New York

City Overview

New York is the global financial capital with a massive Chinese community in Flushing, Sunset Park, and Manhattan Chinatown. Cost of living is very high, especially in Manhattan. The five boroughs vary—Brooklyn and Queens offer relatively lower costs.

Cost of Living Snapshot

Source: RichBay editorial estimate — indicative, not guaranteed Estimate baseline: 2026-07-20 · Actual costs vary by location, timing, and personal lifestyle.

Getting Around New York

24-hour subway covering all 5 boroughs. MetroCard/OMNY tap to pay. Taxis and Uber readily available. Three major airports: JFK, LaGuardia, Newark.

Main transport

• Subway (MTA) ↗ Runs 24/7 with 472 stations across four boroughs; flat fare — tap in with OMNY using any contactless card or phone.
• Buses (MTA) Local and Select Bus Service routes fill the gaps between subway lines; transfers within 2 hours are free on the same card.
• Commuter rail & PATH LIRR (Long Island) and Metro-North (Hudson Valley / Connecticut) serve the suburbs; PATH links Manhattan with the New Jersey waterfront in 10–20 minutes.
• Ferries & Citi Bike NYC Ferry runs East River and harbor routes; Citi Bike docks are dense in Manhattan and brownstone Brooklyn.
• Taxi & rideshare Plentiful but slow in traffic; a congestion toll applies to cars entering Manhattan below 60th Street.

Typical costs

Airport access

• JFK International ↗ AirTrain ($8.75) connects to the subway (Jamaica / Howard Beach) and LIRR; budget 60–90 minutes door-to-door from Manhattan.
• LaGuardia (LGA) ↗ No rail link — the free Q70 LaGuardia Link bus connects to the subway and LIRR; the M60 serves upper Manhattan.
• Newark Liberty (EWR) ↗ AirTrain Newark + NJ Transit rail reaches Penn Station in about 45 minutes (≈ $16.80 total); buses and taxis also run.

Good to know for newcomers

• You don’t need to buy any card — tap a contactless bank card or phone (OMNY) at the turnstile; fares and the weekly cap track automatically.
• The weekly cap replaces passes: after 12 paid rides in 7 days you ride free — nothing to prepay.
• The subway runs 24/7, but nights and weekends bring frequent service changes — check MTA alerts before you ride.
• From JFK and EWR, rail usually beats a taxi in traffic; from LGA allow extra time — it is bus-only.

Commuting & where to live

• Manhattan rent is the region’s highest; Brooklyn and Queens stops on express lines balance rent against a 30–45 minute commute.
• The New Jersey waterfront (Jersey City, Hoboken) via PATH is a genuine alternative — 10–20 minutes into Manhattan.
• Driving into Manhattan rarely pays: congestion toll below 60th Street plus parking; most commuters ride transit.
• Suburban LIRR / Metro-North monthlies add up — price rent plus the rail pass together before choosing a commuter town.

Housing & Neighborhoods

Universities in New York (7)

• Columbia University
• New York University ↗
• CUNY Hunter College ↗
• CUNY Bernard M Baruch College ↗
• CUNY City College ↗
• CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice ↗
• Columbia University in the City of New York ↗

Directory links go to official university sites (source: College Scorecard, public domain).

Deep Dive Guides

Why Live Here

• Global financial/cultural/media hub, top city for job opportunities
• Diverse immigrant culture (ethnic enclaves like Flushing)
• Multicultural melting pot with world-class museums and restaurants