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New York, United States

New York: on the water, expensive and not sorry about it, mostly safe

🌊 Ocean🪩 Nightlife🎵 Live Music🎨 Art Scene+1

More of New York

Day view
🇺🇸 US citizen:PR in ~10 yr
TL;DRNew York in one sentence

The startup ecosystem in New York is legitimate — this isn't a "digital nomad hub," it's an actual tech city. Practically speaking: you can get by in English, rent runs ~$4281/mo, PR in ~10 years.

Considering relocating to New York? Expect rent from $4,281/month, generally safe for expats, English is the primary language. This page covers cost of living, safety, weather, residency options, and everything else settlers want to know before signing a lease.

🏳️‍🌈From Queer SettlersMarriage legal. Adoption legal. Nobody cares who you love.← back

🇺🇸 New York, United States

Compare
8.5M people22% pricier than San FranciscoLivability 58/100 · #73Safety 64/100 · #68

Just you against the world. And the rent.

Expenses = rent + food + transport + utilities · Rent alone: $4,281/mo

💸 Top 5 most expensive cities
Show score breakdown
Affordability
0/25Numbeo
Violent Crime
11.1/15UNODC
Perceived Safety
4.9/10Numbeo
Internet
12.1/15Ookla
Democracy
11.8/15EIU
English
10/10EF EPI
Climate
8.7/10Numbeo
Stability
7.1/10World Bank
Geopolitical Safety
4.2/10IEP GPI

Total: 69.9/120 raw pts → normalized to 58/100 · Full methodology

☀️ 6:22 AM in New York right now

Data: Numbeo · UNODC · EIU · EF EPI · Ookla · How is this calculated?

Is New York a Good Place to Live?

Is new york a good place to live? It depends on what you're optimizing for. New York has real strengths, but the honest answer requires looking at the data. Here's what the numbers say about settling in New York, United States.

  • Flawed democracy: Democracy index 7.8/10 — a flawed democracy, which is the polite way of saying 'it's complicated'.
  • Cost of living: A 1-bedroom in the center runs ~$4281/mo — serious money — hope your salary matches.
  • Safety: Homicide rate 3.9 per 100k (Numbeo safety index: 49/100) — average safety — normal street-smarts apply.
  • Language: English proficiency: very high — English is the default language — you're already fluent in the local tongue.
  • Climate: Summers peak around 28°C, winters dip to -1°C.

Life in New York

✦ Sections reordered for Queer Settlers

What It Actually Costs

Beer $8.0 · Cheap meal $25

What It Actually Costs

One day in New York

$55.70/day

Beer, coffee, two meals, a metro ride.

Beer, 0.5L$8.00
Cappuccino$5.70
Cheap meal$25.00
Fast food$14.00
Metro ticket$3.00

Monthly

Gym$120
Internet$72

Numbeo

What Paychecks Look Like

Junior $140k · Mid $191k · Senior $248k

What Paychecks Look Like

Annual gross in USD — with what United States actually lets you keep

Levels.fyi · as of Apr 2026

Software Engineer$191k
$11.0k/mo net(31% tax)
$135k$278k
Product Manager$227k
$12.9k/mo net(32% tax)
$165k$321k
Data Analyst$110k
$6,683/mo net(27% tax)
$85k$147k
Finance Manager$127k
$7,586/mo net(28% tax)
$94k$174k
Doctor$240k
$13.5k/mo net(32% tax)
$100k$415k

Junior ~ $140k · Mid ~ $191k · Senior ~ $248k — see breakdown

Software Engineer by level
Junior$140k
$8,272/mo net(29% tax)
$100k$189k
Mid$191k
$11.0k/mo net(31% tax)
$135k$278k
Senior$248k
$13.9k/mo net(33% tax)
$176k$354k

Net = employee rate, your settings

Punch in your actual salary for a personalized breakdown →

Cost to Land

1-bed centre: $4281/mo

Cost to Land

The price of showing up (before real life starts)

$19,823one-time

Then it's ~$7,597/mo to actually live here.

Rent(1BR)
$4,281/mo
Groceries
$391/mo
Eating out & delivery(sometimes)
$705/mo
Transport(public)
$133/mo
Travel (amortized)(occasional)
$1,372/mo
Personal care(medium)
$220/mo
Digital & subscriptions(standard)
$30/mo
Utilities & phones
$340/mo
Health insurance
$125/mo

Can you afford it?

Enter your salary in the sidebar to see how far it stretches here.

First month's rent(1BR)
$4,281

Numbeo

Rental deposit(1.5 months)
$6,422

Local tenancy law

Furniture & basics(IKEA run)
$2,880

IKEA estimate

Visa / permit fee(Adjustment of Status (I-485))
$1,440

USCIS fee schedule

Health insurance (yr 1)($400/mo × 12)
$4,800

Local insurance rates

Based on local rental laws & Numbeo prices

How Hard to Find a Place?

4/5 · 2–8 weeks in Manhattan, fierce competition

How Hard Is It to Actually Find a Place?

The part Numbeo doesn't tell you

🔴 4/52–8 weeks in Manhattan, fierce competition

Brace yourself. The system has opinions about your creditworthiness.

What stands between you and a lease

  • Income requirement: 40× monthly rent annually
  • Guarantor required if income insufficient (70–80× rent)
  • Broker fee: 12–15% of annual rent (one-time)
  • Credit check + employment verification

StreetEasy, NYC Rent Guidelines Board 2025 · 2026-Q1

Tax on Savings

Capital gains 20% · Dividends 23.8% · No wealth tax

Tax on Savings

What United States takes from your investments, not your paycheck

Capital gains (long-term)LTCG: 0/15/20% based on income; +3.8% NIIT above $250k; STCG at ordinary rates (up to 37%)
20%
Capital gains (short-term)
37%
Dividend taxQualified dividends: 0/15/20% + 3.8% NIIT; non-qualified at ordinary rates
23.8%
Wealth tax
None

Source: PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries / IRS · 2025 rates · tax-resident individuals

Freelancing in New York

Living Here as a Freelancer

What it takes to invoice clients from New York without an employer holding your hand

How the government sees you

Tax category
Self-employed / Sole Proprietor
VAT registration thresholdNo federal VAT. State sales tax varies (0–10.25%)
None
Social securitySelf-employment tax 15.3% (12.4% Social Security + 2.9% Medicare) on net earnings
~15.3%

Getting paid

Wise local IBANavailable
Stripe payoutssupported
Payoneersupported

Cost of doing business

Health insuranceNo universal healthcare. ACA marketplace ~$300–600/mo depending on state
~€450/mo
Accountant (annual filing)
~€1,000/yr

Source: IRS · SSA · rates as of 2025–2026

Is New York a Good Place to Live in 2026?

2 pros · 3 cons

Is New York a Good Place to Live in 2026?

Derived from cost, safety, weather, democracy, and internet data

For

  • +New York: 28°C and the sea. Summer sorted.
  • +Hub-level startup scene in New York. Founders everywhere.

Against

  • Rent in New York: $4281/mo. Your biggest line item.
  • 3.9/100k in New York. Higher than most of Europe; read up before moving.
  • -1°C winter lows in New York. Heavier coat incoming.

Is New York Safe?

Homicide rate: 3.9 per 100k

Is New York Safe?

64/100 safety scoreHow is this calculated?
3.9homicides per 100kcity-level
49Numbeo safety index
2.4peace index#128 of 163

Generally safe, but not carefree. Read the details below before picking a neighborhood.

Residents report moderate concern about everyday crime. Watch your phone and bag in crowded areas.

Homicide: fbi_ucr_table8_opencrime

data resolution: city-level

Peace index: IEP Global Peace Index

world avg ~5.8 per 100k

Neighborhood breakdown

We don't have an official neighborhood-level crime feed wired for New York yet. The figures above are still citywide or regional.

Settling the family in New York

PISA 489 · Daycare $3390/mo · Partner work rights are very limited

Settling the family in New York

Schools, daycare, healthcare, and spouse work rights on one page

Schools

PISA 489

Public schools run in English and children on residence permits can enroll: Yes.

International options: 15 schools · low $28k/yr · mid $45k/yr · high $69k/yr

Highly competitive; testing and interviews required

Kindergarten / Daycare

$3k/mo

Private full-day preschool: $3k/mo.

Public-availability rules and waitlist length are not tracked in the current city dataset yet, so treat this as the private-price floor, not the full childcare story.

Family Healthcare

Private-first

No public option for immigrants; employer insurance or ACA marketplace required

No public healthcare for non-citizens. Emergency rooms must stabilize you (EMTALA law), but the bill can be financially devastating. Private insurance essential from day 1 (~$350/mo for basic). Employer-sponsored insurance is the norm — negotiate it before you move.

Dependents on temporary status: plan on private coverage first.

Pediatric/specialist reality: 2–6 weeks.

CHIP covers children in low-income families; otherwise depends on employer plan

Spouse / Dependent Rules

Partner work rights are very limited

Partner work rights are very limited

H-4 spouse can work only if H-1B principal has approved I-140. EAD processing takes 6–12 months (standalone), no auto-extension since Oct 2025.

Child benefits, family allowances, and parental-leave entitlements are not part of the structured city dataset yet, so check the country-level residency rules before assuming those offsets are in your budget.

Sources: isd_tuition, Numbeo, OECD Health at a Glance 2025, National health ministry websites, OECD Health at a Glance 2025, https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/h-1b-specialty-occupations/employment-authorization-for-certain-h-4-dependent-spouses

Crossing the Street

14.2 road deaths/100k · ↑ worsening

Crossing the Street

Road traffic deaths — country-level data; city-specific rates not available

14.2deaths per 100k/yr7× Sweden's rate
5-year trendworsening +10.6%2015-2023

Traffic is genuinely dangerous here. Plan your commute like you plan your health insurance. You're 4× more likely to die crossing the street than being murdered here.

Who dies on the road

Car31%
Pedestrians15%
Motorcycle14%
Cyclists2%
Other4%

Data year: 2016

Deaths rate: who_gho_road

Trend: oecd_itf

data resolution: country-level

reference year: 2021

Will You Survive Getting Sick?

No public option for immigrants; employer insurance or ACA marketplace required

Will You Survive Getting Sick?

Healthcare quality, access, and what settlers actually face

79
/100 healthcare scoreStrong
What goes into this score
81OutcomesIs the system actually good?
88AccessCan you actually get treated?
63PerceptionWill you pull your hair out at the doctor?

Score = 50% outcomes + 30% access + 20% perception. Missing components are re-weighted.

Month 1 — Before ResidencyPrivate insurance needed

No public healthcare for non-citizens. Emergency rooms must stabilize you (EMTALA law), but the bill can be financially devastating. Private insurance essential from day 1 (~$350/mo for basic). Employer-sponsored insurance is the norm — negotiate it before you move.

Private insurance: ~$400/mo
After Residency
SystemPrivate-driven
Covers temp residentsNo — bring insurance
Specialist wait2–6 weeks

No public option for immigrants; employer insurance or ACA marketplace required

Kids: CHIP covers children in low-income families; otherwise depends on employer plan

Good healthcare system. You'll find competent doctors, modern equipment, and only the normal amount of waiting-room existential dread.

Sources: OECD Health at a Glance 2025, Numbeo, National health ministry websites, OECD Health at a Glance 2025

For the Kids

15 international schools · PISA 489

For the Kids

Schools, childcare costs, and whether your children can actually enroll

489
PISA score (country avg)Average
International schools15
Tuition range (annual)cheapest to priciest school
$28k$69k/yr
Foreign admissionHighly competitive; testing and interviews required
Public school languageEnglish
Public school on permitYes
Daycare (private, full-day)per kid — multiply at will
$3390/mo
Russian-language schoolingNo verified Russian-language school source yet. Treat this as unresearched, not as 'none exist.'
No data

15 international schools · $28k–$69k/yr · A handful. Start researching early.

Schools are fine. Not the kind of "fine" you say through gritted teeth — genuinely adequate. International schools fill the gaps.

Sources: isd_tuition, oecd_pisa, wikipedia_intl_schools, Numbeo

What You're Breathing

PM2.5 13.2 μg/m³ · 2.6× WHO limit

What You're Breathing

Invisible particles in every breath

2.6×
what doctors say is finemoderate
PM2.5 annual mean13.2 μg/m³
0WHO limit55+
NO₂ annual mean27.9 μg/m³
5-year trend📉 Getting less poisonous
Data year2025

Sources: WHO Air Quality Database V6.1, OpenAQ

Weather in New York

Summer 28°C · 15.1h daylight (Jun) · Winter -1°C · 9.3h daylight (Dec)

Weather in New York

Spring

16°C

50% sunny

Summer

28°C

58% sunny

15.1h daylight

Fall

18°C

60% sunny

Winter

6°C

48% sunny

9.3h daylight

Daylight contrast

Winter 9.3h (Dec) vs summer 15.1h (Jun)

+5.8h

Winter9.3h
Summer15.1h

Best: Summer, Fall. Avoid: Winter if you dislike extremes.

Source: WeatherSpark

Will You Have a Thursday Night?

Will You Have a Thursday Night?

Nightlife & social scene

85
Party capitalout of 100
New York85/100
Madrid80/100

as of Apr 2026

Scene tags

🌃Known for going out🎵Live music scene🎨Art & culture scene

Source: Numbeo Quality of Life Index

Will You Have Friends in United States?

Nightlife 85/100

Will You Have Friends in United States?

Expat community and post-Soviet diaspora

Post-Soviet community in United States

Country-level — city data unavailable for United States.

Russian
~2.5M2023
Ukrainian
~500k2024
Belarusian
~55k2023

Source: diaspora_cache

US Census ACS / DHS Uniting for Ukraine — country-level figures

Will You Find Your Dance Nerds?

Lindy hop 5/5 · ~10 weekly socials

Will You Find Your Dance Nerds?

Swing dance scene intel

Lindy HopWorld-class
Solo JazzWorld-class
BalboaActive
Weekly socials~10/week
Teaching marketthriving
English-friendlyYes

Schools

Frankie Manning FoundationSavoy Style

Festivals

International Lindy Hop Championships

Source: swingplanit.com, community research · Updated Mar 2026

Who Has Offices in New York?

Google, Meta, Amazon + 5 more

Who Has Offices in New York?

Google✓ visaMeta✓ visaAmazon✓ visaJPMorgan✓ visaGoldman Sachs✓ visaBloombergDatadogMongoDB

✓ visa = known to sponsor non-EU work visas

Notable employers with offices in the city. Not exhaustive.

How Fast Is the Wi-Fi, Really?

162↓ / 21↑ Mbps

How Fast Is the Wi-Fi, Really?

Median speeds across all connection types · Ookla Speedtest Global Index

162
Mbps ↓ downloadFast
21 Mbps ↑ upload (United States avg)
United States avg download207 Mbps
New York vs. country-46 Mbps

Download is the city median across all connection types — DSL, cable, fiber, and mobile. Upload is the country-wide average. If you're on a modern fiber or 5G plan, expect 300–1,000 Mbps down.

Source: Ookla Speedtest Global Index

Can Your Mom Visit?

Can You Ditch the Car?

United States, the Country

Can You Actually Live Here?

PR in ~10 yrs · Citizenship in 13 yrs · Partner work rights are very limited

Can You Actually Live Here?

Visa difficulty, time to residency, and what it takes to stay

10years to permanent residency

For a US citizen passport: Easy

Citizenship13 yr

H-1B lottery → EB-2/EB-3 green card (current for most nationalities; 12–20+ yr backlog for India/China), then 5 yr residency before citizenship. Requires English proficiency and passing a 128-question civics test (12/20 to pass).

Work permitComplex

Spouse & dependents

Partner work rights are very limited

H-4 spouse can work only if H-1B principal has approved I-140. EAD processing takes 6–12 months (standalone), no auto-extension since Oct 2025.

Updated May 2026 · Source

What You Can Actually Do Here

Tech jobs very high · Sponsorship hard · Startup hub · finance, media, tech

What You Can Actually Do Here

Industries, employers, and how startup-friendly this place is

Employment

financemediatechfashion

Tech job density Very high (90/100)

Open tech roles ~24k(est.)

Top university ranked #19 globally

Non-EU sponsorship Hard (46/100)

Startup Scene

EcosystemHub
VC PresenceStrong

Ease of doing business: #55

Corporate tax rate21.0%

Sources: StartupBlink · scraper-owned tech clusters · country visa sources

Who's Running the Show

Democracy index: 7.8/10

Who's Running the Show

Politics, freedom, and press independence

Freedom House80/100
Press freedom rank#55 of 180
Peace index2.4 #128 of 163

Source: EIU Democracy Index

Peace: IEP Global Peace Index

Also: Freedom House · RSF Press Freedom Index

How is this calculated?

What Will Break 6 Months In

!
Bureaucracy

The system works. It just works on its own schedule. Government offices close early, queues are real, and patience is mandatory.

!
Power

Outages happen often enough to notice. A UPS for your router isn't paranoia — it's planning.

The Fine Print on Being Yourself

Rainbow 68/100 · Marriage legal

The Fine Print on Being Yourself

LGBTQ+ protections, reproductive rights, and who the law actually covers

68/100
Rainbow Index

Moderate protections

Same-sex marriageLegal (2015)
Employment protectionYes
Hate crime lawYes
AdoptionJoint adoption

Reproductive Health Access

Abortion accessOn request

Post-Dobbs (2022): varies dramatically by state. Fully banned in ~14 states, protected in ~20 states.

Source: ilga_europe_equaldex

Reproductive: center_reproductive_rights

How Rainbow Index works: ILGA-Europe's Rainbow Europe index (0–100) weights recent legal changes heavily — countries that passed rights early but haven't added new protections since score lower than countries still actively legislating. This is why Amsterdam (59) scores below Madrid (76): the Netherlands did everything first but Rainbow Europe rewards momentum, not just outcomes.

English in New York

Very High

English in New York

100
/100 country-level baselineVery High level (EF EPI)
English at work100/100 · Native

Work, hiring, and meetings default to English.

English on the street100/100 · Native

Doctors, landlords, and city paperwork usually start in English too.

Primary local language is English, so office and street English are treated as native-level.

Language distance: Slavic: manageable · Romance: manageable · Germanic: easy

Source: manual

Will the Lights Stay On?

Grid 83/100 · 25% renewable · Outages: occasional

Will the Lights Stay On?

Grid stability, energy mix, and outage risk

83
/100 grid reliabilityMostly stable
Outage frequencyoccasional outages
Renewables25%

Sources: IEA, World Bank (SAIDI), national grid operators

New York — FAQ

10 questions answered

New York — Things You'll Want to Know

How safe is New York, really?

Homicide rate: 3.9 per 100,000 (UNODC). World average is 5.8, so New York is generally safe — about what you'd expect. Numbeo Crime Index sits at 51.1/100 (lower = safer) — that's what residents actually say about walking home at night, not what the tourism board says. Learn the neighborhoods before signing a lease — every city has blocks you'll love and blocks you won't.

What's the real cost of living in New York?

A 1-bed in the centre runs about $4281/month (Numbeo). Day-to-day: a cheap restaurant meal: $25.00, monthly transit pass: $133. All in — rent, food, getting around, keeping the lights on — budget $4681–$5081/month depending on whether you cook or eat out. That's the settler number, not the tourist number.

What's the weather actually like in New York?

New York: Summers reach around 28°C with about 15.1 hours of daylight in Jun, winters drop to around -1°C and 9.3 hours of daylight in Dec. Comfortable summers — the kind where you argue about whether to open the window or not.

Can you get by in New York without the local language?

Very High English proficiency (EF EPI). But that one word hides two very different realities: office English 100/100 (can you work in English?) and street English 100/100 (can you argue with your landlord in English?). The office is usually easier. The landlord is the real test.

Is New York actually worth settling in long-term?

United States scores 7.8/10 on the EIU Democracy Index. Solid democracy. Not perfect, but the courts work and the press is free. You can build a life without worrying about the next election too much. Rent from $4281/month.

What's the job market really like in New York?

Unemployment: 4.2%. Translation: competitive but not hopeless — the right skills open doors. If you're planning to job-hunt locally, research your industry before booking a one-way ticket. If you work remotely, this number matters less — but your visa type might not let you.

Who's actually hiring in New York?

Companies with real offices here (not just a registered address): Google, Meta, Amazon, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Bloomberg. Check their career pages — a company on this list isn't a guarantee they're hiring right now, but it means the talent pipeline exists.

Is New York any good for expats?

Depends what kind of expat you are. Key facts: rent from $4281/month; US Employment-Based Green Card (complex process); English is widely spoken, reducing the language barrier significantly. The numbers above — livability score, safety, cost of living — tell you whether the city works on paper. Whether it works for you depends on what you're optimizing for. Take the quiz if you want a more honest answer than "it's great for expats."

How do you actually get a visa to live in United States?

United States has the US Employment-Based Green Card program. Duration: Permanent residence. Requirements: Employer sponsorship (EB-1 to EB-3) or investor visa (EB-5, $1.05M / $800K in targeted areas). Current for most nationalities, 12–20+ yr backlog for India/China. Complex enough that an immigration lawyer earns their fee. Don't DIY this one. Always verify with the official government portal — immigration rules change faster than this page updates.

How long until you get permanent residency in United States?

Permanent residency typically takes 10 years of legal residence; citizenship eligibility after 13 years total. The usual prerequisites: proof of income, a clean criminal record, and sometimes enough local language to prove you're serious. Rules change — check with an immigration lawyer before building your five-year plan around a Reddit thread.

🛂

Can you actually move abroad?

Check real visa paths based on your passport, profession, and savings. Not the tourist visa — the one that lets you stay.

Find visa paths that actually work for you →
Show full data table

🇺🇸 New York

💼 Work: hardPriceyBeach
Total expenses

$7,597/ mo

Rent: $4281 · Rest: $3317

🎵 That's 634 Spotify subs/mo

Healthcare

79/100

Peace

128th

Time to PR

10y

Citizenship

13y

Summer

🌞 28°C

Winter

🥶 -1°C

Internet

161 / 20↑ Mbps

Median · Ookla

United States

Economics · World Bank / IMF

GDP per capita (PPP)2024

$85,810

GDP Growth2024

+2.8%

Inflation2024

2.9%

Boringly steady

Unemployment2025

4.2%

Gini Index2024

41.8

Population2024

8,478,072

Politics · EIU / Freedom House

Democracy Index

7.829th

Regime

Flawed democracy

Freedom House

80/100

Press Freedom

55th

Safety · UNODC / Numbeo

Homicide per 100K

3.9

Safety Index

48.9/100

Residency Path · uscis.gov

Visa Difficulty

EU: moderateRU: suspendedUA: moderateUS: easyGB: complex

Time to Permanent Residency

10 years

Path to Citizenship

13 years

Work Permit

complex

Career

Industries

finance, media, tech

Startup Scene

hub

Connectivity · Ookla Speedtest

Median downloadNew York

161.5 Mbps

Avg uploadUnited States

20.8 Mbps

Avg downloadUnited States

207.2 Mbps

Median across all connection types (DSL, cable, fiber, mobile). Fiber and 5G plans in major cities typically deliver 300–1 000 Mbps.

Language · EF EPI

Languages

English, Spanish (I)

English Proficiency

Very High1th

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