20 Things I Wish I Knew BEFORE Moving to New York City (Firsthand Account)

Are you thinking about moving to New York City? I think I can help. I moved to the Big Apple 10 years ago and would like to share everything I learned during the process. My hope is to make moving to NYC easier on you.

Longtime readers of this website know that I’m not one for small talk (like, I’m not here to regale you with stories of my great-grandmother’s famous chicken noodle soup). So let’s just cut to the chase and cover everything you need to know about moving to New York City.

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Back by popular demand for 2024, my limited edition black and white NYC prints are now live! Due to my pregnancy I won’t be offering custom prints this year but these photos should fit the bill for anyone that loves New York (photos are taken by yours truly).

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How Much Should I Save Before Moving to New York City? (The Million Dollar Question, eh?)

My sister is considering moving to NYC and asked this question six months ago. (Cue worst answer ever: it depends). The answer varies vastly depending on your standard of living. If you want to indulge in all the city offers, your savings account will need to act accordingly. If you’re keen to living a minimalist lifestyle, you can get by with less in your bank account before moving to the Big Apple.

However, my general recommendation for anyone seriously considering moving to New York City is to save a minimum of $20,000. Finding an apartment in NYC won’t come cheap and almost all landlords require first & last month’s rent in addition to a security deposit (the equivalent of one month’s rent) up front.

Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in my neighborhood (the Upper West Side) is $3,000 per month (I weep as I type this). Which means I forked over $9,000 just to move into an apartment in NYC, including a non-negotiable $3,000 broker fee (still crying).

Broker fee? Oh yes, we’re definitely covering that sneaky bugger below. Like I said, read on to learn everything you need to know about moving to New York City, without fluff.

Visiting New York City? If you haven’t decided where to stay (yet) check out our helpful guide on Where to Stay in New York City (10 Best Neighborhoods & 3 to Avoid). Don’t have time? Here’s our favorite hotel in NYC, hands down.

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Things to Know Before Moving to New York City

(Table of Contents)

Things to Do Before Moving to NYC (Table of Contents)

• How Much Should I Save Before Moving to New York City? (The Million Dollar Question, eh?)
• Things to Know Before Moving to New York City
  • The Neighborhood Matters More Than You Think
  • Let’s Talk About the Notorious Broker Fees
  • Searching for an Apartment in New York City is a Bear
  • A (Super) Helpful Tip We Learned During Our Apartment Search:
  • You Must (Must, Must) Tour the Apartment in Person
  • Give Yourself Up to 2 Months to Find an Apartment
  • Brace Yourself : The Application Process is Next Level
  • Airing Your Dirty Laundry
  • Moving to New York City in the Summer? Forget About It
  • Let’s Talk About Air Conditioners and Heaters
  • Living in New York City is So (Damn) Expensive It’ll Make You Cry
  • Have a Job Lined Up Before Moving to NYC
  • Not All Grocery Stores Are Created Equal
  • You Won’t Need a Car When Moving to NYC
  • New York is A Very Active City
  • The City is Inspiring (Almost Makes You Feel Invincible)
  • You’ll Have Access to World-Class Museums
  • You’ll Be Spoiled For Choice With Food Options
  • Living in NYC May Ruin All Other Cities for You
  • It’s Normal to Get Depressed After Moving to NYC (Yes, Really)
  • Be Gentle on Yourself: If you Hate Living in NYC, Don’t Feel Pressured to Stay
• Important Things to Know Before Moving to NYC (Post Overview)
  • Love New York City? You Might Enjoy These Articles Too!

I believe in New Yorkers. Whether they’ve ever questioned the dream in which they live, I wouldn’t know, because I won’t ever dare ask that question.

Dylan Thomas

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The Neighborhood Matters More Than You Think

I know, understatement of the century, right?

But before I get flack, I’d like to point out that I am indeed aware of the importance of a neighborhood regardless of the city you move to. However, I didn’t appreciate how true this is in NYC specifically until my husband and I started touring apartments in various neighborhoods.

Waking up in the East Village will feel vastly differently from daily life in the Upper East Side. I swear, NYC neighborhood are different planets. If helpful, here’s my personal list of the best neighborhoods in Manhattan.

Your budget will afford you drastically different living arrangements based on the neighborhood you choose. It was really eye-opening for us. For example, $3,000 will get you a decent one-bedroom in the Upper West Side and questionable living quarters (at best) in SoHo.

We toured a shoe-box apartment in SoHo and couldn’t get out fast enough! The light was non-existent and the bathroom wall was torn down (exposing the dusty pipe I’d be starting at while getting ready in the morning, no thanks).

The icing on the cake was the dead cockroach in the kitchen, it felt like he was sending a smug message from the afterlife, “wrong zip-code, try further north, honey.” All this to say, know yourself well moving to New York City. What do you want daily access to? What’s most important to you (restaurants, museums, proximity to work, etc.)? What are you willing to sacrifice for location?

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Let’s Talk About the Notorious Broker Fees

New Yorkers understand the significance of broker fees like no one else. But folks moving to New York City for the first time are always caught off guard by them. So, what exactly is a broker fee?

Broker fees are an infamous NYC practice where renters are required to use brokers to tour apartments. Basically, you can’t tour an apartment and/or request an application for an apartment without going through a broker.

When you find an apartment you you like, you are then expected to pay the broker the equivalent of one month’s rent or 15% of the annual net rent. In our case the apartment was $3,000 so we had to pay a brokers fee of $3,000. However, when my sister finally moved to NYC, her broker fee for a $3,000 apartment was $5,400 because she was subjected to the “15% of annual net rent” rule instead, ouch.

This non-negotiable fee is in addition to a security deposit and one/two months rent. The strangest thing about the broker fees in NYC, in my opinion, is that you’re still solely responsible for researching and finding an apartment. I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that the broker merely opens the door — alas, they hold the golden keys.

But that’s the thing about living in New York City, you quickly learn to adapt to unusual order of things. That’s the way it works in the Big Apple, the rules don’t change for you, you have to adjust your expectations (and write those big checks).

Broker fees are currently being litigated in court but until the issue gets resolved, you’ll need to budget for them before moving to NYC. Note: large apartment buildings don’t have broker fees. The general rule of thumb is this: if the building has an apartment, there probably won’t be a broker fee.

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Searching for an Apartment in New York City is a Bear

Finding an apartment in any city feels like a daunting task, but NYC takes the cake. I’ve lived in two large cities prior to moving to NYC, but finding an apartment in New York City was by far the most challenging. Competition is steep and prices are sky high.

The best website for finding an apartment in New York City is StreetEasy. But because supply is limited, it’s easy to get addicted to the search. We were glued to the screen 24/7 for 4 weeks, refreshing the page every ten minutes while searching for a place to call home.

Likewise, the competition is steep. Most of the places we toured with other couples looking for an apartment. This added a super-stressful element to the process, especially when we toured apartments we really loved, some days it just felt hopeless! But you need to preserve (living in NYC is worth it!).

Related Article: 10+ Tips for Living in a Small New York City Apartment (How to Maximize Space)

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A (Super) Helpful Tip We Learned During Our Apartment Search:

One helpful tip my husband and I discovered while searching for an apartment was asking the broker for an application before touring the unit. We would then complete the application and submit it to the broker before visiting the apartment. Since we didn’t pay the broker fee while applying, the application was deemed “incomplete” but gave us the unique advantage of being the first people to “technically” apply for the apartment, giving us a leg up over the competition.

When we (finally) found the apartment we loved most, we simply sent over the application fee ($25, if I recall correctly) and got first dibs. Because we had everything completed beforehand, we were the first to submit the required documents and got the apartment.

The downside of this advice is that you’ll be providing sensitive information and sharing it with a lot of brokers. We had to share our bank statements, W2, tax filings, etc. every time we applied. If this is something that you’re not comfortable with, trust your gut! It worked out well for us and our information was safe even after nine applications.

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You Must (Must, Must) Tour the Apartment in Person

Seriously, believe me on this one. I can’t tell you how many times I toured an apartment and found myself genuinely convinced I stepped into the wrong one.

For example, one apartment we toured has blue kitchen cabinets, which was odd because the photos showed white kitchen cabinets. Perplexed, I asked the broker about the kitchen and she mentioned that brokers sometimes use stock photos when posting apartment photos. Excuse me, what?

Moral of the story — NEVER sign a lease sight unseen unless you like surprises…especially bad ones. Think about it, we toured 9+ apartments and would have been severely disappointed if we signed a lease for any of them based on the photos alone.

Plus, when you tour the apartment in person you’ll get a better feel for the building and neighborhood as a whole. One of the apartments we toured was nice enough, but the mouse traps in the building made it hard to seal the deal (so glad we didn’t go with that apartment!).

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So I went to New York City to be born again. It was, and remains, easy for most Americans to go somewhere else and start anew. I wasn’t like my parents. I didn’t have any supposedly sacred piece of land or shoals of friends to leave behind.

Kurt Vonnegut

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Give Yourself Up to 2 Months to Find an Apartment

This is a tall ask, I get it, but I’m offering my honest advice for moving to New York City. We subleased an apartment for one month during our search and that was a game changer for us. By allowing ourselves a full month to search for an apartment, we were able to ease up the stress substantially.

I knew I wouldn’t feel comfortable signing a year-long lease sight unseen (at the time we were living on the west coast). I made sure to budget living in NYC for a full month while searching for a place to call home (another reason why a strong savings account is crucial).

Local’s Advice: I suggest checking Craigslist for sublease options or searching for long term (30+ days) AirBnB rentals. Note: short-term Airbnbs are illegal in NYC, but a long-term stay of 30+ days is allowed.

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Brace Yourself : The Application Process is Next Level

The application process for an apartment in NYC is incredibly intrusive, and it varies from one landlord to the next. One of the landlords asked for 2 years of tax records, three pays stubs, a letter of employment, letter from a previous landlord and screenshots of all savings/checking accounts.

Basically everything except for a blood sample and the beautiful locks of hair from your firstborn child.

The reason? Most New York landlords require that your annual income be 40 times greater than the monthly rent. Here’s how it works — take your monthly rent and multiply it by 40. Put another way, if you’re applying for an apartment that costs $3,000 per month, your income needs to be $120,000 ($3,000 x 40).

If that’s confusing, fret not. Here’s a great resource for helping you calculate what you can afford when moving to New York City.

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Airing Your Dirty Laundry

I mean this literally but if you took it figuratively, I’m intrigued.

It never occurred to me to ask about laundry prior to moving to New York City. It wasn’t until we stayed in NYC for a month prior to moving here that I thought to ask about the laundry. The answer? Walk it to the nearest cleaners and pay them to wash and fold it for you.

Granted, you may be able to find self-service laundry not too far from your place, but even then the prices really add up. I found a self-service laundromat three blocks from my apartment and pay $10 per large load of laundry (the equivalent of 3 regular loads).

If I’m pressed for time and request the wash + fold service, I typically pay $20 per laundry bag. The price depends on the weight of your laundry. Yeah, your laundry bag will get weighed on a scale. It’s an interesting world we live in, my friends.

In L.A. everyone wants to find themselves, in New York we just want to find an apartment with a washer/dryer.

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Moving to New York City in the Summer? Forget About It

One of the most important things to know before moving to New York City is that there’s a prime time for finding an apartment. Not only is NYC’s rental market comically expensive, but it actually gets worse in the summer because that’s when most folks move to the city.

Which makes sense when you think about it – college students moving to the city, college grads starting jobs in the fall after graduation, etc. Summer is by far the most competitive time to find an apartment in New York City. Inventory is low, causing prices to surge.

Do whatever you can to avoid moving to New York City between June – September. This will improve your chances of finding a decent place and you won’t be subject to summer’s surged prices. If helpful, I did extensive research on this topic before and learned that winter is the best time to move to New York City, especially February – March.

Further Reading: How to Spend 4 EPIC Days in New York City

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Let’s Talk About Air Conditioners and Heaters

Frankly put, you can’t live in New York City without an AC unless you’re a glutton for punishment. The summer heat and humidity is no joke so you’ll want to budget for an AC before moving to New York City.

Air conditioners range between $300 to $1,000 depending on the model you get, so make sure you’re aware of the expense. If helpful, here’s the brand we use at home. It might seem funny to mention budgeting for an AC on this list, but expenses add up! You might think $300 is no big deal now, but a few months of paying sky-high rent might change your mind.

As for heaters, most buildings in NYC run on steam heat, which is provided by the landlord. In our building we don’t pay for heat, which saves so much money during the winter. But a common gripe among New Yorkers is having to crack windows open even in the dead of winter. That’s because steam heat isn’t possible to control, as it typically has two settings: on and off.

To ventilate the heat, most people open their windows. But at the end of the day, it’s really nice to have steam heat, even if the thing is trying to bake you to death.

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Living in New York City is So (Damn) Expensive It’ll Make You Cry

Obviously you already know that New York City is expensive but did you know it’s the most expensive city in the world? I mention this because you need to have a lot of money or a foolproof game plan before relocating to New York City.

If you don’t have either, at least get a decent data plan because your mother will be getting a lot of phone calls. Everything is going to cost so much more when living in New York City. From groceries to entertainment and rent. Heck, sometimes it feels like just waking up in NYC will run you $400.

To that end, let’s cover the next thing you should know about moving to New York City — the importance of landing a job.

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Have a Job Lined Up Before Moving to NYC

Every year, thousand of bushy-tailed hopefuls move to New York City with stars in. The problem? They don’t have a job lined and simply hope for the best. But I’m here to tell you any proper NYC moving checklist will require having a job secured.

The bigger problem? Job competition is steep (NYC is the most populous city in the country) and you’ll probably burn through your savings account faster than expected if you don’t find something quickly.

You can’t truly enjoy living in New York City if you don’t have a decent paying job because you won’t be able to take advantage of all the city offers. Which is why I can’t stress this enough — have a job before moving to New York City, don’t make excuses not to.

Don’t take the chance of winging it with the hopes that some company will see how special you are. In reality, you might be one of thousands of applicants. Do the leg work before your move to set yourself up for success before settling in New York City long-term.

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Not All Grocery Stores Are Created Equal

Here’s one of my best tips for moving to New York City, not all grocery stores are created equal. During my first month in NYC I made the mistake of shopping for groceries at Citerella and walked out completely confused. I paid $6 for one container of chicken stock (one container!!).

I had no idea that Citerella was such an expensive grocery store and learned my lesson quickly. After that I started doing research on grocery stores and made a commitment to Trader Joe’s. Did you know that Trader Joe’s has the same prices for all items regardless of the location?

That means that the snacks you buy at a Trader Joe’s in Oregon will cost you the same in New York City. Trader Joe’s is probably one of the most affordable grocery stores in NYC and I’d recommend shopping there exclusively when possible.

The downside of shopping at Trader Joe’s is that half of NYC will be shopping with you. The Traders Joe’s in the Upper West Side is the busiest in the world and if you try shopping anytime after 10am, you’ll find yourself in a very long line.

Helpful New York City Relocation Tips: Know about Costco online! I stock up on pantry staples like chicken stock, beans, nuts, snacks, etc. Buying in bulk saves money in the long run and prevents you from having to make a trip to the grocery store. Plus, you don’t have to be a Costco member to shop online, which is really nice.

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You Won’t Need a Car When Moving to NYC

Perhaps the biggest perk of moving to NYC is not needing a car to get around. Which means you’ll be leaving behind the hefty expense of gas, maintenance, auto insurance and parking.

In fact, not needing a car is the only thing I can think of that actually saves you money when moving to New York City. The subway system is very efficient (even though everyone loves to hate on public transportation). The subway will get you where you need to go 24/7 for $2.95. Plus, some employers provide monthly subway passes.

All this to say, sell your car if you’re planning a move to New York City. The hassle is too great and the benefit it too little. If you bring a car you’ll be spending most of your time in traffic anyway, plus you’ll have a very hard time parking. Parking is very expensive in NYC, and if you park your car in a residential area then you’ll need to move it once or twice a week for street cleaning (along with everyone else on the block).

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New York is A Very Active City

One thing you quickly learn after moving to New York City is how active people are. And no, I’m not just talking about Mr. Washboard Abs running the six-mile loop in Central Park at 5am (tell him I say hello, he’s hard to miss). I’m talking about regular people (like you and me).

New Yorkers walk, bike and subway everywhere they go (because a lot of us don’t have cars). Expect your daily step count to go through the roof when you’re transitioning to daily life in New York City.

When you live in NYC, you don’t pay for space, you pay for access. Put another way, people move to NYC to experience the glory of daily life, not stay cooped up in a small apartment.

Essentials for Moving to NYC: Make sure you have a quality pair of walking shoes (this is the brand my podiatrist recommends).

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The City is Inspiring (Almost Makes You Feel Invincible)

It’s probably no surprise that with more than 200+ languages spoken on a daily basis, the habits, food and dress reflect the vibrant diversity of life in New York City. In fact, New York City is the most diverse city in the country.

In many ways, it feels like there’s zero judgement in daily life. I feel like I can be whoever I want to be, seriously. No matter what I do, I don’t stick out (which has so many benefits). What’s more, the age-old adage “New York City: If You Can Make it Here, You Can Make it Anywhere” rings true.

There’s something contagious about the energy in New York City. Whenever I feel burned out, the city streets recharge me. It seems like people that move to NYC do so to follow their dreams, and I can’t help but hustle at the thought of that.

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You’ll Have Access to World-Class Museums

Perhaps my favorite thing about living in New York City is having access to world-class museums. New York City is home to a whopping 83 museums, including the fifth largest museum in the world, The Metropolitan Museum of Art (colloquially known as the MET).

You’ll be hard pressed to find a more culturally exciting city than New York. For example, my friend starts every weekend by exploring a museum with her kids and at the rate she’s going, her kids will see more world-renowned art by the age of 7 than most people do in a lifetime!

Further Reading: The 15 Most Exciting Museums in New York City (& What to See at Each)

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You’ll Be Spoiled For Choice With Food Options

New York City is a melting pot of different cultures which makes you privy to the best-of-the-best regarding all types of cuisine. After living in New York City, it’s hard to find other cities that satisfy my cravings for good food all hours of the day.

I mean, let’s get real real, you haven’t lived until you find yourself with a hot bowl of award-winning ramen at 1am. But fair warning, you’ll never be the same.

Further Reading:

• 10 Memorable Manhattan Bars Everyone Should Visit
• 10 EPIC NYC Pizza Joints You Can’t Afford to Miss
• 15 Mouth-Watering New York City Bagels

P.S. I’m working on a post about the best cheap eats in NYC, stay tuned! Or better yet, sign up for our email list to be notified when it’s wrapped up. We hate spam as much as you do, so we only send emails once a month.

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Living in NYC May Ruin All Other Cities for You

If you’re researching how to move to New York City then you probably have a soft spot for the City that Never Sleeps. Speaking from firsthand experience, moving to New York City was the best decision I’ve ever made. The city feels as good as it looks, and I can’t imagine leaving.

Why do I mention this? Because you should know that NYC ruins all other cities. I feel like I’m forever stuck paying astronomical rents and justifying $30 drinks. In fact, it’s not until I return home for the holidays that I find myself genuinely shocked when I see the prices outside of NYC. I forget that $30 for a drink is not normal! But would I ever move out of NYC? I couldn’t dream of it.

If you want to become a real New Yorker, there’s only one rule: You have to believe New York is, has been, and always will be the greatest city on earth. The center of the universe.

– Ellen R. Shapiro

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It’s Normal to Get Depressed After Moving to NYC (Yes, Really)

If I were to write a Newcomer’s guide to New York City, I’d start by sharing a recent discovery: A lot of people feel depressed after moving to New York City. This might seem counterintuitive (dream attained!), but it’s true (and it makes sense when you think about it).

Moving to NYC is a huge life change. There’s no other city in the world quite like it, and there’s a lot of anxiety that comes with the territory. It’s not uncommon to have sleepless nights and the daily weight of stress while living in NYC — can I afford to pay the bills? My credit card bill is how high? Did I really just spend $30 on a drink?

It takes time to get adjusted to a new rhythm, don’t hesitate to get help. Transitioning to New York City is tough, go easy on yourself. My best advice is to establish a routine that reflects what you found comforting before.

For me, I now start every morning with a walk. It helps clear my head and allows me to enjoy the city I spend too much money to live in. I’m also making an effort to meet new people and make new friends. Little changes make a big difference.

New York, I love you but you’re bringing me down.

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Be Gentle on Yourself: If you Hate Living in NYC, Don’t Feel Pressured to Stay

Finally, allow me to share my last bit of wisdom — you’re not a tree. You don’t have roots, you can move around. If you find that living to New York City doesn’t jive with you as expected, give yourself some permission to leave.

The city is not for everyone and some folks discover that only after moving to NYC. There’s a lot of opportunities here, to be sure, but there’s also a lot of pressure. And noise.

Millions of people have moved to New York City to restart (or start) their lives and there’s absolutely no reason why you can’t do the same. Of those millions that moved to NYC, millions have moved out as well.

Give life in NYC an honest try, but give yourself some grace if you discover that you enjoy a different pace of life. The city will always be here when you return, and so will New York Simply (shameless, I know). 😉

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Important Things to Know Before Moving to NYC (Post Overview)

In summary, here’s a recap of this New York City moving guide, I hope it makes relocating to NYC easier on you!

1. The neighborhood matters more than you think
2. Get familiar with broker fees
3. Searching for an apartment in New York City is a bear
4. You must (must, must) tour the apartment in person
5. Give yourself 1-2 months to find an apartment
6. The application paperwork is next leve
7. Airing your dirty laundry
8. Moving to New York City in the summer? Forget about it
9. Let’s talk about ACs and heaters
10. New York City is so damn expensive it will make you cry
11. Have a job lined up before you move here
12. Not all grocery stores are created equal
13. You won’t need a car when moving to NYC
14. NYC is an active city
15. The city is inspiring and makes you feel invisible
16. You’ll have access to world-class museums
17. And incredible food almost 24/7
18. Leaving New York City will feel impossible
19. It’s normal to get depressed after moving to NYC
20. If you hate living in NYC, don’t feel pressured to stay

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Love New York City? You Might Enjoy These Articles Too!

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30 Best Things to Do in New York City (For First Time Visitors)
The 10 Best Neighborhoods to Explore in Manhattan (First Time Visitors Guide)
15 Unforgettable Things to Do in the Financial District (Local’s Guide)
15 Helpful Tips For Visiting NYC on a Budget (From a Local)
20 Things I Wish I Knew BEFORE Moving to New York City (Firsthand Account)
15 Best Places to Live in New York State (Helpful Guide)
Living in New York City Vs. Los Angeles
25 Interesting NYC Facts You Know Not Know (Yet)
15 Best Places to Live in New York State (Helpful Guide)

I feel like moving to New York City aged me prematurely. But honestly, I’m happier for it. I’m living in a dream and hope you can too. I hope you found these tips on moving to New York City helpful, don’t hesitate to reach out with questions below, always happy to help.

Cheers!