Whats it like to live in Pittsburgh?

Question

I'm from Brooklyn, New York (NYC) and I'm strongly considering a move to Pittsburgh.

Whats it like to live there, in terms of weather, quality of life, amenities.. etc
I know it's a huge transition from NYC to a small city like Pittsburgh but to tell you the truth I'm from a neighborhood in NYC where there a rowhouses on every block, no taller than 2 stories + attic, with a "main" street to buy groceries, household items, etc.

Anyway....
please tell me all you know about living there!!
Oh, and the reason I want to move is because I'm paying 1,100 for a crappy 1-bedroom apartment here. :)

Answer 1

A one bedroom apartment will cost you around $500-600. The cost of living is cheap, especially for housing. However, depending on what you do, the pay may also be less. The weather is somewhat colder than New York. You will most likely need a car, as public transportation is poor. Fortunately you can park in most places for free (but not the center city). The people are much more friendly than New York. We have the basic amenities. We don't get many Broadway shows or high culture, if you're into that.

Apartment listings link:
http://classified.post-gazette.com/realestate/rentals.asp

Answer 2

I live in Pittsburgh; though, it's the only urban environment I've had residence, so I wouldn't be able to compare it to Brooklyn.
The weather is probably about the same but I believe it is on the fringe of a "snow belt," being influence by several different weather systems.

$1100 sounds like a heck of a lot to pay for a 1BR apt. I recently moved and many of the 1BRs were $700-800 (and in nice neighborhoods). Then again, the wages may be lower here.

Many visitors find it difficult navigating the city as there are a lot of hills and bridges and very seldom do streets form a grid pattern. There's always complaints about parking, too. I don't own a car, and I can still manage getting around via bus or bicycle.

Pittsburgh is not huge like NYC, but it has everything you could want in a city: libraries, museums, universities as well as theatres, stadiums, clubs and bars. I must also comment that there are many lovely parks within the city limits and less than an hour's drive out in about any direction will land you in the quiet, rural rolling foothills of the Appalachians.

I understand Pittsburgh is famous for a variety of quaint neighborhoods. Some neighborhoods are better than others; but, you won't encounter block after block after block of row housing.