Advice on moving my life overseas

Hey all —
I’m a recent grad and will be transferring to New York for work. Im very excited at the opportunity but have some concerns which I would appreciate advice on. For context I have never lived in the US/NY but grew up and went to school in "comparable" int'l cities.

1. Rent Budget
What’s reasonable to spend on rent in NYC for someone in their early 20s working in a HF (both % of takehome and absolute)?

• I’d prefer to live alone (studio or 1BR).
  • Purely because i think the risk of having a bad roommate is probably not worth any potential savings
• Open to areas with easy commute to Midtown.
• What are people actually spending at the analyst/junior HF level? I’ve heard everything from $2.0k → $4.5k.

2. Moving Young + Building a Social Life
For those who moved to NYC (or anywhere i guess) early in their careers — what helped the most with making friends and building a network? I am moving with basically no close friends in NYC so im starting fresh. Aside from the obvious (gym, sports leagues, hobbies, going out), what actually worked for you?

• Joining industry groups?
• Work events?
• Meeting people through roommates vs. living alone?
• Any underrated tips?

3. General Advice for Relocating
If you’ve made a similar move, would love to hear anything you wish you knew ahead of time — financial, social, or day-to-day quality of life stuff.