NYC V/S The Bay Area-Which is more expensive?

Question

Hi
Forbes just released a list of the most expensive places in the USA.Obviosuly NYC is the most expensive and no.2 is San Francisco.I live in the middle of San Francisco and San Jose and let me tell you its really expesnvie and according the the numbers NY might be just SLIGHTLY expesnive if i move there.Ok here are the numbers let them speak for themselves

Bay Area
Studio Apt Rent-800(Craigslist)
Car Payaments-150
Insurance-50
Gas-50
Food-200
Cellphone-50
TV and Internet-50
Health Ins-65
Electric-20

Total(Including Misc)-$1500

New York
Rent-1200
Bus Pass-75
Food-300
Cellphone-50
TV and Internet-50
Health Ins-65

Total-$1800(Including Misc)

So NY is really not that expensive compared to the bay area-maybe someone moving from Kansas or some cheaper place might find it cheap but NY is really not that expensive compared to the bay area-What do you think

Answer 1

When you say NY I assume that you mean Manhattan, where you'd have difficulty finding an apartment for $1200. I think a Metrocard is more than $75 for a month, and I dont think that you can buy health insurance (unless it's very heavily subsidized by your employer) for $65 per month

Answer 2

I know you can find cheaper rent than that... seriously. Sure if you want a studio in a nice neighborhood in Manhattan in a doormanned building you might pay anywhere from 1200 to 2000 a month, but you can definitely find studios, even in Manhattan, for 800 a month, you just have to know where to look.

Also, food is definitely really cheap here... again, you need to know where to go. Everywhere else I've lived, food was ridiculously expensive to what it is in NY. I don't know why it is cheap here... but I think it has to do with that all the food comes here first and then gets distributed.

Answer 3

NYC is more expensive than SF over the long term. A monthly unlimited Metrocard (for subway/bus) is currently $76. The cities are comparable though in terms of cost of living.

Answer 4

more ways to cut down on housing in the Bay Area. I wush the prices were as low as the article