11 Things to Think About Before Moving to NYC

Whether you've been thinking about it for a long time or about an hour, moving to New York City is a huge decision.

There are real financial and logistical hurdles. You may need to sell half your belongings to fit into the shoe box you're about to share with four other people. You will need to save thousands of dollars. I'll discuss the top reasons to move to the city in the next blog, but for now, make sure you've considered these 11 things before packing your bags.

Want to watch the episode on this topic? Find it here.

You’ll need to make a good amount of money

It’s generally recommended to pay no more than 30% of your income in rent. If you make $80,000 a year, that’s a cap of $2,000 a month.

Meanwhile, the median rent in the city for a one-bedroom can range from over 4K in Manhattan to 3K in the other boroughs (as of December 2025).

Keep in mind that a moving truck, security deposit, and last months rent are additional one-time costs beyond your monthly housing costs that can rack up to over $10,000 depending on the monthly rent and how much it's split between roommates.

You won’t have much or any privacy.

Like to sing in the shower? A minimum of six people can probably hear you - and sing along. Look out your window and you're probably meeting the eye of the neighbor next door with three cats and a controlled rent that makes you feel like a huge loser. Even if you head out to a green space to have a phone call away from your roommates, someone can likely still hear you.

Privacy is really hard to come by in New York - so you have to be comfortable being seen and heard, as well as seeing and hearing other people too.

And don't make the mistake I made of telling the upstairs neighbor we had a nickname for him since he sneezed every day (Mr. Ah-choo). That just breaks the sacred code of ignorance and creates awkwardness. Always happy to make these social faux pas, so you don't have to. ;)

It’s one of the loudest places to live.

The cars honking. The subway screeching. The buses beeping. The people chatting, singing or even yelling. As someone from a small town, it’s a lot to process sometimes.

Here’s a pro-tip: Check out the National Transportation Noise Map and analyze your noise level now versus different parts of NYC.

When you visit neighborhoods of interest, walk around at 8:30 am and 5:30pm during a weekday to get a feel for peak traffic sounds. Think about whether it's near a train station.

We lived in a second floor apartment on the backside of a row house on a moderately commercial street, but our unit faced the enclosed backyards of that block. The hallway and other units dampened most if not all of the street noise. Fortunately our neighbors were very quiet overall. This proved to provide a lot of relief from the bustle of the city street.

You’ll cohabitate with 3 million rats.

Let’s give it up for the unofficial mascot of New York City!!!

But seriously - if you’re walking around, especially at night, which New Yorkers often do, you will hear that ruffling in the trash bags, which are just feet from the sidewalk. Sometimes they scurry and squeak and run right in front of you. Sometimes their carcasses end up in the middle of the sidewalk.

The streets can be covered in… a full range of waste.

Sydney, one of the gracious New Yorkers who I interviewed, said it best:

• "Look down when you walk on the street. There's a ridiculous amount. [...] it's really a struggle to look up on the street, because even though I'm like, oh, 'but pay attention to the flyers!' Like, you just have to be careful wherever you step. So I think being mindful, looking down, looking up, looking down, looking up, looking down, ....can also be looking down, looking ahead, so you don't miss things that are above you.

• But like, …… there's so much dog sh*t on these streets."

So, don’t care too much about your shoes…!

The homelessness and mental health crisis is very visible.

In 2024, New York City's homeless population was nearly twice the size of any other city's. See note earlier: super expensive city! Given that the city is a walking, train focused city, you’ll share space with folks who are struggling, and this is not something you’ll experience as often in other places.

Owning a car is a bad idea.

Deb, another gracious New Yorker I interviewed, said it best:

• "If you're used to driving everywhere, this is going to be a big adjustment. There is nowhere to park. Traffic is terrible. Car insurance here is higher than anywhere else in the world."

We had a car in New York, and quickly found a way to park it far outside the city to avoid the side-swipes, constant chase for parking, and stress of driving on the streets. Unfortunately our car insurance was still double what we paid when we lived in Boston. But it was a relief not to have to circle the block once or twice a week for an hour or more to find a precious spot.

If you're living near the subway, you really will not need a car! Just rent one if you're heading out on a road trip.

New Yorkers can smell the fakes.

Here's Eddy, from the Bronx:

• “The city hates fakers. The city hates bullsh*t. Just be genuine. People can smell bullsh*t off you..”

Eddy told me about someone who asked how he could get his accent. Needless to say, Eddy had some words to say.

Yes, you can explore who you are in New York and get very little criticism for it. Being different is often celebrated more in New York than anywhere else. But don't pretend to be a life-long New Yorker and start talking with that famous accent. Natives like Eddy will smell the guise from a mile away.

New Yorkers mind their business, and you should too.

Have you ever seen those videos of someone doing something completely unhinged on the streets of New York, and passerby are completely aware and equally unbothered? That's the New Yorker Art of Minding Your Business.

Part survival tactic, part cultural conditioning, this behavior is unmatched anywhere else. Sometimes there's a clown doing tricks or someone wearing a costume that in any other place, people would pay attention to. Sometimes someone is suffering, and the lesson is to just not engage and create space.

You need to know how to compete. And that means always strategizing about your next move.

Want to go to dinner tomorrow night? Good luck finding a reservation. Want to see your favorite band? Chances are hundreds of other people do to. Want to watch SNL? Join the lottery... to get a number... to get a place to get to sit on the sidewalk all night... and maybe still not get in.

The point is, you’re in competition with everyone else here for space and entertainment, so you’ll know how to do your research.

And last but not least: You need to visit!!

No matter how many blogs you read or hear what friends have to say, only YOU can know for sure whether you’ll feel comfortable and enjoy New York City. No one else can articulate the feeling you will have when you’re here.

Do your research and figure out which neighborhoods you might move to. They will each feel very different. Try your favorite foods and visit your routine spots - whether that be the gym, the library, the cafe, the park, or so on.

Once you have a sense of how you feel, and know what the pros and cons are, you’ll know whether NYC is right for you.

That’s it for all the things I want you to consider when thinking about a big move here. Stay tuned for the next post on the best parts of living in the city.

Want to watch the series? Find it here: www.youtube.com/@How2Move2NYC