New York City

If you're considering living in New York City, there are some very important decisions you've got to make. Moving is a major change, and you should make sure that you make the best move possible. Perhaps the best way to help in the decision-making process is to lay out a few of the pros and cons of living in New York City.

Cons

Let's get the cons out of the way first. There are a few downsides to living in New York City, just as there are cons for nearly any area that you may move. Different people appreciate or don't appreciate certain elements of the NYC lifestyle. See how these potential cons affect you.
• Tough Traffic. New York City is legendary for its horrific traffic. A workday that begins at 8am can require a 1.5 hour commute. Hours spent in your vehicle is not the best way to reduce stress, lower costs, and save time. Yet it is one of the challenges that millions of New Yorkers face on a daily basis.
• High Prices. New York City is expensive. No questions asked. Everything from foods to taxes are sky-high when compared to other urban areas Stateside. Be prepared for wallet-snatching surprises when you cruise into the Big Apple. The most significant expense has to do with housing. The rent you were accustomed to paying for a 1,000 square foot apartment anywhere else won't get you half that size in New York. Though housing is pricey, there are still great apartments to be found and great places to live.
• Problematic Pollution. Wherever millions of people live in close proximity, there will be a problem with pollution. New York City is no exception. Expect to face a bit more smog and a bit less fresh air than you're used to.

Pros

• The hub of culture. New York is where it happens. It is the cultural capitol of the world. It is the choice residence for celebs, stars, and the world's movers and shakers. It is the top tourist destination in North America. It is home to the hottest, hippest, and latest in the arts, music, food, and technology. New York is the cradle of the ideas that shape our modern world. Imagine living there. A city this big, this vast, and this incredible is absolutely alluring.
• The locus of entertainment. What is the number one city on any entertainer's itinerary? New York City. To live in New York City is to experience entertainment like you've never experienced it before. New York is far ahead of the schedule when it comes to the latest movies, music, or theater productions. Whatever your tastes—regardless of how random, eclectic, or bizarre—you will find something to suit you in New York City. Guaranteed.
• The excitement of people. Are you a people lover? Or just a people watcher? New York is a throbbing mass of humanity—people of every kind. New York is multinational yet intensely American. Living in New York will allow you to rub shoulders with all varieties of people. You have the chance to make new friends, and if you get tired of those, make some more. Despite its vast size, New York City is not an impersonal metropolis. It is a thriving hub of socializing and human contact.

Whatever your motivation—and there are far more than just these—New York City will most likely pull you in rather than push you away. The attraction of this vast city is simply too powerful.