Average salary and cost of living in NY

[QueenAnne82]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 12:47pm

Just curious.... I want to move there... and totally scared of becoming homeless very quickly,

[Gothampc]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 12:51pm

I think it's hard to say what the average salary would be. My guess would be $50,000/yr.

Cost of living really depends on where you live and how much you want to have. It varies by neighborhood and whether you are living in Manhattan or out of Manhattan.

[bdwybelle]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 12:52pm

Manhattan is expensive.

[Love4Cheno]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 12:54pm

Salaries are totally relative. People come out of college and live in the city on meager $20,000 salaries, and people in finance are making six figures.

If you're worried about rent, live in one of the boroughs or upper manhattan.

Yes, it's an expensive place to live. But with all that's available to you, there's a reason why.

[EddieVarley]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 1:12pm

Just try and secure both a good and stable job and an apartment before you touch down in NYC...let the adventure begin (with practical caution)!

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 1:15pm

Basically, your salary will be about 40% of what you need in order to comfortably live.
And your rent will be somewhere far above what you actually make.
You can, however, supplement your income. I currently work a corner off 7th ave. downtown.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 1:16pm

I told you that's MY corner!!! Damn you - I'll meet you there at 11:00, you little whippersnapper.

[camerangel]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 1:18pm

Damn it Bway how many times must I tell you to get off Rath's corner.. Yours is off 10th..

[Love4Cheno]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 1:22pm

If all the corners are taken, you can work your trade on the pier next to mine.

Just stay away from Cletus from South Orange, NJ. He's mine, and i'll shiv you if you make any moves.

[QueenAnne82]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 1:22pm

Man... sounds like I'll have to send someone to steak me out a corner waaaayyy ahead of time!

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 1:25pm

I have good friends who work at law firms making six figures who complain about never having money.

None of my actor friends make more than 25K a year (save the lucky ones who are in Bway shows right now), and we go out and drink and have fun and see shows and pay our rent and bills on time.

It's always an elaborate dance no matter what you do, so...the trick is knowing what you can't deal without...and making sure you work hard enough that you can earn that.

I should also mention that if you are coming here to persue theatre, know that you will always be working two full-time jobs -- that is 80 hours a week...one job persuing your next gig, and one job that pays the bills. That is, unless you get lazy and just do one or the other -- which results in either losing out on your home or losing out on your dreams.

[camerangel]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 1:31pm

Not only do you need to secure yourself a corner way in advance you also need to look into who you have to share a cut with..

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 1:34pm

The most recent Issue of Backstage had a great story about this exact topic, if you can find it, get it.

Posted: 8/17/05 at 1:41pm

you mean ill need more than my internship come october when I plan to move out of my parents house??? dont burst my little bubble.
Updated On: 8/17/05 at 01:41 PM

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 1:43pm

Here's another tip: find your job, figure out your income...and find a rent that isn't more than 25% (or one week of pay) of your paycheck.
My current rent is basically what i make each week and I am doing surprisingly well. When I had to work two weeks to make my rent, though, things went downhill quickly.

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 1:46pm

That's about where I am, too, Bwaysinger. 25% is a good figure...although, I think most financial gurus would say 10%, but...they can afford to be crazy.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 1:47pm

25% is great. Well done, kids.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 1:48pm

Rath, if I see you ANYWHERE near West End between 11 and 3, my pimp is gonna have a little chit-chat with you.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 1:49pm

You ARE my pimp. Don't be frontin'.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 1:51pm

Oh, yeah. I forgot.

[camerangel]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 1:53pm

WHAT!?!?!?!

Rath, no wonder why ou have been avoiding me.. And here I was going to come hang out with you on your corner tonight for old times sake.. that really hurts!!

**calls in favor to have the wrongs righted**

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 1:59pm

Cam, wanna come work for me?

[camerangel]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 2:04pm

**pauses thinking for a moment**

Possibly.. what are the benefits of working for you.. Other than you're you?

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 2:09pm

Well, as far as pimping goes, I like to think of myself as a cross between Big Daddy in Sweet Charity and Memphis in The Life.

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 2:11pm

Touchme, what's so funny about the people who should spend only 10% on rent is that they'd never condescend to live in my apartment, which would probably be 10% of their income. There are articles all the time about people who make a lot of money but live so outside their means here, paying as much as 80% of their paycheck on their apartments.