# Realistically, what sort of income do you need to live in Manhattan? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 25, 2005, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realistically-what-sort-of-income-do-you-need-to-live-in-manhattan/296187 "2005-03-25T13:00:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iwakura43](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de0a6/32.png) [@iwakura43](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iwakura43)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realistically-what-sort-of-income-do-you-need-to-live-in-manhattan/296187/1 "2005-03-25T13:00:24Z")
I’m daydreaming of City living after graduation, but I’d like a reality check from NYC dopers. Is it possible to find a 1-bedroom apartment in a (relatively) cheap but safe and accessible part of the city; eat well though not at fancy/expensive restaurants, not worry over every penny; and have money to fund one’s IRA and 401K, all on perhaps, $60k a year? What would you say is the baseline income for having a pretty good life in NYC? Lastly, how much would one save by living in, say, Jersey City instead? Any other comments that relate to Manhattan, neighborhoods, budgeting, etc. would be appreciated. Thanks all ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realistically-what-sort-of-income-do-you-need-to-live-in-manhattan/296187/2 "2005-03-25T13:44:16Z")
Well, forget about a one bedroom, but you could live nicely in a decent studio in Manhattan on $60K. My ex was just looking into it and she found she could do nicely on her salary in the mid $50s with a studio, but a one bedroom was pretty much out of the question. ---
**Author:** ![NotWithoutRage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NotWithoutRage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotWithoutRage)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realistically-what-sort-of-income-do-you-need-to-live-in-manhattan/296187/3 "2005-03-25T14:16:45Z")
Depends on whether or not you are dead set on living on your own. My roommate and I have a 2 bedroom near Central Park, and I make just a little over half of what you’re proposing. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realistically-what-sort-of-income-do-you-need-to-live-in-manhattan/296187/4 "2005-03-25T14:21:33Z")
I’m doing it on a little less than 60k a year. I live in Brooklyn but not that far into Brooklyn. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realistically-what-sort-of-income-do-you-need-to-live-in-manhattan/296187/5 "2005-03-25T16:59:00Z")
The four of us do it in Brooklyn for 75k a year. If you look into the outer boroughs you can live well in NYC for much, much less than 60k. The most expensive part of living here is rent. ---
**Author:** ![dasgupta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@dasgupta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasgupta)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realistically-what-sort-of-income-do-you-need-to-live-in-manhattan/296187/6 "2005-03-25T17:06:02Z")
I lived on East 37th and 3rd in a nicely sized studio on 49.5K, so it certainly can be done - even in midtown. I moved to Queens last year for more room and less rent. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realistically-what-sort-of-income-do-you-need-to-live-in-manhattan/296187/7 "2005-03-25T17:09:22Z")
You are aware that there are 5 boroughs in New York City, right? There’s a middle ground between living in Manhattan and commuting to Jersey City. That middle ground is western Brooklyn or some parts of Queens. 15 minute commute to the city and the subways run all night. I’m not sure if PATH does or not. ---
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realistically-what-sort-of-income-do-you-need-to-live-in-manhattan/296187/8 "2005-03-25T17:15:22Z")
Many areas of Brooklyn have many of the same perks as Manhattan and you’d get more space for less money. Sure these areas ain’t cheap, but easily doable on 60K. Browse around on craig’s list to get an idea what places are going for. Also bear in mind, I don’t know if you currently have a car but in NY you don’t need one. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realistically-what-sort-of-income-do-you-need-to-live-in-manhattan/296187/9 "2005-03-25T17:30:15Z")
The best neighborhood in Queens is Astoria. I know this because it’s where I live. You’re about 10 minutes by subway from Manhattan, there are all different kinds of restaurants all over the place, and the rents are a good 15-25% cheaper, depending on what you want. I’m doing great with a one-bedroom for a little less than what you’re proposing. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realistically-what-sort-of-income-do-you-need-to-live-in-manhattan/296187/10 "2005-03-25T20:46:44Z")
> [@Hello Again](#): > > You are aware that there are 5 boroughs in New York City, right? There’s a middle ground between living in Manhattan and commuting to Jersey City. That middle ground is western Brooklyn or some parts of Queens. 15 minute commute to the city and the subways run all night. I’m not sure if PATH does or not. The PATH runs all night to JC and Hoboken but there can be a pretty long wait for a train after mindnight. Of course the same is true for the subways to Brooklyn or Queens. I would say from experience that $60K is about the minimum one needs to live comfortibly in Manhattan in a studio. And by comfortible, I mean being able to afford to go out to the occassional nice restaurant and not have a mile walk to a subway. You can save some money by living in an outer borough or NY, but I much prefer being in the middle of everything in Manhattan. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realistically-what-sort-of-income-do-you-need-to-live-in-manhattan/296187/11 "2005-03-26T00:06:20Z")
> [@Hello Again](#): > > You are aware that there are 5 boroughs in New York City, right? . From what I’ve heard, though, Manhattanites say there’s only one. D ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realistically-what-sort-of-income-do-you-need-to-live-in-manhattan/296187/12 "2005-03-26T03:17:23Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I much prefer being in the middle of everything in Manhattan. The _soulful_ people live in Brooklyn. “All I did was cross the bridge and I was in Brooklyn. Amazing.” – **Mortimer Brewster** in _Arsenic and Old Lace_, as played by **Cary Grant** , 1944. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realistically-what-sort-of-income-do-you-need-to-live-in-manhattan/296187/13 "2005-03-26T03:34:56Z")
Not to blindly advocate for Brooklyn or anything, but parts of Brooklyn are closer to parts of Manhattan than other parts of Manhattan, if that makes sense. What I’m saying here is that, for example, I work in downtown-ish Manhattan, and live in Brooklyn, and it takes me less time to commute to work than some of my coworkers who live in other parts of Manhattan. Where you find a job might influence where you look for an apartment.