How do people afford it?

With my summer internship coming up in NYC, and trying to to budget for the summer. I was wondering how do people afford to live in NYC? I am not talking about bankers or other professionals, rather people working in serviced industries like Starbucks or at McDonalds. These people are most likely making 12/hrs and with the high rent of the city I have no clue how they get by. Even if they rent in the South Bronx, they still spend a good chunk of there money on rent. Hell even entry level police officers and teachers are probably struggling to get by.

What do you monkeys think? I know that if I weren't working in investment banking there is no way that I would live in NYC

10 Comments
 
jimzWith my summer internship coming up in NYC, and trying to to budget for the summer. I was wondering how do people afford to live in NYC? I am not talking about bankers or other professionals, rather people working in serviced industries like Starbucks or at McDonalds. These people are most likely making 12/hrs and with the high rent of the city I have no clue how they get by. Even if they rent in the South Bronx, they still spend a good chunk of there money on rent. Hell even entry level police officers and teachers are probably struggling to get by.

What do you monkeys think? I know that if I weren't working in investment banking there is no way that I would live in NYC

If you have a shit job, you probably live with your family.. The rent rates today are not what they were 15-20 years ago, so take that into account also (stabilized rent)
 

Hoardes of people living together in rent controlled apartment. The ones working at fast food joints are on section 8 housing. Most single NY-ers have roommates or are losers living with their parents.

 
Best Response

You either live really far away in Queens or outer Brooklyn where you can still get cheap rent, or you live with 10+ family members in a 1-2 bedroom apartment. A lot of young professionals living in NYC that work in lower paying industries, like publishing and advertising, tend to get some help from their parents.

Back when I first arrived in NYC, I moved into the first renovated unit in a building on a questionable block in the E. Village. At the time there were still some pretty rough areas in the EVill; they actually found a chopped up hooker in a trunk outside my building a month after I moved in. Our apartment was a nice one bedroom that we converted into a 2 bedroom. The lobby, halls and elevators were all recently renovated, and the building was rent stabilized. After a week or so of living there, we found that all of the other units each had huge families of up to 10 people living in them (all 1 and 2 bedroom units). The building was going off rent stabilization, and they were upgrading it to attract a different renter base. By the time I left that building 4 years later, it was all young professionals and parent supported NYU students living there, and the neighborhood had completely changed.

 
TechBankingYou either live really far away in Queens or outer Brooklyn where you can still get cheap rent, or you live with 10+ family members in a 1-2 bedroom apartment. A lot of young professionals living in NYC that work in lower paying industries, like publishing and advertising, tend to get some help from their parents.

Back when I first arrived in NYC, I moved into the first renovated unit in a building on a questionable block in the E. Village. At the time there were still some pretty rough areas in the EVill; they actually found a chopped up hooker in a trunk outside my building a month after I moved in. Our apartment was a nice one bedroom that we converted into a 2 bedroom. The lobby, halls and elevators were all recently renovated, and the building was rent stabilized. After a week or so of living there, we found that all of the other units each had huge families of up to 10 people living in them (all 1 and 2 bedroom units). The building was going off rent stabilization, and they were upgrading it to attract a different renter base. By the time I left that building 4 years later, it was all young professionals and parent supported NYU students living there, and the neighborhood had completely changed.

9 Yeah the less desirable places in NYC are changing quick.. My neighborhood (in queens, 20 mins to midtown door to door), until the last 5 years, was infested with hoodrats and general scum. Now you can't walk a block without seeing people in suits, NYU hoodies, etc (read: more white people) AND on it constantly ranks on the top 5 places to live in New York. Rent went from being ~$1k for a 2 bedroom 10 years ago, to ~3k minimum. I'm holding on to it no matter what... thanks Giuliani
 
jjcannon
TechBankingYou either live really far away in Queens or outer Brooklyn where you can still get cheap rent, or you live with 10+ family members in a 1-2 bedroom apartment. A lot of young professionals living in NYC that work in lower paying industries, like publishing and advertising, tend to get some help from their parents.

Back when I first arrived in NYC, I moved into the first renovated unit in a building on a questionable block in the E. Village. At the time there were still some pretty rough areas in the EVill; they actually found a chopped up hooker in a trunk outside my building a month after I moved in. Our apartment was a nice one bedroom that we converted into a 2 bedroom. The lobby, halls and elevators were all recently renovated, and the building was rent stabilized. After a week or so of living there, we found that all of the other units each had huge families of up to 10 people living in them (all 1 and 2 bedroom units). The building was going off rent stabilization, and they were upgrading it to attract a different renter base. By the time I left that building 4 years later, it was all young professionals and parent supported NYU students living there, and the neighborhood had completely changed.

9 Yeah the less desirable places in NYC are changing quick.. My neighborhood (in queens, 20 mins to midtown door to door), until the last 5 years, was infested with hoodrats and general scum. Now you can't walk a block without seeing people in suits, NYU hoodies, etc (read: more white people) AND on it constantly ranks on the top 5 places to live in New York. Rent went from being ~$1k for a 2 bedroom 10 years ago, to ~3k minimum. I'm holding on to it no matter what... thanks Giuliani

Is this Astoria, Queens?

 

I took the subway every day to work with people living in north/central bronx. WSOers bitch and wine about poor people, but these guys get up every day and ride a crowded train downtown to work at these jobs.

looking for that pick-me-up to power through an all-nighter?
 

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