How expensive is New York City, really?

When people think about moving to New York City, one of their first concerns is the expensive lifestyle. We are often bombarded with media saying that it’s the most expensive city in the world, Instagram posts saying you need to make a quarter million dollars to live here, all things that sound scary. As someone who did move here, fearfully, I want to put all this through a data-driven approach and give you a peak at my own experience!
Co-produced by Ken Chwatek - @ChwatCity
Special thanks to:
Sam Germano - / samantha.germano
Craig Norris - / craignorris12
Isaiah Photo - ‪@isaiahphoto‬
BENOFTHEWEEK - ‪@benoftheweek‬
Shervin Shares - ‪@ShervinShares‬
Colt Kirwan - ‪@ColtKirwan‬
David Nygren
current subscribers: 57,800
#newyorkcity #business #finance #creatoreconomy #nyc #entrepreneurship #breakdown

[@TejasHullur]

Ladies and gentlemen!! It's good to be back - took a mini-hiatus but can't WAIT to get into the swing of things this summer and beyond. As per usual, I love to include one BTS comment that's almost like a journal entry on what I'm concentrating on. Over the past couple months, I've been battling with this idea of "branding" or "niching". After talking to a lot of creators it seems like there is a consensus: if you niche down hard, you'll grow the fastest. Imagine if every one of my videos was about NYC or dating apps, then I would attract that one audience really fast. The problem is, I've got many different curiosities and feel like I would be bogged down if I had to stay in strict boundaries for the sake of growing. After lots of reflection, I did come to this middle ground - every video may hit a different topic BUT will have a similar business-angle. Whether it's NYC or dating apps, my specialty is being able to go into their finances and numbers and extract a story out of there. This whole journey is one being experiment haha! Thanks for all of your ongoing support! See you all soon, real soon. - Tejas

[@Lukejtv]

great decision. one of my fav videos so far - can't wait to see what else you do!!

[@GoldChris]

Do not niche keep branding! Love your content I’ve had this same dilemma great things come to those that wait keep up the content the numbers will come 🙏

[@HussainAbdi_]

I've loved your videos and have no doubt you'll make awesome things. Keep going!

[@ParaskeuasKaltsas]

Good quality video. Good job, high effort, relaxed vibe, creativity.

[@tethron.]

Great content bro keep up the videos

[@Dylan_Anderson]

I watched the whole video and was ready to move to NYC until Colt changed my mind at the end.

[@TejasHullur]

He loves his life

[@fewkeyfewkey5414]

Yoo I watch ur content but nyc is not worth it isn’t just costs its also livability

[@GaaraFPS]

Good we need less people coming here 😅

[@armanirios385]

Native New Yorker born and raised - do not move here. This place is extremely dangerous, filthy and has so many issues that never end. I’m looking for a way out in the near future. Going to Florida 🎉

[@HELIX1]

He can afford food what more could you want ? 😂

[@dennisp8520]

It’s wild to me that wanting a washer and dryer to clean your clothes is considered a luxury in New York. New York is like a whole different country compared to the rest of the USA

[@TejasHullur]

Haha a year ago I thought this as well. I use a laundry service now where I drop off my clothes and have them washed and folded and although the price of that is high compared to doing it myself, it's WAY less than finding an apartment with a washer dryer unit

[@txsoccerstar]

There is super cheap wash and fold laundry service on every block. It's kinda amazing, you drop off a bag of clothes and get them washed for like $10-20.

[@AricMiller89]

Living with roommates is cute and fun in your 20s but gets old when you’re pushing 40. And no amount of “omg NYC is so dope” will change that. At that point, if you aren’t earning enough to have your own place, it’s probably time to think about living somewhere else.

[@shawnhall9792]

So many people who are older have roommates my friend who was 21 had roommates who were around 50 and 45 everybody is struggling in our city and this video is funny .

[@Vyuel]

well the ideal situation is to be living with a partner by the time your 40 and not a ragtag bunch of goober roommate buddies lol

[@ShervinShares]

Teared me up 😢 moving to NYC at 22 is such a dream come true

[@LH777-nb1fb]

Haha Shervin u are the best ❤

[@centipedekid9824]

If you have money. Been here my entire life and it sucks if you are broke.

[@vivarantx]

terrible decision. Cancel your trip and save yourself a couple of years

[@nicktguy]

I always feel smart watching these videos lol also love the sunset to night shots as the video was closing, nice touch

[@user-gm1mt2ie3h]

as a person from jersey born and raised sacrificing good quality for good location has to be the dumbest thing ever. especially when looking at apartments in new jersey a hop skip and jump away from new york going to the city is literally a 20 min train ride and you live in a good place for a cheaper price as opposed to living in a rundown shoebox for around the same price (or even more expensive in some cases). And you get all the same experiences and opportunities that you would get if you actually lived in NYC the only downside to that being you have to take a 20 min train ride everyday. But hey if that 20 min commute really is that much of a deal breaker to you then i’d say go for the rundown shoebox power to ya.

[@eliana993]

As a native New Yorker who moved to Jersey. I hate it. It’s actually not cheap enough to justify it. My apartment was a deal at the time but the apartments all ballooned in rent price in the last few years. It’s not worth it anymore and most of the less expensive areas are food deserts.

[@aim-for-greatn3z947]

Yeah there's minimal difference now in N.j because everyone from nyc is running down and raising rents for all. I rento two rooms one in n.j amd nyc both for $900 In n.j I legit have almost a studio apartment for 900 In nyc I only have a room! Go figure 😂

[@txsoccerstar]

@@aim-for-greatn3z947 you have an apartment in NJ for $900/month? Yeah right.

[@MattSezer]

Yeah, “median asking rent” on StreetEasy is the least accurate metric to measure affordability. Most New Yorkers in a given year aren’t renting new apartments on StreetEasy. Over 40% of NYC apartments are rent stabilized, and even the ones that aren’t have restrictions on how much the rent can be raised on existing tenants, so people that actually live here vs. people who move from the outside and don’t know what they’re doing generally pay far less.

[@JesusChrist-qs8sx]

On the other hand.... It's a pretty poor look for the city and it's government that the median asking rent is as high as it is, ESPECIALLY in the outer boroughs. NYC is still not "affordable", by policy choice.

[@edwardleefilms]

Erewhon parts had me dead with the sound effects and cuts 😂 awesome video!!

[@bb-gp3lm]

I usually don't comment on youtube vids but I lived in NYC for 6yrs and moved out. If you want to live in MANHATTAN or live alone in the other boros you need 6 figs. I lived with a roommate for all 6 years when my salary was pretty low. A lot of people in NYC are poor PoC and live on way less, no one talks to them. 2. It's fun when you're young but when other priorities take over - family, job opportunities, etc. I'm glad remote work is a thing because it allowed me to move out and have a better quality of life. You cannot get a w/d in unit without paying $1k extra in NYC. My bldg refused to install a w/d in the basement and I had to go outside for laundry - never again. 3. The city constantly raises prices on everything, more fares, more taxes, ConEd, food, and pay is stagnant. Hella corrupt city. Always seem to elect the dumbest mayors. 4. People refuse to believe Jersey City or Hoboken is an option, yet the rent jumps off a cliff once you cross the Hudson. 5. Subway service and safety has gone down post-covid. It also baffled me how much my co-workers were making (6 figs) but they pay $3k in rent every month. Like WHY LMAO. You're remote, you don't need to be here. NYC is fun for awhile, but when you think about your future, it's not great unless you're mega wealthy. It's great if you need to start your career but honestly after you get exp, get out of there.

[@CornellEnglishMajor]

My Chicago Nationalism started flaring up towards the end of this video after the Schulz clip 🤣🤣

[@TejasHullur]

Loooove Chicago, grew up in the burbs!

[@BoxTrap]

@@TejasHullur Any thoughts about Chicago vs NYC? Looking at law schools and currently learning towards Chicago!

[@Theallanrodriguez]

Love me my Chicago ❤

[@CornellEnglishMajor]

​@@BoxTrap I would lean Chicago as well, but NYC has more "stuff happening" if that's what you're looking for. Chicago is still great though Both are walkable and have decent public transit, although NYC is slightly better in this regard. Crime is probably similar, not sure what the per capita difference is. Both are likely localized to specific neighborhoods for the most part Chicago is significantly more affordable. Check your stipend and use some of the cost of living calculators online to see the difference. From what I'm seeing, New York is DOUBLE the cost of living lol. Still a great city for all the reasons Tejas mentioned in the video, but having disposable income is nice.

[@L_R..]

I went on a solo trip to New York and I was really shocked how the gentrification is up there. I stayed in Chelsea and I was the only black person I feel like anywhere I went. One of the few times I felt like a monolift…HOWEVER when I went to visit Harlem it was a complete different surrounding and more DIVERSE specifically having more black ppl living there. I say all this to say your New York experience REALLY depends on the borough’s and neighborhoods you’re living and going to…. I found it interesting that the map that you are using cuts out all the predominantly black neighborhoods which are above the park…

[@joker_views]

facts, as a native new yorker, that made me side eye the whole video

[@noire.5573]

Facts

[@Melanielisbeth]

I lived in east Harlem in a brownstone and Harlem is the only place I felt the safest and it has so much culture and delicious food. The deli workers were also the best I will miss them forever

[@PeteMatheson]

I feel like the whole cost comparison part of the video could be a video in itself. Great video! Not sure why I wasn't subbed already! 🙌🏼

[@TejasHullur]

Thank you!

[@dedanny08]

Just wanted to say that I really like your style of video making! Informative but still fun to watch! Keep making great content!

[@TejasHullur]

That's the goal!

[@dhanyarajagopal3286]

It is the same as Casey Neistat's style, especially with the whole writing on a paper thing

[@Samanthasspace]

Your storytelling skills are on another level! No matter what you choose to discuss, know that it's the way you explain it that keeps your audience so invested

[@hypanthia]

amazing video man!!! loved the style and flow, and the editing was great. keep it up

[@EpicDIZ]

My entire life I have regretted not moving to a big city and sharing an apartment with my boys and following my dreams. Love to see you guys are doing that. What a great video.

[@KINGLIME1]

great video quality, your time in coming Tejas keep up the great work!

[@alexkingphoto]

This is extremely well made, love the composition of these shots. just subbed!

[@byneelpatel]

love this video bro! The research and data that you find to back the story youre telling has been amazing these last few videos! much love!

[@TejasHullur]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@wherescalebshaw]

Tejas this video was incredible. So engaging and educational, feel like I understand NYC so much more. That last moment with Colt was precious. Also the Andrew Shultz clup- amazing.

[@ayansheikh1443]

Video quality is exceptional bro.

[@joshandmomma]

Awesome video! Very informative!!

[@GwynethGotcha]

This video is so well put together!!! thank you for showing us the insights and can’t wait for the next ❤️

[@Hero_of_Sinnoh]

Great video Tejas! Really interesting for someone outside the states. Keep up the quality content!

[@JustDerik]

Closed out the video perfectly and the andrew schulz clip fit perfectly! Great video as always!

[@TejasHullur]

Serendipity 👐

[@lucasdimos3957]

cant believe you're on my recommended feed now. keep up the grind bro

[@LC789789]

dude your wide shots and cinematography is amazing

[@jertban]

This is an insane video, loved every minute of it. Keep it coming man

[@janik9699]

another banger, keep killing it brother

[@jackbibbmedia]

your style of video is the best on the net. so good, love from UK!

[@HELIX1]

The Quality of the video is crazy, 1 mil incoming ❤

[@WhizPill]

This is one of the best made videos this year by far

[@SteakFromJakeFarm777]

Fam, Whole Foods is NOT New York prices. try Food Town next time. Or just go to Whole Foods in each city. But Whole Foods is boogie not representative of a city.

[@devthedev223]

This video is so well done 🔥🔥

[@LawrenceLTD-kk2nf]

I just wanna say , youre really good at this, just now coming across your channel

[@ImJulienCharles]

This video creates so many emotions, love it!

[@GooseCee]

This video is awesome! Im watching it on my break rn

[@TejasHullur]

Yeehaw!

[@Aaaissa]

The best video ever about NYC. Very interesting. Thank you! 😊

[@ladybug3380]

This was beautifully made. Good job sir 👍🏾

[@edwinsingh_]

Love this video keep it going!

[@themeditatinginvestor]

Such a good video! I love how you deliver financial information through amazing storytelling!

[@TejasHullur]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@ShadowBeast]

This guys detication to lighting is fantastic. Wanted to let you know, I NOTICED the good lighting.

[@FilmFactry]

Very professionally done. Subscribed!

[@zakkincaid]

Everything in this video is so true man! I’m moving away for the next year to be close to my grandparents while I still have them (health issues), but it’s going to be so hard going a full year without living in the city. We’re moving back the second our lease is up and I’ve already planned like 6 flights back over the next few months. The city is worth every penny 😂

[@arbousiersles7381]

WELL done! thanks for sharing

[@holtrealestate]

NYC is the best! I moved from FL 13yrs ago but still spend time there and LA. The cost comparison between all 3 is quite interesting. Your storytelling and editing are great 👌 Keep up the good work and enjoy living with your friends. Time flies in NYC like nowhere else

[@Tech4YourNeeds]

This is an eye opining video. Well put together appreciate your work on it. I agree with you on the opportunities NYC offer.

[@abhiram.a2412]

This vid and the channel is Just Underrated AF

[@TejasHullur]

thank you!

[@Bestguyever747.]

When u guys talked about quality that was the one I checked off idc if the room looks acheticalsly bad and I wouldn’t mind living in Brooklyn or queens

[@ThatCircusShow]

Dude.. this was good vibes all through. I’ve wanted to move to NYC for a minute, but I settled for Toronto - perhaps one day Subbed

[@newbegin12]

Really nice video, very peaceful to watch.

[@SantosChronicles]

This was a fun and informative video. We were just there at NYC in Nov and you answered a lot of the questions I had. You guys all crack me up. Secretly I was hoping to run into you guys. If you ever need another IL Guinea pig, let me know.

[@_cosully]

Tejas, the effort you put into this video is just awesome man. Super admirable as an aspiring creator! ☄️☄️☄️

[@riteshpal2070]

I Don't even know when video it end tejas , colt are making content which I fall in love with your videos feel different ❤

[@justinecolbert]

Been thinking about moving back to NY lately so I loved this video!! What camera did you shoot this video on? thank u! :)

[@RangerBloxs]

Different type of video but rlly good for teens and young adults and well edited by the way!

[@LouisSchweizer]

Insane Quality!!!!!!!

[@quwy2]

Bro you're video style so good

[@answeredthatforyou]

Wonder how much realistic LA groceries cost, same with McDonalds and Starbucks

[@TejasHullur]

That is an answer Id like for me

[@hilton998]

Muchhhh cheaper. Moved from NYC to LA about 2 weeks ago and can tell you that I’m significantly spending much less in groceries.

[@nataliatothemoon]

you may have given up your in-unit washer drier, but you gained a Thai laundromat owner lady that you love and told her story so that we can love her too and created more space for new wholesome experiences

[@watermage25]

Really, liked this video. I live in the bay area now, but would love to live in NYC some day. Hopefully soon.

[@otuedonuduaghan7173]

I love this video, I just want to say amazing story telling.

[@HussainAbdi_]

really loved this

[@nataliatothemoon]

literally the city is an accelerated place to make serendipity happen. we love increasing the chance of serendipity

[@bozumoyo3277]

You know when you look at some people together and you think "dang, they were just DESTINED to meet and become friends"? 💫💯

[@whysoenvious]

Your cinematic shots were amazing. My only problem with your experiment is that you didn't have controlled variables for the grocery store. Target would have been an easy thing, as every place has it. Whole Foods is known for its quality but is also more expensive. You also didn't emphasize enough how quickly New York can make things happen in your life. The people you meet could be anyone, and that anyone could be someone important who can help you achieve success. There's also the after party to a wedding, where everyone is having the time of their lives. You can see the aura of excitement from every person as you ride past them, realizing that you're in the city at night and how easy it is to access everything to get you to that moment in Little Italy. And then you remember that you took an edible before your bike ride, and it starts to kick in after that restaurant, but you still need to get to midtown. New York also offers higher wages/salaries. If you can secure a job there, you're set. I've only been to New York three times. The first time was in 2020, and it was deaddddd. I didn't like it, but a lady told me at a restaurant, "This isn't fair. Come back when people are back, and you'll understand." And I did. She was completely right. I understand why people live there. Will I live there? When I can afford the correct lifestyle without sacrificing.

[@Dullah]

Great video

[@milesmccreery7676]

awesome video, love seeing Flagrant in the mix here 🤝

[@shivyessir]

Great video!

[@AudraGibson]

The difference is a single person renting verses stacking multiple incomes on rent. If you don’t have a significant other or no longer want to live with roomies in your thirties or forties, the income you need to live comfortably in NYC goes up significantly.

[@tylerTaaca1]

This dude is criminally underrated

[@LukeEich1]

ANOTHA BANGER!

[@TejasHullur]

My man!

[@kavesannaidoo4421]

Starbucks and McDonald's in one video?? Crazy

[@TejasHullur]

thats our everyday...

[@kavesannaidoo4421]

@@TejasHullur It isn't so much about buying them everyday and more about supporting the two main targets of the BDS movement.

[@greedo7]

​@@kavesannaidoo4421to be fair starbucks wasnt an official BDS target, but yea this is still kinda disappointing. im sure theyre doing stuff behind the scenes that we dont see, but thats js me being optimistic, also ben is a part of creators for 🍉 so i think thats why there were no LA stats there lol

[@kavesannaidoo4421]

@@greedo7 From what I have found, the reason for the Starbucks boycott wasn't due to direct monetary funding to Israel but because of a lawsuit against their workers union who posted something pro-🍉. Personally I don't really care to police what people spend their money on. However it is disappointing to see him post both of these companies in a single video, given the current climate. The normalisation of these companies acts against the BDS movement because people will see their favourite creator featuring the products and assume it is okay to purchase them. I am happy we have people like Ben.

[@greedo7]

@@kavesannaidoo4421 yea i agree tbh, plus both boycotts have been relatively successful (especially starbucks losing ~11 billion dollars in revenue), despite the pushback & indifference i see most times it comes up. i hope there isnt too much hostile pushback to something like this since not everyone has the same feed & gets the same info, but ig that means we keep advocating & speaking up right? like js to do the bare minimum as consumers to show solidarity

[@ThatGuy-uv2br]

If you want to live in a city, move to Chicago it's so much cheaper and you still get the benefits of a city. And you don't have to get roommates lol

[@gazalalkhateeb8517]

That’s what I’ve noticed. I’m moving to Chicago

[@bonniehopkins7511]

Great topic clicked immediately

[@jamescannon5097]

Harlem, which is located in Manhattan, is not even included on this map. I wonder why??

[@QuintonHeck]

Man your video creating skills are great, literally taking notes on how to make my vids better 😂 Maybe we can collab one day man! Keep up the great work

[@TejasHullur]

Wow thank you bro!!

[@QuintonHeck]

@@TejasHullur no thank you bro!

[@B0A2]

Would have loved to see some price comparisons to more rural parts of America as well instead of just big cities. Great video overall I didn’t expect that you could live in NYC only many $70k or so

[@FlemmoTV]

Tejas great video!

[@lukeroberts1]

This video is gonna go viral without a doubt

[@sean-pe]

Very cool! Can you try doing it in the different boroughs? That would be cool!

[@Chris_Lan]

"I can buy... sometimes... the things. I want" Colt is the best lmao

[@vicwillis4295]

I'm in a college town in the midwest and a 16oz iced lattee from a specialty shop is easily 6-7.50 depending on subbing for alt milk etc. I just think life is expensive rn.

[@prongs2174]

Thank you for showing the "other side of the story". My dream of living in that city came back thank you! 😁

[@andrewleonard2128]

great opening bit

[@TejasHullur]

thanks boss!

[@amazingaidan9125]

I think it’s a matter of location in the city as well, if you go to queens or the Bronx you notice the drastic shift in prices from Manhattan, I think if you budget yourself and know to look in the local areas you can get by just fine

[@mightguy3118]

Exactly what I've been saying. Get some roommates, move to Queens and you'll be fine

[@AudraGibson]

My grocery bill doubled when I moved to the area, and I don’t even live in the city. My apartment is across the Hudson in Jersey. And don’t even get me started on trying to find much less get an apartment with all the competition.

[@mohammedgiwa]

Great video! 😇

[@ruby0711]

I'm curious how comparable NYC is to the Bay Area as well... we moved here from Seattle last summer, the sticker shock still hasn't fully left yet. A quick two or three-inch hair cut (from slightly longer bob to a shorter bob) with a licensed hairdresser costs between $115 and $190 (before tips!!). I used to only pay $70 in Seattle...

[@SamanthaGermanoNYC]

Nailed it 🫶👏

[@THEGOATOFFOOTBALLMESSI22]

❤

[@TejasHullur]

the goat!

[@hyggemcb06]

Saving the cost of a car is a factor in NYC’s favor. Makes a big difference!

[@tashgrant5969]

NYC is not just Manhattan

[@sniper77xo90]

Hey as a New Yorker here this is a great video , New York City used to be a lot more affordable where I’m 1900s you could work a factory job and still be able afford live there comfortably. Manhatten is crazy expensive don’t see why people live there but again like you pointed out in the videos there are way better boroughs Brooklyn to me is the best borough . Certain parts of it are really slow pace, tou can raise a family there and still have a pretty good life. But even if Brooklyn to expensive for you, or you want a slower pace of life , queens is a very urban surbarb , there places in queens feel like your in middle of a random suburbs just rows of houses , and small town,communities , diverse communities every where queens is honestly beautiful then you have Staten Island where all the Italians who wanted to settle down and leave Brooklyn went to , Staten Island underrated it’s the most suburb area new york but still one of most dense urban paces in USA , equal population to whole city of Miami , it gets a bad rep but it’s a lot more diverse then people make it same , south shore all Italians and white people while north shore is more like queens ,there alot of perks living in the metropolitan area you just can’t beat . But if somebody looking settle down but still live in nyew York area would say Long Island , queens / Staten Island best 3 options a lot more affordable rent, and a lot more space which is usually what a lot of people end up doing when they read settle down go to Long Island or queens

[@n-line97]

Were those gun shots on the McDonalds screen lmaoo?

[@inhookim7042]

Great video! Definitely a good watch, but I can't help but see it as a bit out of touch. For privileged singles with moderate to high paying jobs it's easy to look at the high prices as a tax for the lifestyle and what's around. But for the immigrant trying to make a new life or the local watching the city grow, inflate, and leave them behind the prices are unreasonable and unmanageable. At the end of the day it's these people that create and provide the services that makes NYC so great to live in.

[@ImGavinLandry]

2 cooper is a legendary spot.I have fond memories of sneaking into that pool on hot summer nights.

[@bitcoinzoomer9994]

This video feels like a crazy ass cope

[@vforpresident123]

W vid bro 😮‍💨

[@osthentic]

“New York city staple”. Goes to WHOLE FOODS?!?!

[@txsoccerstar]

Yeah that's not super typical. People who want cheaper groceries usually shop at Trader Joe's or Target, because they don't inflate prices. Prices at TJs in NYC is about the same as TJs anywhere else. Target didn't inflate prices at all as far as I could tell when I lived there in 2018, and had convenient delivery. Now all grocery stores have delivery and a ton of people use that, because lugging groceries around town is not fun. If you can afford it, you get everything delivered. The logistics of grocery delivery in NYC is absolutely crazy. I would see big box trucks full of groceries stop on my block in the morning and unload literally hundreds of boxes and bags of groceries each day, which would then be distributed to the blocks around.