. This is not true of other larger cities I’ve frequented (like London or Paris for example) so it’s definitely a perk of living in NYC.
get used to being late
Remember that public transportation I was praising just a moment ago? It’s also not the most reliable. Between signal problems or construction it’s very common to run into unexpected issues. As someone who HATES to be late, I’ve had to learn that sometimes I’m going to be late due to issues out of my control. I’ve also learned to leave earlier than I think I need to in order to give myself a buffer.
learn how to give directions
In NYC you don’t give directions to friends, or taxi drivers, by giving the actual street address. You give the cross streets. Telling you friend about a great brunch place? It’s at 90th and 5th Ave (but seriously go there it’s the best). You hop in a taxi to head downtown to that rooftop bar- you direct them to 27th and 5th Ave.
make friends with the super of your building
You want to be on this person’s good side. When you have a mouse outbreak (trust me, it will happen) and you can’t bring yourself to dispose of the mouse traps, or when your radiator stops working at it’s 4 degrees outside, you want this person to want to drop what they are doing and come help you.
carry cash
While by and large NYC is relatively cashless, there are a few exceptions, namely street vendors. If you want to grab a bottle of water from a newspaper stand, or buy a donut from a food truck, you’re going to need cash. There are also a few restaurants, like our favorite pizza place, that famously only accept cash.
have an escape plan
As great as NYC is, make sure to leave ever so often. Living in such a highly stimulating place can get to you after awhile. That’s one of the reasons we travel so frequently. We get out of the city to gain some perspective. But it never fails, we miss our city and can’t wait to get back to it with fresh eyes and a clear head.
The people who live in NYC are nice, resilient, and creative. Anyone who tells you, I hate New Yorkers, or New Yorkers are so mean have likely never been to New York, but certainly never lived in NY. People from all over the world find a home in NYC. There is a fierce loyalty that is unlike anything I have ever felt. People are proud of their city. They are helpful (if you ask) and kind. They may be abrasive, but so is the real world. I’ll take abrasive and helpful any day.
Do you have more questions about how to live in NYC? Let us know! We’re happy to help!
-Ash
