NYC: greatest city in the world?
Recently had a debate with some friends about where we saw ourselves living in 10+ years and found that I was one of the few guys championing the "NYC or bust" stance. I've been in NYC for a little over a year, and can't see myself leaving for anywhere else. I went to school in the south and found the culture there to be difficult (originally from CA), and couldn't wait to get back to a big city/cosmopolitan environment.
Between the food, culture, 24/7 nightlife, and endless career opportunities across finance and technology, I don't see a downside to this city. For vacation, the proximity to Europe/Africa/Mid East makes international travel more manageable than SF, and summers in the Hamptons are unmatched in terms of domestic getaways. The obvious catches are the prices and taxes, but if you're earning IB/PE money, is this not the greatest city in the world?
I am leaning towards a lower cost of living area because I want a big family at a lower age, but NYC is the best.
NYC is the best
If you are single and attractive, yes
We have this post at least once a month now
No, it's a decent city in your 20s but a total crap city past that. Enjoy being 35 making 400k in NYC yet still feeling like you're just barely middle class. It's the most expensive city in the country now, in what world is that sustainable? Not to mention the absurdly alt left viewpoints being spouted there (i.e. AOC) & how crowded it is
You'll feel middle class if you have a wife and kids. If you're single and making $400K, it has to be pretty alright. $250K after taxes.
Fair point, I was assuming he'd be married / have kids but yeah I'm sure 400k as a single guy in NYC can still be decent
One of my biggest issues with nyc is the time it takes to get anywhere outside the city. Hamptons can be like 5 hours, getting through one of the tunnels can be hours.
I love the city but commuting from Philly was tough the last few weeks of my internship. Had to wake up at 4 am to get there on time.
I read somewhere that Philly has gained a net increase in population from migration from NYC than the other way around, makes sense given how much more affordable Philly is.
I think so (or at least in the US). I've lived in 8 cities across the country and visited most metros in the top 100, and NYC is by far my favorite. Even if they doubled my rent and raised taxes I'd still prefer it. Lots of other people hate it and vastly prefer other places (including ones I've hated), or they like it but not enough to justify the cost, etc. Find a place that works for you
NYC seems nice if you are making a comfortable amount, I work for Wall Street but have been remote for years. This might sound strange, but I just left the city and moved back down South to be out in the sticks.
I much prefer this, it's very quiet, peaceful, and inexpensive. I am surrounded by nature and am able to access financial data and work remotely with people in various American and international cities. Then again I am a redneck and it's not for everyone, spent years getting a remote position in the industry just to move back to where I'm from.
This is probably a very unusual case. I have never been much for the cosmopolitan or bourgie sort of thing. Remote work is a game-changer, because you can access jobs on Wall Street from anywhere with an internet connection. Decided to switch full-time to remote work in 2018 and that just worked well going into 2020. I knew no one else in the industry who had done this, but it works for me.
It's less a matter of personal taste and more a matter of where I was born and raised, as a Southerner I don't really have any distaste or beef with NY. It's pretty incredible and can't be compared to any other city in the world, not to mention being the beating heart of global capitalism. Never been much for urban life, but many of us will go North to the cities in order to find well-paying jobs, and Wall Street is essentially the pinnacle of what that represents.
So basically am interested mainly in the Wall Street aspect of NYC and not actually living there, but I probably would if I was born and raised in that part of the country.
As someone currently living out in the middle of nowhere as well outside a LCOL city, how do you feel being out there? I must say that being away from all the prestige-seeking and materialism feels nice, but there's something just sort of existentially lonely about being out here. Nature is gorgeous and I love it, so is my house, and the absurdly low costs and 2-acre property I live on are incredible. It's just... lonely... none of my college friends or work friends. Most of my weekends are spent studying the CFA quietly, which is good for my career, but definitely a contrast to the clubbing I experienced while in NYC.
Now, I'm definitely not a redneck, but I'm not a downtown NYC girl either. I grew up in the suburbs and went to a target. Most of my friends from my LCOL home city moved elsewhere due to the city's bad reputation, and all my college friends moved to NYC. I live in the countryside near that LCOL city I grew up in..., but, .... I feel so lonely...
Maybe guys just don't get that lonely feeling I do, but even with incredible pricing, I don't know if I can keep this up for a full two years even.
NYC sucks. London is much better.
This guy never heard of Brexit.
You might be the only person on WSO who's ever said that, everyone here doesn't like it it seems. I've never been though
London sucks. NYC is much better.
WSO filled with not so well off new money individuals that generally come from middle class backgrounds and are american, can’t blame them for being ignorant. comes with the passport
I was at a life crossroads recently with job offers in NYC and LA. I ultimately went with LA despite not having spent much time there.
NYC is amazing those first 2-4 years out of college, but it’s not for everyone once you hit your late 20s and 30s
Still love NYC - don’t get me wrong. But you have to love it with every bone in your body in order to make it work
NYC is only the 'best city' if you're obsessed with status and materialistic things that do not matter. You can live and enjoy a much richer life outside of NYC.
NYC isn’t obsessed with materialistic things. There is art and culture. Miami / LA is obsessed with materialistic things and fancy cars to show off. You can just walk or take the subway in NYC.
Currently living in sticks outside a LCOL city, and it has admittedly been both a huge blessing and a huge detractor. It's the kind of place that makes you not worry about the "prestige" and "status" things that everyone in NYC talks about, but at the same time, I miss NYC clubbing, I miss my college friends who live there, I miss meeting people. I feel at peace and simultaneously more distant from people than ever.
I love it and I can't stand it.
I'm too status-seeking, materialistic, prestige-seeking, and so on to live outside of NYC.
You can do that in Miami or Vegas.
It's not for everyone. If you like urban living, then NYC is the best city in the country, hands down. Some people thrive on that energy. If you prefer something more suburban or lower cost of living, then obviously you're not gonna like living in a dense metropolis. Kind of amazes me that anyone comments on this kind of thread about how they don't like being in cities, so NYC "sucks". No shit. Real shocker that people who don't like living in cities don't like New York.
Nowhere else has Broadway. No where else has 24/7 nightlife. Nowhere else has the same variety and quality of food and culture. If all you care about is maximizing income by residing in the lowest tolerable cost of living area possible, then obviously NYC isn't going to be for you. If you think that higher cost is worth it to have access to everything NYC has, then you'll love it.
The question isn't whether it's more expensive than rural Mississippi, it's whether it's the best city. The answer is "yes".
Best city in the world is Fort Worth, Texas. Hands down no-contest.
I got an offer down there but I just used it to leverage a better one. Why Fort Worth? I always hear it mentioned after its larger and more well known neighbor Dallas
Not sure why he mentioned Fort Worth but Fort Worth and Dallas are drastically different. Dallas is home of the 30,000 dollar millionaire and people trying way too hard to look rich. Fort Worth is much more laid back and people don't care about all that.
NYC is of course the best in the US, but globally, for finance professionals especially, London is infinitely better.
Not to sound like an asshole, but the visible obesity in NYC is a huge huge problem. I can't believe these are people who live in such high standards, yet choose to be like this. The behaviour of the public gets not so friendly sometimes. As I said, compared to other American cities (like the iconic shithole that is SF), it's still the best — not globally though.
Visible obesity? Where do you go? I agree Americans are fat in general but NYC is definitely below the average given most people walk.
I had the same impression as well but reality check was something else. I lived in Brooklyn heights and lower east side for a few months.
We have a version of this question almost weekly
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