New York City is probably one of the most iconic cities in the world. It’s been shown in so many movies that it seems so familiar even if you’ve never visited.
If you’re one of the millions who come to visit or brave enough to think about living here, then the city may give you a shock.
Having lived here for over 26 years, I can personally say that New York City is not forgiving. It will make you work harder than you’ve ever worked before, but you will never feel as though you’ve done enough.
On the other hand, living here can feel like a drug. That’s why so many people keep coming back!
Career opportunities, entertainment, unique people, and of course the best food you will ever taste that will spoil you from anywhere else. However, it comes with a price.
A hefty price tag that will make you work 2-3 times more than you’ve ever worked before and scramble to find affordable places to live.
In the last decade alone, I’ve seen neighborhoods that were pretty much abandoned become one of the most sought after and expensive neighborhoods in the city.
For example, Dumbo in Brooklyn used to be filled with abandoned warehouses. The first time I stepped foot in this neighborhood, I was afraid I was going to get mugged.
Today, Dumbo is one of the most visited spots and it is definitely NOT one of the cheapest
If you’re lucky you can get a room for $1,200 dollars a month with 3-4 roommates. Shocked? Well, that’s New York living for you, especially in one of the most sought after neighborhoods in the City.
So, when I decided to leave my 9-5 to continue to work from home in NYC, I knew that I had to prepare for this new transition.
The greatest advantage I have is knowing the cheapest neighborhoods to live in, where to shop for cheap eats and most importantly how to survive in this incredible, yet expensive city from years of practice.
Still got your mindset on living in New York
Are you still preparing to start your digital nomad journey? Make sure to read our complete beginners guide to becoming a digital nomad.
RELATED POSTS:
- How to avoid becoming a hermit as a remote worker.
- 5 Steps to beating burnout as a digital nomad.
- 8 best tips to getting started as a freelancer.
Table of Contents
Where to find affordable apartments
If you’ve lived here or even thought about living in New York City you’ll come to realize how expensive it is to live in this vibrant place.
Living here you’ll either break the bank from rent, live in an unsavory neighborhood or be with 2-4 roommates just to barely pay the rent.
Here are a few different ways to find accommodations in New York, depending on your budget, I am confident you will be able to find what you are looking for.
Craigslist
Craigslist has been my
Visiting this website may give you a bit of a time warp since it looks straight out of the ’90s but who’s complaining when you are getting that affordable apartment.
Pro Tip: Don’t miss out on a good apartment just because the posting doesn’t have images. All three of the apartments I’ve lived in did not have any images and I hit the jackpot since a lot of people will just scroll through due to the lack of photos.
Ultimate Guide to Countries Who Offer Digital Nomad Visa to Work Remotely
With more remote work becoming steadily available, some countries are opening applications for digital nomad visas to professionals who want to stay a year or more in a new country. The digital nomad visa, also called the freelancer’s visa, is granted to working nomads who own location-independent businesses or have secured a full-time remote work […]
Airbnb
If you are looking for a shorter stay, then Airbnb is the place for you. I’m sure you’ve used Airbnb for a few of your travels, but did you know you can rent an apartment for 30 days or more?
Tip: Make sure to message the owner of the apartment and strike a bargain. If you are looking to stay for 30 or more days, they will be willing to offer you a better discount than what they post on the site.
Gypsy housing
I have not personally used Gypsy housing on Facebook, but a lot of my friends who are digital nomads and many who work from home in NYC have used it successfully. Most of the people listing their place here need someone to sublet their apartment or rooms for a few months.
It is the ideal group to find an apartment or room for sublets.
Now that you have the sites to find the apartments, let’s talk about affordable and cheapest place to live in NYC.
To help you find that apartment unicorn, here are a few neighborhoods that will not completely break the bank.
Affordable Neighborhoods
Bronx, NY- Kingsbridge
OK, don’t jump to conclusions! There are safe areas in the Bronx. I’ve lived in
Kingsbridge is close to the popular neighborhood Riverdale but costs a lot less! For example, the apartment that I had in this area was $1400 for a 650 square ft. one-bedroom apartment. For New York City, this is a steal!
It was not a luxury apartment, but if you are looking for bigger space, less rent cost and a 30-40 minute train ride from the heart of the city then this up and coming neighborhood will be right for you.
Queens, NY – Astoria
I grew up in Astoria and I’ve seen how this quiet neighborhood has turned into a popular place for a lot of young professionals.
There are amazing eateries and some of the best Greek food you will ever have and it is only a 15-20 minute ride from Manhattan, aka the “city”.
Even though Astoria is no longer one of the most affordable places to live in New York, you can still find hidden gems. If you don’t mind living with a room mate, you may find great rooms to rent here.
Example: I rented a room for $800 a month which included all utilities but it also included two roommates. Lucky for me they were extremely quiet and I didn’t even know they were home.
Queens, NY -Flushing
If you don’t mind living a little further from Manhattan and love Asian food then Flushing is the place for you.
When I want great Asian food, I don’t go to Chinatown in Manhattan. I go to Flushing, Queens. Why you ask? Well, Chinatown is crowded and the prices have skyrocketed because of tourism.
Visit flushing and you’ll find authentic food that
The rent here will be less since it takes an hour to get to Manhattan when you take public transportation. But if you are able to work from home in NYC and don’t need to go to head to Manhattan very often, then you should definitely check out this vibrant neighborhood!
Brooklyn- Bed-Stay, Sunset Park
I’ve never lived in Brooklyn, but the lower you go in the
Cheap eats
Finding cheap places to eat is thankfully not as difficult as finding cheap places to live in NYC.
If you are strapped for cash or a budget-minded person here are tips on
how to save money in nyc.
Go to Whole Foods… kidding. Don’t go there, you’ll end up spending your rent money.
Eat-in
Instead of Whole Foods, find your local neighborhood grocery store. One of the biggest reason I’ve been able to afford to live in New York is by eating in a lot and relying on my slow cooker to cook yummy meals!
Don’t get me wrong, I definitely try to enjoy all the food that New York City has to offer, but you can’t do that every night, am I right?
And since you’re a slow traveler, you do not have to feel like you are missing out and will have the luxury to spread out the amount of time you are going to restaurants so you do not over spend.
Ultimate List of the Cheapest Place to Live in EU for Digital Nomads
In recent years, there has been more remote work opportunities and because of this new sense of freedom, many have been flocking to the cheapest place to live in EU. Most digital nomads are freelancers, full-time employees of remote companies or have online businesses they operate from anywhere. The growth of remote companies have also […]
Food trucks
New York City food trucks have some of the best cuisines, some may even rival the
There are hundreds of them out there like King of Falafel in Astoria, Cookhaus Ice cream sandwiches and a ton more!
There’s always a new food truck coming up, so you’ll never run out new places to eat.
Lunch specials
The best time to eat at a good restaurant is during lunch time. If you find the right one, they will have lunch specials.
Meaning you will most likely get an appetizer, main course and maybe even dessert for half the price of what they would normally cost!
Not every restaurant will have this deal, so it’s always good to do some research online before you go.
This is how I’ve been able to afford to eat in expensive restaurants without having to pay for the full price.
$1 pizza slices
New York is not only known for being the big apple but also for having the best pizzas in the world.
Personally, I do not have a very discriminate palette and enjoy a good $1 pizza slice. You do not have to look hard to find these pizza shops in New York City.
They are in every neighborhood and you can enjoy a slice or two without breaking the bank while you work from home in NYC.
Best working spaces for remote workers in NYC
Being able to have remote jobs in NYC is a blessing and curse.
Yes, you have the freedom to work in your own timeline and where you want, but it can also be very lonely.
You’ll find yourself being cooped up at home and not seeing the sun for a day or more. Socializing can also become harder, even in New York!
That’s why it is important to push yourself to go outside and work in different spaces and also meet others who know the digital nomad lifestyle.
Cafes
One way that I’ve been able to feel like I am part of the outside world is by working in cafes. For some people having the noise can be distracting, but it actually gives me the opposite effect.
I feel more energized by the activity around me when I am in a public space. I feed off of other peoples energy and start to become more productive.
If you have the same working style, try going to a local cafe and see if this works for you as well. It also does not cost a lot of money to have a working space in a cafe since the payment is only a cup or two of coffee.
Best Places to Work Remotely in the United States
Experts estimate that around 31% of the workforce has shifted to remote work when the COVID-19 pandemic struck and will most likely continue to rise through the years. That is why finding affordable places to work remotely can make your digital nomad life more exciting since rent can be cheaper, the environment better, and will […]
Co-working spaces
If you need
It will cost a lot more than a cup of coffee but depending on which co-working space you decide on, they have a lot of amenities like meeting rooms, after-hour events, and so much more.
One of the co-working spaces that I really enjoy is The Wing. It is a dedicated co-working space for women only.
There is also Spacious, a co-working space that allows you access to every location, so you do not need to be confined to one location!
There are a lot of co-working space options for anyone who plan to have any remote jobs in NYC.
Libraries
If a co-working space is too expensive and the cafe is too noisy, try a local New York City public library.
You can have the peace and quiet that you need without having to be on your own.
Having online jobs from NYC can be great, and there are so much to do in the city that you will never run out of activities to explore.
What’s the final consensus?
Pros
- Living as a digital nomad in New York can be extremely fun! You have a ton of places to see and do, sometimes even too much!
- There will be a lot of people to connect with who are doing interesting work just like you and will be willing to do fun activities.
- Living in a busy city like New York, you will never have any issues with your internet.
- It is easy to get around in the city because of the NYC transportation.
- There will be a lot of networking opportunities.
- There are a lot of opportunities to find remote jobs in NYC.
- Learning how to save money in NYC is not as hard as long as you are willing to make some compromise.
Cons
- Living in New York comes with a price. A big one. It is an extremely expensive city to live in. Be prepared to live in a small apartment or with several roommates.
- It can be hard to save your money when most of your income will go to your living expenses.
- You will have to hustle more in order to continue to live in this city which means more work hours.
- It can be extremely stressful to live in New York due to the amount of work you have to do in order to pay for the cost of living.
- If you want to keep your cost down, you will have to make sacrifices- which means you can not always go out to eat or travel.
Still
Try it out for a couple of months, maybe even a year and see if it’s the lifestyle that suits you.
If you have any more questions feel free to connect with me anytime or if you are a New York City digital nomad who has more info, make sure to share! We would love to hear from you!
DID YOU ENJOY THIS POST? PIN IT FOR LATER.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
- 10 Popular Voice Acting Categories
- Best Selling Items on Poshmark
- Best Voice Over Microphones for Beginners
- 12 Jobs With the Best Travel Perks
- Make Passive Income with Turnkey Property Investing
- Best Travel Workouts Without Equipment
