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Dear New Yorkers'

vouder17

vouder17

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 30, 2003
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Ok i live in the Netherlands and study medicine. Next year i have an option to do research in New York for approximately 5 months, of course, like many, I want to experience the full effect which NYC has to offer. With the current Euro/Dollar exchange rate it is very attractive to head over to the States. My question to you is, where should i live? Naturally i immediately went searching for apartments in Manhattan on craigslist. I am willing to pay around $800 for a rent per month. I am open to all advice.

Thanks in advance
 
I don't think you'll find anything in Manhattan for that price unless you locate someone who already has a place and is looking for a roommate. You may find something small in Brooklyn or Queens, but you're more likely to find something in your price range in Newark or someplace like that.
 
Ok cool, and how is the transportation in between Brooklyn/Queens/Manhattan?
Actually my price range is between $800-$1000 per month. I kinda figured i was soaring a tad high when looking at places in Manhattan...a boy has to dream ey :p
 
vouder17 said:
Ok cool, and how is the transportation in between Brooklyn/Queens/Manhattan?
Actually my price range is between $800-$1000 per month. I kinda figured i was soaring a tad high when looking at places in Manhattan...a boy has to dream ey :p
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Craigslist does seem to offer some places in your price range. I have no idea how nice these places are however. Check out newyork.craigslist.org.
 
For the most part, living in Manhattan is kind of a macho-d*** thing... typically not worth the money but you can be super awesome because you live in the heart of NYC. :rolleyes:

I've lived in Manhattan, Queens and even Staten Island. I'd strongly suggest looking in the northwest neighborhoods of Queens, like Astoria, or in Brooklyn. You will get more for your money and the cost of things like groceries and local restaurants are noticeably lower outside of Manhattan.

Also, as a note, the transportation to and from, especially if you are relatively close to Manhattan in the burroughs, is easy and very convenient. In fact, I almost moved from Astoria to the Upper East Side (81st St) but one of the clinchers to not was that it would add at least 15 minutes to my commute downtown. In other words, don't assume that you'll be out of touch just because you have to cross a little water to get to your bed.
 
i don't think you are going to find anything even close to that in Manhattan... maybe if you moved somewhere really scary... in Brooklyn you can still find studios or rooms for under 1000... but around 1000 a month is sort of entry level in Brooklyn... in Manhattan you are looking at probably more around 2000 a month, minimum... but hey, maybe there are some cheap places left to be found... anyway, i would live on the lower east side, by Brooklyn... it's my favorite part of the city.
 
I used to live in Manhattan. You're not going to find anything for $800.

This is the place where the average doorman gets paid $150,000 a year.

Like the guy above said everything is cheaper outside of Manhattan. Look in Brooklyn and Queens.
 
Another option is Northern NJ. Depending on where you live in Northern NJ your commute can be easier than Queens, Brooklyn. However Northern NJ isn't cheap either.
 
northern nj is not cheap, but you could live somewhere with a commute that was 15 to 30 minutes and pay only like 700 or so a month rent... jersey city and Newark are both way reasonably priced... but then again they arent that nice usually, and you have to factor all the time and money that goes into the commute... there is really no easy way to do it.
 
$1000 a month rent in Manhatttan actually IS doable....

...provided you're ok living with a roomate, or several of them, in a not-so great apartment, in maybe not the best area.

Or yes, you can do much better in the outer burroughs. But what's more important to you? For some, it's space -- and living in Brooklyn, Queens, or even Staten Island is the only option for them. For others, like me, it's the experience of the city, and being so close to EVERYTHING. I will always be willing to pay more, or live in a smaller apt, simply to stay IN Manhattan. The quality of life apartment-wise might not be as good, but the quality of life in EVERY OTHER aspect is way better -- and that's more important to ME. Your case might be completely different, though.

Check Craigslist or the New York Times classifieds, and consider ALL options.
 
Rojo said:
$1000 a month rent in Manhatttan actually IS doable....

...provided you're ok living with a roomate, or several of them, in a not-so great apartment, in maybe not the best area.

Or yes, you can do much better in the outer burroughs. But what's more important to you? For some, it's space -- and living in Brooklyn, Queens, or even Staten Island is the only option for them. For others, like me, it's the experience of the city, and being so close to EVERYTHING. I will always be willing to pay more, or live in a smaller apt, simply to stay IN Manhattan. The quality of life apartment-wise might not be as good, but the quality of life in EVERY OTHER aspect is way better -- and that's more important to ME. Your case might be completely different, though.

Check Craigslist or the New York Times classifieds, and consider ALL options.
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I am actually with you on this point Rojo, i am only going to be there for 5 months or so, so i wanna get every bit of the experience as possible. That is why i was wondering whether there really is a difference if i were to find something in Manhattan or in the other suburbs.
Thanks for all the feedback, i am gonna do a lot of searching on Craigslist.
 
I love living in Manhattan for the convenience and you should be able to find something in morningside heights, washington heights for that price and they are both nice neighborhoods. Many many people if not most people have roommates in Manhattan to help with the expense.
 
btw, the easiest commute to manhattan from a burrough is either the 7 line from queens or astoria. new jersey is NOT an easy commute.
 
thechidz said:
well, if you are anywhere off the PATH rent will probably be as high as manhattan
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I'll give you that, but you are forgetting about the many NJ Transit trains/buses and Decamp buses into Manhattan every day. It's no so bad. If you live in Central/Southern Jersey than it sucks, but there are many options in Northern NJ.
 
If you'll only be in NYC for 5 months or so check out subletting a place, some good deals there.
 
I paid $800/m for my room in my old apartment on the Lower East Side of downtown Manhattan. I had one very respectful room mate and it worked out very well for me. I gave up the apartment because I'm moving in with my boyfriend :)eek: first for me).

So it's possible to find $800-$1,000 rooms in manhattan, but don't think you'll have a west village penthouse all to yourself ;). Craigslist is the best way to do it. Put it in your favorites bar and check every time you sit down at a computer, and every 15 minutes while you're at the computer. You'll want to be the first email that shows up in their inbox.

Getting from the other burrows to manhattan is easy if you can get to the subway. Here is a subway map: http://www.mta.info/nyct/maps/submap.htm

I used to live in Bed Stuy/Bushwick, Brooklyn, off the J and Z trains. I loved my neighborhood, but HATED taking the train so much. The JMZ line is often referred to as the "doo doo brown line" (okay, I'm the only person that calls it that) because it sucks so much.

Good trains to live off of:

The 4, 5, 6 - trains come often and are quick.

The E, F, G, R, V lines in Queens. If you take a look at the map, you'll notice that a bunch of the lines connect to form a common line in queens (above brooklyn, to the right of manhattan). One comes every 3 minutes during rush hour. Very speedy and nice.

Bad Trains: J, M, Z, G.

All of this is relative, however. My sister lives off the G, and she loves it. It takes her at least an hour to get anywhere in Manhattan though. I, personally, can't spend that much time on a train every day. I'm a walker - I walk almost anywhere I can get in under an hour.



Don't be afraid of the burrows. They are all great, and all have something to offer. Most of Manhattan is VERY uppity and I find that it gets old fast. Living in Brooklyn was very refreshing in that respect. The lower east side isn't so uppity (note: east village, as close as it might be, is VERY uppity), but I didn't feel the sense of community that my neighborhood in Brooklyn had. Another good thing about living outside of manhattan is that everything is half the price. There's great dollar stores and cheap bodegas in the burrows, and expensive stores in Manhattan. So you save on more than just rent living outside of Manhattan (groceries are a lot cheaper too!).


Now I'm living in West Village, which is an awesome neighborhood. It's quiet compared to other neighborhoods, but still has an awesome nightlife. Great restaurants. Great, quiet vibe. If you can find a cheap apartment in West Village, grab it. But you'll need a lot of luck to do so - west village is a very expensive neighborhood to live in.

If you have any questions, just say so :).

–*Emerson
 
Just to throw a wrench into the mix. Try subletting or renting a room from someone on craigslist while you get settled. You will need a roomate on that budget, however there are gems to be found.

After numerous multi-roomate situations that were extremely expensive, I paid an exclusive broker for a 1 bedroom in Gramercy Park for $1200 rent stabilized. A steal. The building doesn't have a doorman, but it is something I'm holding on to for awhile. However, I had to find this guy from a friend of a friend of a friend.

Craigslist is great, but perhaps think of something temporary while you can network to try and find something. Roomates though...a definite must on that budget.
 
scem0 said:
I used to live in Bed Stuy/Bushwick, Brooklyn, off the J and Z trains. I loved my neighborhood, but HATED taking the train so much. The JMZ line is often referred to as the "doo doo brown line" (okay, I'm the only person that calls it that) because it sucks so much.
Click to expand...

Too funny. And you're not the only one who calls it that.;)

To the OP:

Just a word of caution about New Jersey. If you want to go out at night, there is no way to get home after midnight, except for a $40-50 cab ride.

Also, you may want to find out where you will be doing your research, see what subway lines are near and work out from there.

I live in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. The commute to Manhattan is a dream. There are 13 subway lines within a few blocks from my apartment. A friend of mine just rented a room a few blocks away for $800 that has it's own kitchenette and bathroom.

You might want to check out Greenpoint in Brooklyn. If you can get a place near the L train, the commute is pretty easy. It's kind of strange, though. Mostly Polish families, but right next to Williamsburg which is ultra trendy. By next year, the spillage from Williamsburg is expected to make Greenpoint an interesting place.
 
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