But remember, you don't need a car -- think of it as your car, gas, insurance, repairs, etc. going to rent instead, and the difference isn't quite as large.

And then think about the tremendous amount of culture here -- plays, restaurants, music, groups of people, and so on, on a larger scale and with more diversity than anywhere else in the world except perhaps London. This might not all make a big difference for you, but it's the reason a lot of people choose to live in NYC.

If saving money is your top priority, stay out of NYC. Move to Springfield, Memphis, or Wichita Falls.

If you enjoy certain characteristics of urban living -- dense, progressive, diverse, bustling -- NYC is peerless.

> If you enjoy certain characteristics of urban living -- dense, progressive, diverse, bustling

Plenty of cities have these characteristics that have a much lower cost of living than NYC.

I love NYC. It's a great city, probably the greatest city on earth, but there are plenty of other options out there.

Those traits are no more boolean than cost.

Taxes in New York are a big problem, same as in CA. If you're moving from a jurisdiction with sane taxes you need a substantial pay hike just to break even, never mind the crazy rents.