The cost of living in new York

Budget Features

According to the largest international consulting companies, including the latest Mercer 2015 Cost of Living Rankings, New York is the most expensive city to live in the USA and one of the most expensive cities in the world in terms of the cost of goods and services. Megapolis is consistently among the three cities most popular for the life of ultrahainets – people whose fortune is estimated at $30 million and above. In 2015, according to "The Wealth Report" by Knight Frank, New York ranked second after London.

As in any megalopolis in the world, the biggest item of monthly expenses for both residents and guests of the Big Apple is the rental of real estate. So, taking into account the cost of square meters in New York, its inhabitant spends almost 130% more per month than the average Muscovite. However, the sharply cheaper ruble is rapidly reducing this difference. If there is no need to spend money on renting a roof over your head, then about $ 1,150 per month is enough for a comfortable stay in New York for one person. A family of four needs a monthly budget of at least $4,200.

The lifestyle in New York dictates the costs of it. Of course, cooking at home and conducting "moderate" activity in the form of walking around the city, jogging in parks and rare visits to restaurants is an order of magnitude cheaper than regular trips to restaurants, movies, social events and concerts. Expats who have spent a sufficient amount of time in New York generally note a higher variety of fresh products and high-quality goods than in Moscow, taking into account the average level of American and, until recently, Russian income.

The cost of a grocery basket

According to the Council for Public and Economic Research, the cost of food in New York is 28-39% (depending on the area) higher than the average cost of a grocery basket approved by the US average. Thus, if the average resident of the United States spends about $200 per month on groceries, moving to New York, this expense item increases to $260. Residents of the metropolis have long been accustomed to the fact that VAT is not indicated on price tags and is not included in the amount of the check, but foreigners will have to adapt to this at first.

Average food prices in New York:

• Milk (1 l) – $1.85
• A loaf of fresh white bread – $2,4-5
• Rice (1 kg) –$2.7     
• Eggs (12 pcs.) – $3.5-5
• Local cheese (1 kg) – $12.7
• Chicken fillet (1 kg) – $11.6
• Fruits (apples, oranges, bananas) – $2-5.5 for 1 kg
• Vegetables (tomatoes, potatoes, onions) – $3.2-5.5 per 1 kg
• Drinking bottled water (1.5 liters) – $2-4
• Coca-Cola (2 liters) – $3.70
• A bottle of wine – from $10
• Local beer (0.5 l) – $1.85-2.7
• Imported beer (0.33 l) – $2.8
• Pack of cigarettes(Marlboro)$13

Kitchen

The cosmopolitanism of New York is reflected in the gastronomy of the metropolis. Perhaps, there is no such variety of presented cuisines and classifications of culinary delights anywhere else in the world. Traditional and modern eco-markets, food festivals, food courts, food trucks, small inexpensive and exclusive cafes, eateries, restaurants of world brands and the most exotic countries, fine establishments with Michelin stars - all this is enjoyed in abundance by both a gourmet resident of the city and a guest of New York. As you might guess, Chinese cuisine can be enjoyed in Chinatown, Italian in Little Italy. New York is not deprived of restaurants of Russian and Ukrainian cuisine. And also Indian, Japanese, Spanish, Mexican, etc.

As for prices, the average cost of lunch for two in a mid-range restaurant will be $80, in a cafe you can have a snack for $18, in a fast food restaurant a combined lunch will cost about $8, and the famous hot dogs in street trailers cost only $ 2.

For real borscht and dumplings, pies and draniki, you can go to the restaurants Veselka and Odessa, Korchma Taras Bulba or Skovorodka. These are establishments of the average price range, in which the average bill will be about $50 per person. Russian Russian cuisine is the most popular restaurant in New York – «Samovar » (West 52 Str.), which is, in fact, the gastronomic center of Russian culture in the city. Here you can taste pickles (sauerkraut, pickled cucumbers and pickled mushrooms), vodka on horseradish or garlic, cabbage soup, borscht or soup, pies and pancakes, jelly and salads (olivier, vinaigrette). As for prices, a portion of borscht, mushroom soup or fish soup costs $12-16 here, simple pancakes stuffed with meat, cheese or potatoes with sour cream will cost $12, and a portion of pancakes with black sturgeon caviar costs $110-$120. For the signature tea "Russian samovar" with cherry jam and honey, you will have to pay $7.

New York is a trendsetter and trendsetter of world haute cuisine. As in the best institutions in France, aspiring chefs tend to practice here in order to work under the supervision of masters. The best of the best are ready to fight for places in exclusive restaurants. There are as many as 76 Michelin-starred restaurants in the city: 60 one-star restaurants, 10 two-star restaurants and 6 one-star establishments. For comparison: none of the Moscow establishments has yet received the attention of the famous culinary guide.

For a New Yorker, it is a common thing not only to regularly visit restaurants and cafes, but also to order takeaway food. The menu can be limited only by the imagination of the client, and the average amount of the check will be $15-25 for a full lunch and dinner. Of the most significant establishments noted by leading New York publications and delivering, one can first of all name Joe's Shanghai in Chinatown (soups and dim sum), Eat Here Now on the Upper East Side (creative burgers, omelets, pastries), The Smoke Joint in Fort Greene (barbecue), Motorino Pizzeria in Williamsburg or East Village, Noodle Noodle Bar on Carmine Street, and BLT Burger burger on Sixth Avenue.   

Clothing, accessories, gifts

The list of ordinary expenses of a city dweller, in addition to the grocery basket, certainly includes a budget for updating the wardrobe, as well as a basic list of cosmetic products. With the difference in the exchange rate of the ruble and the dollar, basic personal hygiene products in New York will cost more than in Moscow. So, for example, a ball deodorant costs about $4 here, shampoo (400 ml) is about $7, and a tube of toothpaste will cost $2.5.

Jeans (Levi's or analogues) will cost $52-54, a summer dress in a chain store can be purchased for $38, and men's shoes (leather shoes or sports sneakers) for $85-120. But New York is a city of special chic in the images of local residents and incomparable street fashion. One of the founders of the New York style is considered to be the outrageous designer Patricia Field. It was she who created the images of the heroines of the TV series "Sex and the City", films "The Devil wears Prada", "Shopaholic" and many other films. In her boutique, located on Bowery Street, you can find dresses and T-shirts with abstract color prints, sunglasses and shoes, wigs and sports hats with a veil, jewelry and accessories. One T-shirt from Patricia Field costs from $100, and a gold-plated pendant with the designer's name starts from $140, but any thing from the boutique of a fashion stylist and costume designer, by the way, nominated for Oscar and Emmy awards, will make New York take you for its own.

Of course, New York is also Haute Couture, which is difficult to surprise Moscow fashionistas today (world and American designers are represented in Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale's, Barney's). But a separate point of the program for all those who follow trends is a visit to vintage New York boutiques, where you can find unique designer objects aged 30 years or more. One of the most famous vintage clothing stores in the city is New York Vintage, located at 25 West Street. Rihanna, Susan Sarandon and even US First Lady Michelle Obama come here. Prices – match the stellar shoppers. For example, a dress from the 1920s will cost $1500-2000 here. Real fashionistas regard such an acquisition as an investment that will only grow in price over time.

As for designer gifts, books and unforgettable little things, you can safely go to the MoMA Museum of Modern Art store for them.

Communications and technology

In the modern metropolis of New York, lifein which it is simply impossible to imagine without high-speed Internet, paying for unlimited Internet access costs an average of $52-54 per month, and a minute of talking on a cell phone, taking into account prepaid traffic, costs $0.14.

If it is necessary to settle in a new apartment, the lion's share of the expenses of new settlers will be the purchase of household appliances. So, for example, a 40-inch TV in New York can be purchased for $400, and a microwave oven (Panasonic, Sharp, Bosch or LG) is priced from $110.

Entertainment

The range of entertainment in New York is absolutely unlimited. Art lovers will appreciate the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where about 2 million objects of art are collected on an area of 18.5 hectares, allowing you to get acquainted with the history and ancient culture of all continents. It is also impossible to ignore the Museum of Modern Art, the Solomon Guggenheim Museum and the American Museum of Natural History.

Outdoor enthusiasts will be able not only to take a jog in Central Park, but also to spend time in sports clubs, fly in a hot air balloon, play paintball, do rock climbing or devote time to the eastern practice of meditation and yoga that has captured the whole world. A subscription to a fitness club for one adult in New York will cost $80, and some yoga studios offer significant discounts for the first month of classes. For example, at Modo Yoga NYC – West Village on Sixth Avenue, a subscription costs $ 40, and visitors can choose the duration of classes: 60, 75 or 90 minutes. An unlimited subscription that does not limit the number of classes per month costs $115, and a one-time visit costs about $8 (Yoga Agora on Broadway). The time to visit most fitness clubs can be booked online. In principle, even taking into account the current ratio of the ruble and the dollar, these prices are comparable to Moscow.

For those who want to transform the body without putting much effort, New York offers many spa centers, massage parlors and beauty studios. For example, there is a small but very popular Mahalo Massage NYC massage salon on Union Square, where the hands of specialists in 90 minutes and $ 100 will relieve back pain, neck pain and simply help relieve fatigue. Approximately the same amount can be left at Melt Massage & Bodywork on Lafayette Avenue, while in addition to attending a massage, you can do Pilates or yoga here.

New York is a city that never sleeps, and the nightlife here is in full swing. Noisy clubs with electronic music, rock concerts or romantic lounge bars - the choice is limited only by the preferences of vacationers. Bars on the roofs of skyscrapers and iconic buildings in New York are particularly popular, such as the cafe on the roof of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Press Lounge bar in Manhattan or The HAVEN Rooftop bar on the roof of The Haven at the Sanctuary Hotel.

One movie ticket costs $14-15, which is almost half the average cost in the country.

With the obvious lack of budget for an active life in New York, you can also find free entertainment here. So, on a typical weekend evening, the platforms of all subway stations become stages for street musicians. They play classical, jazz, hip-hop and blues – and absolutely for free.

Rental and maintenance of real estate

Renting a studio apartment in an inexpensive central district of New York will cost $ 2,900, which is quite expensive, considering that in Moscow similar housing can be rented for an average of $ 850. A spacious one-bedroom apartment in a prestigious area of New York, for example, in Manhattan, will cost about $3,800 per month. Furnished studio (45 sq. m. m) depending on the area, you can rent for $1800-2700/ month. The most budget real estate in New York is located in the Bronx, then Staten Island, Queens, Brooklyn follow in ascending order of real estate prices and Manhattan tops the ranking of the most expensive housing in New York. Additionally, the tenant must pay for utilities, the amount of which depends on the area of housing and varies between $ 100-150 per month.

Cleaning an apartment by a New York cleaning company will cost about $27-30 per hour.

Education

There are several dozen institutes, universities, colleges and high schools in New York, but the most famous are New York and Columbia Universities. Each of them includes directions allocated to separate schools. Admission to US universities is based on a diploma of secondary (for bachelor's degree) or higher (for master's degree) education and a certificate confirming the level of English language proficiency. A number of educational programs are subject to additional requirements that depend on the specialization and the specific university. You can improve your English skills at language courses, but experts recommend taking a language training program at the chosen university. The cost of language courses is about $300 per week (educational process) or from $850/ week (educational process + accommodation + meals).

The spread of prices for higher education in the USA is quite large, but on average it varies from $7000 to $35,000 per year. Annual tuition at an American school, including full board, will cost parents of foreign students $40,000-45,000.

Transport

Buying a personal car, such as a Volkswagen Golf 1.4, will cost $23,000, but taking into account the cost of fuel ($ 0.7 per liter) and the congestion of New York streets, buying your own transport here is not always justified. In addition, the owner of the car must pay for a parking space, which, for example, costs $ 533 per month in Manhattan, which is twice as expensive as in Los Angeles or Hawaii. You will have to spend an additional $4,000 per year on car insurance.

That is why many residents of New York prefer public transport: if you purchase a ticket, the monthly costs will barely exceed $ 110. The purchase of one-time travel tickets will cost $2.75.

A taxi ride on a weekday (basic fare) will cost approximately $18.

Medical care

Upon arrival in the United States, you must choose one of three health insurance systems: basic (covers 75% of costs), hospital (80% of costs) or general (up to 100% of costs). A combination of different schemes is allowed and even recommended, for example, the purchase of a basic policy and insurance against a specific disease. In most cases, the cost of an insurance policy will cost $400-600 per month. You can also get it from one of the insurance companies in Russia (Rosno, Ingosstrakh, etc.), but, firstly, it is not a fact that it will be cheaper, and, secondly, such an insurance policy will certainly have certain restrictions (such as treatment in a specific hospital).

In the absence of medical insurance, a short visit to a private doctor will cost $ 130 for a 15-minute appointment. Dental treatment can cost $500-600 at all. A one-week stay in the hospital without insurance must be paid according to the deposit system. Approximately it will cost $ 3000-4000. Medications that can be purchased without a prescription (Coldrex or Frenadol for colds or a package of antibiotics) cost $9-19 at the pharmacy.

The portal HomesOverseas.ru  thanks Kristina Menshikova for her help in preparing the article (ADVECS International company) and Boris Gelfand (Gelfand Realty agency).

_{photocredits: flickr}

Olga Shoshina

HomesOverseas.ru