How Much Does It Cost to Live in NYC?

When I moved into my first apartment nearly seven years ago, it was hard. Not just because I was moving into my first "adult" space or because I was living 500 miles from home and the South, but rather because I couldn't get past how much it cost to live here. Oh, and the fact that I made next to nothing. I quickly learned that those "Sex and the City" apartments + careers, don't really match up. [insert a big thanks to mom and dad for making it happen for me]. A tip for any of you girls wanting to move to NYC to do PR: it's not glamorous and the pay stinks (at least in the beginning). But, if you are willing to put in the hours and work hard, it's worth it. I promise that.

Like most post-college kids, I quickly learned that the most affordable, but less cool place to live was the Upper East Side.Though my mom had a different perspective at first, that apartment (3W) was an amazing space for the money and even though it was a hike from the subway and on a ugly street, I didn't care because it was mine.

I now live on the Upper West Side - probably one of my favorite neighborhoods in the city. Though I wish I could live downtown, I think Miss Bailey would miss the park too much. We jokingly call the UWS the suburbs of Manhattan. It's perfect for me right now in my life. Lots of young couples, dogs, and great restaurants. Though it's not cheap, I always thought it was one of the more affordable places to live in NYC. Then, I saw this infographic from Zumper:

Yes, it's expensive to live here (I'm reminded of that everyday), but why not do it for a little while? It's NYC.

infographic from Zuper.com