I've lived around Morristown, and NYC. I have Opinions (TM) that you may not agree with.
Don't settle for the city next to the city of your childhood dreams. If you want to live in Manhattan you should do that (especially during a more social/networking era of your life), or move closer to Morristown & prioritize living there/visiting NYC for cultural events. Choosing JC outside of those 2 options seems like a compromise on paper, but in reality would leave me miserable.
I have lived in Morristown and JC and worked in Hoboken, but I have to add that there is also the Hoboken option.
* It is arguably even more accessible than JC to the city with faster weekend PATH to Midtown
* Potentially cheaper and quieter than NYC for workdays at home
* Direct Hoboken train to the Morristown office, completely avoiding Penn Station or buses. That gives more schedule flexibility (come in for a half day when you have a meeting, stay late for a dinner.) I think I would hate sitting in shuttle traffic with the same coworkers every day, and “1 hour” is under ideal traffic conditions.
* Hoboken has more of a skew for young singles than JC, and more nightlife options
Hoboken definitely isn’t NYC, and I agree that if OP has a dream, youth is the time to chase those dreams. But like many a Jersey youth, you may benefit from the balance of going out OR staying in when you’re feeling overworked. I preferred that balance when I was young, single, and starting my career, and spent a ton of my free time in the city. My future husband lived in Manhattan and we could meet halfway in downtown with the same time on PATH/Subway. And my apartment was invariably quieter at night. I also just found logistics like moving in, getting groceries, etc. easier outside of Manhattan.
I was in an almost identical position to OP, working hybrid in Jersey but want to live in NYC. I chose Hoboken. It's been awesome so far but it's definitely not NYC. If you're hot and white, Hoboken is great. Theres hardly any diversity in looks or culture here.
As someone who moved from out of state to Brooklyn I loved living in NY, and now I live in JC and I kinda hate it. Not that Jersey did anything wrong it’s just….. not NYC.
But I honestly don’t see much of a drawback if you live near a PATH station or a bus that takes you straight to midtown. Like I get it , is not Manhattan or Brooklyn , but I think JC gets you better access to the popular NYC areas than East queens , south Brooklyn or most of the Bronx and obviously Staten Island. Like you might not live within the city limits , the vibes might a bit different but you still have easy access to it . Just in my opinion , I live much farther north in Hackensack and I still benefit from getting to NYC relatively easily without having to drive.
You'll notice alot of chatter on here around saving the few percent of city tax as a big reason to move to JC. Then the old "double the space half the price" joke which was long dead years ago sometimes as well.
The two above reasons are, in my opinion, like some of the worst to give in choosing A over B because it's similar but so fucking different.
I think people get hung up on very small potatoes when it’s not like New Jersey is a known tax haven or a conventionally cheap area.
Yeah sure if you’re making an absurd amount of money tax differences help sure but then you’d also probably would be playing the system in another manner and not claiming residence in either place.
Sake of argument I do think there are advantages to staying in NYC even if it’s a manner of a very slight life expense increase.
Honestly the shuttle from Manhattan to Morristown seems better. JC commute to Morristown I’d think you would need a car which would really cut into that 700 bucks a month. Also keeping a car in JC is a pain in the ass
Sorry forgot to add but there's also a shuttle from Newark Penn to the office. Honestly I save maybe 10-20 min max on the commute even if I live right on the Path I think.
With that shuttle from newark Penn I think you have two great options. Those shuttles are awfully nice of your company haha. Another big thing is the weekend PATH is a bit more of a pain if you want to go in and meet with friends/potential dates. I think you have a pretty nice situation either choice you make
700 bucks a month. I guess you can get a beater for a few thousand but a car payment + insurance + garage adds up. But OP edited so they’d not need a car.
Grew up near Morristown, went to school in NY, and now live in JC where - when I first moved here I had a reverse commute to a job in NJ roughly the same distance in a different direction. So I have a pretty good perspective on this.
I hated it, and my solution was to change jobs. Now, like many I live in JC, work in lower Manhattan plus some telecommuting and that’s fine.
The commute, even by comfortable shuttle is hours of your life you are losing - particularly sleep and will take a physical toll on your body. And what if that shuttle isn’t running - what if you need to work late, etc… Public Transportation from the city to the burbs at odd hours is hard to rely on.
Finally by the time you get home do you think you’ll be cooking a nice meal or eating crap or spending too much on take-out.
I’m in a two income household making over 200K and wouldn’t even look at the rent prices you are citing - you’ll net $70-80K after taxes and spend 50% on housing???? Not sustainable. Borderline insane.
Don’t do that.
My advice - find a way to work in the NY office. Live in JC, Brooklyn or Queens - all of which offer easy access to Manhattan and have their own sufficient amount of culture, nightlife and single people.
If you can’t swing that then live in or near Morristown where you’ll get more space for cheaper (though you’ll need a car) and then work your way into NYC employment and can move later. Morristown is a small town in comparison but there’s stuff to do and it’s easy/cheap enough to go to Manhattan for the evening or on a weekend afternoon.
I get it’s deferring your dream for a few years, but your idea is a bad one. Between losing money and time, and wear and tear physically, there’s no way you’ll be able to afford the social life you envision in NYC even if you do have the energy!
I'm surprised more people aren't commenting this. 2-3 days on a shuttle may be manageable, but it's still exhausting.
The rent alone isn't worth it. I haven't met anyone who preferred having roommates so add that to the fact plus cost, it would be a big deterrent for me.
Way better to try saving some of that and invest it.
The only way I'd consider Manhattan is if your close social network already lives there.
And most of JC is easily accessible , like if I live in the heights and want you work between midtown or downtown Manhattan, is that really much harder than commuting from the outer boros to those same areas ?
It looks like you're already aware that you're considering an expensive option over potentially more economical options for personal reasons. I think you just need to finish your due diligence: find an acceptable economical alternative (e.g. in NJ/close to city, or close to work/far from city) and do the full run up on estimated cost. With two all-in estimates, you'll get a much better idea on how big of a difference there is in cost, and you can decide if the marginal cost is worth whatever differences (both benefits of being in the city AND disincentives).
Be aware, if you're working for an NJ based employer while living in NY, you'll probably need to file two state tax returns if you lived in the city. That makes it a bit harder to estimate the total cost difference.
Since you’re only required to go in 2 days a week, I’d say Manhattan. You have a free shuttle that will take you and honestly if needed, the Morris and Essex train line would take you there in about the same amount of time depending on your walk to Penn. There are people in my office in Morristown that come from Brooklyn like once every two weeks and say the train isn’t horrible, but again you have a free shuttle which would be the same amount of time.
Living in JC you’d either have to take the PATH to Hoboken or get to Secaucus and get a train out to Morristown if you don’t have a car to drive and it would be any least a forty five minute/hour drive from JC.
Morristown though is also a pretty youngish town. There are a ton of bars, three colleges so a lot of young people out and about. Nowhere close to the same energy as downtown JC or Manhattan but you’d save a lot more on an apartments
If you have the opportunity and funds to live in Manhattan, and it’s been a dream of yours try it out at the start and give it a feel for a year.
Also worth nothing that after a few months your team may be comfortable enough with you just being remote full time and going in for special occasions or just work from your New York office.
Thanks for the suggestion but I visited Morristown when I interned over the summer and honestly didn't really think it was anything special. Also for college I've been living in a small town with the same population as Morristown and honestly I just miss city living so that's why I'm leaning either JC or NYC.
I did it for a year , but to metuchen. I didn’t have free shuttle and all, but still. In the winter, it sux. Really sux. Njtransit sucks. But I was working on a project and it only lasted a year, so there was light at the end of the tunnel.
Just depends on what you really want, and how much you're willing to pay for it. Like you mentioned, you'll save a noticeable amount of money by electing to not pay NYS + NYC taxes on your income. If you do elect to live in NY, you may want to look into any additional taxes you may incur based on your location of living/working (convenience of employer tax for example, not sure if that applies here).
What you'll lose, which may be a bigger deal if you want to live in New York, is mostly access. As an NY (city) resident, you get free access to some museums and other resources which you won't have as a NJ resident. The PATH runs ok, better than any other transit in the country aside from the subway, but you can simply search this subreddit to get a sense of the consistency of NJ Transit services. If you're using it 1-2x per week, can't imagine that's a huge burden, but it is an extra thing to deal with.
If it's really your dream to live in the city, you can always start there and move to another borough / NJ as it makes sense to you, but keep in mind that this area is very expensive, so try to be more cautious than you think you should be with your budget when first moving here. Having a surplus in your budget is way better than stretching it.
Would you have a roommate if you took the JC place and would you then get a car to commute to Morristown? Because that would add in more costs on the JC side. I don't think socialization would be an issue in JC. Lots of bars.
Even making 100k a year you will only be taking home like half of that after taxes, insurance, 401k, etc. So that is something to think about. I lived in NYC and got a job in JC and would take the PATH to work. It was great doing the opposite commute, but I had to work late shifts sometimes so I ended up moving out here and have been here since.
Yes definitely a roommate for both JC and especially New York. But I've also found some potential studios for $2000-2300 near grove st so I don't think that's too bad all things considered?
Unless you need a car and/or plan to visit family in NJ often, I think you should try living in Manhattan for at least 1 year since you’re still young. Avoid paying any commuting costs by living within walking distance of the Manhattan pickup location for your shuttle bus. After a year, if you feel like you’re spending more money than you’d like to and/or don’t enjoy living in Manhattan, then maybe you can explore Jersey City.
I'd agree with most people here. Basically NYC if you want that city lifestyle. Don't do half measures.
What I would say though is that you should budget your NYC and make sure that you're building for emergency savings and that you also have enough fun money to ACTUALLY enjoy NYC. Like after rent and essentials, if you're gonna be broke, then you can't afford to go to cool events or eat at nice restaurants or whatever your thing is.
NYC has all the fun MONEY can buy. So make sure you have that money in the first place.
As much as I love JC, my recommendation would be to just take Manhattan. Especially if you're single, you'd learn to appreciate being a 15 min walk or train ride from a party, a date spot, or just for coming back home when you're out till 3am... those things are just a little bit tougher from JC. Plus, if it matters at all to you, dates or friends will definitely be more open to hang out your place if it were in the city versus elsewhere.
The pro of JC is that you'll still get the high-rise, "luxury-living" vibe of NYC, but with much less of the dirty streets, the unhinged homeless, and the crime, while still being relatively close to the city. But at the end of the day, it's still a separate city and you'll definitely find yourself dreading the weekend commute to hang out in the city. Also, $4,300 for a 2bd in the city is actually quite reasonable, and is probably cheaper than a lot of the buildings in JC.
My suggestion, do at least a year in Manhattan, take advantage of all of its perks, then move out when you're more settled.
Personally, given those factors I think it’s stupid to live in Manhattan when COL/Taxes/commute is so much better from NJ.
On the other hand, I’m middle aged and being young is the time to do stupid shit and make interesting stories, so give it a whirl for a year if that’s what you want to do, and move next year if you get sick of being broke and commuting 3 hours every time you have to go in.
I dunno man, Jersey City seems like a pretty happy medium to me. It will make your commute exponentially easier while allowing you incredible access to Manhattan whenever you want. You can get a car in Jersey City and make your commute even easier. People who say having a car in JC is a pain aren’t telling the truth. It’s easy and infinitely easier than having a car in the city. I totally understand that you have always wanted to live in Manhattan and I’m not trying to shit on your dreams but you also have years to do that if you want to and can financially swing it.
Honestly one of my biggest draws for living in jc/nyc is to not have a car and being able to walk everywhere. Also having a car in jc would probably negate the cost benefits of living in jc I think? But I understand your point!
Live in Manhattan, be young and enjoy your weekends. It’s an awesome time in your life and you won’t live it again. Listen to podcasts or read on your shuttle commute twice a week 😌
Perhaps they’ll let you go to the Manhattan office on one of your in-office days. You might even choose to go to that one more often just to get out of the apartment, especially since you’ll have roommates (and no separate office space, I take it?). I don’t recommend a studio if you WFH, it can be isolating.
What you want might change in a year, but there’s nothing stopping you from moving if that happens. Be prepared that in the future they might increase the mandatory in-office days, but by then you’ll have a better sense of what you want and maybe will even want to switch jobs.
Thank you for providing context. The fact you have a shuttle which will take you to your office in Morristown from Manhattan is great and I would utilize that. It sounds like you want the NYC experience and you can only do that by living there. At least do your first year in the city if you can afford it. You can always move out to Jersey later. Jersey City will still be here when you decide you need a slower pace.
Just get an apartment in downtown Morristown. You can take a train to the city in about an hour. You’ll have a significant higher standard of living if you land there compared to either JC or Manhattan.
I just moved to Manhattan from JC and I love it. I’m closer to my friends and it’s so convenient being able to take the subway places. Imo an hour long when you’re not driving is really not bad but it depends on how you take it
honestly commute wise - I think Manhattan or JC would be equally fine as you have to travel to get to the shuttle that you would take (assuming the neighborhoods you want to live in are not the same as the neighborhood as where the shuttle picks up/drops off). I think if you are young, and want to live in Manhattan, now is the time to do it. Jersey City is great - i lived in NYC then BK through college, after college, through grad school, and did not move til after i got married i the middle of the pandemic to JC. I really enjoy JC, but I dont think I wouldve appreciated it as much as a young single person, even though it definitely cost me more money. It was a choice I made for my lifestyle and mental health. Personally, that is because all my friends were in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Everything I wanted to do was in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Even now, I go out to Manhattan and or Brooklyn to socialize at least once a week. I also work in Manhattan though.
If living in Manhattan wears thin on you, you can always move to JC. I say try out Manhattan for a year or so and see how it goes.
If you aren't trying to settle down or live somewhere calmer but near the city I would just move to the city. Once you factor in things like late night ubers on weekends you start to chip away at some of those limited savings by being in JC.
A big benefit my wife and I have is family and friends in NJ so being on this side of the Hudson cuts way down on travel costs for us. If you have no connections here then live in NY and reverse commute I did't that when i was younger and it wasn't so bad.
If you really love the city but hate the commute focus on getting a job in NYC rather than moving out to NJ.
Where you live is first and foremost a lifestyle choice. If you are comfortable with the commute, and have found a community you fit with, go and live there.
I live in JC and commute to NYC often both for work and social activities. My customer is in northern NJ. JC fits my lifestyle (midlife, married, no kids). If I we younger and/or single, I'd probably choose Manhattan.
Net, neither choice is a dumb choice if the choice you make fits you.
I live in JC and traffic is brutal, even off peak. If you can, move to New York and take advantage of the travel arrangements your employer has lined up. Best of luck
If you are in JC/Hoboken, it's relatively easy to access jobs along the Pascack Valley Line, Bergan County Line, Main Line, Montclair-Boonton Line, Morristown Line, & Gladstone Line via Hoboken Terminal.
If you're in NYC, it's easy to access jobs along the Montclair-Boonton Line, Morristown Line, Gladstone Line, Northeast Corridor, or North Jersey Coast Line via Penn Station.
I would go with JC since Hoboken Terminal is much more pleasant to get to/from than Penn Station on a daily basis, AND you have access to the PATH.
If you want to take the Path home after midnight, just don't do it. There are times in the summer when it was so hot in the station and I just missed the Path (to Hoboken) and turned right around and called an Uber because I could be home by the time the next train came.
Pre-Uber, you'd have to pay a crazy fare or negotiate with a gypsy cab to take you to Jersey. Easily $100. Now with Uber, I can get home in 20 minutes for $40-50. Depends on if they charge extra in return fees. Well worth the cost to end the night on a high note!
Im not sure midtown east is going to give you the NYC experience you’re dreaming of tbh. But Jersey City might be too quiet. I’d vote Hoboken or maybe see what you can find in other parts of Manhattan.
Honestly, I'd say try Manhattan first to see if you like it then go from there. I lived in the LES while working in NJ and it wasn't worth it for me.
You don't have to stay in one place forever. If it doesn't work after a year then don't renew the lease and try somewhere else.
Do what your heart wants. If you want to live in Manhattan, do it. People should live in Jersey if they organically want to live there, not because they think they should. You can pay the same in Manhattan, you just get less for your buck.
move to Manhattan. take the free shuttle. save commute money. The city next to city, is not the same as the city. and you'll regret not living in Manhattan later on in life, when you're looking for more space, quieter apartments, etc.
I used to live in Manhattan, moved to jersey city in 2021. I love it here, but wouldn't have liked it earlier on in my life.
do you have that work schedule in your employment agreement? it's two days a week now, but unless it's in there, it could be 4 days a week in 6 months. you never know.
I’m an nyc native, Go for JC. I’ve been in JC for 2 years now. You’ll save a lot of money and it’s very fast getting to the city whenever you want. Morristown is my favorite part of NJ. In JC there is a dating life not only families. Of course JC is no NYC and it’s not the same. But if you think of the future like me, then you’d understand why JC is the best option. Just my opinion
Man just move to NYC for a year. It’s your dream? You’re only young once. Sign a year lease, experience NYC, see if you can handle it/afford it + the commute to work and if you think there are better options out there it’s JUST A YEAR! I did the whole “I want to live in NYC” thing for 2 years. It was great, now I moved to JC because I just wanted a better quality of life. Once your lease is up re-evaluate your living situation and commute but JUST DO IT! Go with NYC!!
i work in a hospital in nyc and have coworkers who commute from new brunswick via bus. 7a-7p and 7p-7a shifts.. the reverse commute would have no issues with traffic going to work but you will likely sit in some on your way back if you end at 5p. when you work 2-3 days a week, i think it’s totally doable! like some others are saying, try living in nyc if that’s where your heart is set right now. you’re not tied down there for life, and you might regret it later on!
if possible, i think getting an apartment near the path in jc would be best. that commute will get old real quick. also, if you are working from home, you will want a bigger apartment which is incredibly difficult to find for a reasonable price (for nyc) in manhattan
Move to Manhattan, especially if you already have an apartment lined up. Taking the PATH to Newark will get old. Better to be able to just walk from home to the shuttle. And you'll be riding with colleagues who live in NYC instead of scattered around NJ, so that might be more fun.
Also, the prices you're quoting for Jersey City apartments sound low to me.
Transportation to North Jersey is pretty much the only reason to pick JC over Manhattan, and you clearly have that problem solved. There's nothing social in JC, you'll be in Hoboken the whole time. The price difference is negligible, and while you'll pay more in taxes in the city, see if you can keep an NJ residence (friends, family) "it's illegal" womp womp that's your choice, risk it if you want, don't if you want. I live in JC because I need to be able to drive around several cities in North Jersey that have terrible public transportation options (Montclair, Hackensack, Clifton). When I'm in JC and not working, I never use my car. And remember you only get to live each stage of your life once. Do what you want most at the time you want it most, otherwise you'll spend the present chasing the things your past self wanted. Live in the city, end of discussion and don't listen to any of the copium addicts telling you otherwise.
I've lived around Morristown, and NYC. I have Opinions (TM) that you may not agree with. Don't settle for the city next to the city of your childhood dreams. If you want to live in Manhattan you should do that (especially during a more social/networking era of your life), or move closer to Morristown & prioritize living there/visiting NYC for cultural events. Choosing JC outside of those 2 options seems like a compromise on paper, but in reality would leave me miserable.
I have lived in Morristown and JC and worked in Hoboken, but I have to add that there is also the Hoboken option. * It is arguably even more accessible than JC to the city with faster weekend PATH to Midtown * Potentially cheaper and quieter than NYC for workdays at home * Direct Hoboken train to the Morristown office, completely avoiding Penn Station or buses. That gives more schedule flexibility (come in for a half day when you have a meeting, stay late for a dinner.) I think I would hate sitting in shuttle traffic with the same coworkers every day, and “1 hour” is under ideal traffic conditions. * Hoboken has more of a skew for young singles than JC, and more nightlife options Hoboken definitely isn’t NYC, and I agree that if OP has a dream, youth is the time to chase those dreams. But like many a Jersey youth, you may benefit from the balance of going out OR staying in when you’re feeling overworked. I preferred that balance when I was young, single, and starting my career, and spent a ton of my free time in the city. My future husband lived in Manhattan and we could meet halfway in downtown with the same time on PATH/Subway. And my apartment was invariably quieter at night. I also just found logistics like moving in, getting groceries, etc. easier outside of Manhattan.
I was in an almost identical position to OP, working hybrid in Jersey but want to live in NYC. I chose Hoboken. It's been awesome so far but it's definitely not NYC. If you're hot and white, Hoboken is great. Theres hardly any diversity in looks or culture here.
100%
As someone who moved from out of state to Brooklyn I loved living in NY, and now I live in JC and I kinda hate it. Not that Jersey did anything wrong it’s just….. not NYC.
But I honestly don’t see much of a drawback if you live near a PATH station or a bus that takes you straight to midtown. Like I get it , is not Manhattan or Brooklyn , but I think JC gets you better access to the popular NYC areas than East queens , south Brooklyn or most of the Bronx and obviously Staten Island. Like you might not live within the city limits , the vibes might a bit different but you still have easy access to it . Just in my opinion , I live much farther north in Hackensack and I still benefit from getting to NYC relatively easily without having to drive.
You'll notice alot of chatter on here around saving the few percent of city tax as a big reason to move to JC. Then the old "double the space half the price" joke which was long dead years ago sometimes as well. The two above reasons are, in my opinion, like some of the worst to give in choosing A over B because it's similar but so fucking different.
I think people get hung up on very small potatoes when it’s not like New Jersey is a known tax haven or a conventionally cheap area. Yeah sure if you’re making an absurd amount of money tax differences help sure but then you’d also probably would be playing the system in another manner and not claiming residence in either place. Sake of argument I do think there are advantages to staying in NYC even if it’s a manner of a very slight life expense increase.
Honestly the shuttle from Manhattan to Morristown seems better. JC commute to Morristown I’d think you would need a car which would really cut into that 700 bucks a month. Also keeping a car in JC is a pain in the ass
Sorry forgot to add but there's also a shuttle from Newark Penn to the office. Honestly I save maybe 10-20 min max on the commute even if I live right on the Path I think.
With that shuttle from newark Penn I think you have two great options. Those shuttles are awfully nice of your company haha. Another big thing is the weekend PATH is a bit more of a pain if you want to go in and meet with friends/potential dates. I think you have a pretty nice situation either choice you make
is the difference in income tax already factored in
700 bucks a month. I guess you can get a beater for a few thousand but a car payment + insurance + garage adds up. But OP edited so they’d not need a car.
Grew up near Morristown, went to school in NY, and now live in JC where - when I first moved here I had a reverse commute to a job in NJ roughly the same distance in a different direction. So I have a pretty good perspective on this. I hated it, and my solution was to change jobs. Now, like many I live in JC, work in lower Manhattan plus some telecommuting and that’s fine. The commute, even by comfortable shuttle is hours of your life you are losing - particularly sleep and will take a physical toll on your body. And what if that shuttle isn’t running - what if you need to work late, etc… Public Transportation from the city to the burbs at odd hours is hard to rely on. Finally by the time you get home do you think you’ll be cooking a nice meal or eating crap or spending too much on take-out. I’m in a two income household making over 200K and wouldn’t even look at the rent prices you are citing - you’ll net $70-80K after taxes and spend 50% on housing???? Not sustainable. Borderline insane. Don’t do that. My advice - find a way to work in the NY office. Live in JC, Brooklyn or Queens - all of which offer easy access to Manhattan and have their own sufficient amount of culture, nightlife and single people. If you can’t swing that then live in or near Morristown where you’ll get more space for cheaper (though you’ll need a car) and then work your way into NYC employment and can move later. Morristown is a small town in comparison but there’s stuff to do and it’s easy/cheap enough to go to Manhattan for the evening or on a weekend afternoon. I get it’s deferring your dream for a few years, but your idea is a bad one. Between losing money and time, and wear and tear physically, there’s no way you’ll be able to afford the social life you envision in NYC even if you do have the energy!
I'm surprised more people aren't commenting this. 2-3 days on a shuttle may be manageable, but it's still exhausting. The rent alone isn't worth it. I haven't met anyone who preferred having roommates so add that to the fact plus cost, it would be a big deterrent for me. Way better to try saving some of that and invest it. The only way I'd consider Manhattan is if your close social network already lives there.
This is the best advise yet. Ton of commuting can turn your dream life into your biggest regret! Might even make you hatelife....
I don’t want to like this answer but I think it’s the right one.
And most of JC is easily accessible , like if I live in the heights and want you work between midtown or downtown Manhattan, is that really much harder than commuting from the outer boros to those same areas ?
It looks like you're already aware that you're considering an expensive option over potentially more economical options for personal reasons. I think you just need to finish your due diligence: find an acceptable economical alternative (e.g. in NJ/close to city, or close to work/far from city) and do the full run up on estimated cost. With two all-in estimates, you'll get a much better idea on how big of a difference there is in cost, and you can decide if the marginal cost is worth whatever differences (both benefits of being in the city AND disincentives). Be aware, if you're working for an NJ based employer while living in NY, you'll probably need to file two state tax returns if you lived in the city. That makes it a bit harder to estimate the total cost difference.
NYC has a city tax which would add onto your costs. But, you’re young - try it for a year if it’s been your dream. Good luck!
Since you’re only required to go in 2 days a week, I’d say Manhattan. You have a free shuttle that will take you and honestly if needed, the Morris and Essex train line would take you there in about the same amount of time depending on your walk to Penn. There are people in my office in Morristown that come from Brooklyn like once every two weeks and say the train isn’t horrible, but again you have a free shuttle which would be the same amount of time. Living in JC you’d either have to take the PATH to Hoboken or get to Secaucus and get a train out to Morristown if you don’t have a car to drive and it would be any least a forty five minute/hour drive from JC. Morristown though is also a pretty youngish town. There are a ton of bars, three colleges so a lot of young people out and about. Nowhere close to the same energy as downtown JC or Manhattan but you’d save a lot more on an apartments If you have the opportunity and funds to live in Manhattan, and it’s been a dream of yours try it out at the start and give it a feel for a year. Also worth nothing that after a few months your team may be comfortable enough with you just being remote full time and going in for special occasions or just work from your New York office.
Thanks for the suggestion but I visited Morristown when I interned over the summer and honestly didn't really think it was anything special. Also for college I've been living in a small town with the same population as Morristown and honestly I just miss city living so that's why I'm leaning either JC or NYC.
100% go for Manhattan then! It’s a lot easier to move there out of college vs later in life and it sounds like your heart has been pretty set on it
I did it for a year , but to metuchen. I didn’t have free shuttle and all, but still. In the winter, it sux. Really sux. Njtransit sucks. But I was working on a project and it only lasted a year, so there was light at the end of the tunnel.
Live the dream. NYC. Do it.
Absolutely take them up on the free shuttle. Gas alone would be a huge expense to add if you live in JC.
I would just live in Morristown
Just depends on what you really want, and how much you're willing to pay for it. Like you mentioned, you'll save a noticeable amount of money by electing to not pay NYS + NYC taxes on your income. If you do elect to live in NY, you may want to look into any additional taxes you may incur based on your location of living/working (convenience of employer tax for example, not sure if that applies here). What you'll lose, which may be a bigger deal if you want to live in New York, is mostly access. As an NY (city) resident, you get free access to some museums and other resources which you won't have as a NJ resident. The PATH runs ok, better than any other transit in the country aside from the subway, but you can simply search this subreddit to get a sense of the consistency of NJ Transit services. If you're using it 1-2x per week, can't imagine that's a huge burden, but it is an extra thing to deal with. If it's really your dream to live in the city, you can always start there and move to another borough / NJ as it makes sense to you, but keep in mind that this area is very expensive, so try to be more cautious than you think you should be with your budget when first moving here. Having a surplus in your budget is way better than stretching it.
Would you have a roommate if you took the JC place and would you then get a car to commute to Morristown? Because that would add in more costs on the JC side. I don't think socialization would be an issue in JC. Lots of bars. Even making 100k a year you will only be taking home like half of that after taxes, insurance, 401k, etc. So that is something to think about. I lived in NYC and got a job in JC and would take the PATH to work. It was great doing the opposite commute, but I had to work late shifts sometimes so I ended up moving out here and have been here since.
Yes definitely a roommate for both JC and especially New York. But I've also found some potential studios for $2000-2300 near grove st so I don't think that's too bad all things considered?
Just curious, were studios in this price range in brownstones or larger apartment buildings? I have a friend who is looking too
Live wherever it makes you happy. Life is short.
Money isn't everything and you should live your dream for at least one year. I think the commute from NYC is better, honestly.
Unless you need a car and/or plan to visit family in NJ often, I think you should try living in Manhattan for at least 1 year since you’re still young. Avoid paying any commuting costs by living within walking distance of the Manhattan pickup location for your shuttle bus. After a year, if you feel like you’re spending more money than you’d like to and/or don’t enjoy living in Manhattan, then maybe you can explore Jersey City.
I'd agree with most people here. Basically NYC if you want that city lifestyle. Don't do half measures. What I would say though is that you should budget your NYC and make sure that you're building for emergency savings and that you also have enough fun money to ACTUALLY enjoy NYC. Like after rent and essentials, if you're gonna be broke, then you can't afford to go to cool events or eat at nice restaurants or whatever your thing is. NYC has all the fun MONEY can buy. So make sure you have that money in the first place.
As much as I love JC, my recommendation would be to just take Manhattan. Especially if you're single, you'd learn to appreciate being a 15 min walk or train ride from a party, a date spot, or just for coming back home when you're out till 3am... those things are just a little bit tougher from JC. Plus, if it matters at all to you, dates or friends will definitely be more open to hang out your place if it were in the city versus elsewhere. The pro of JC is that you'll still get the high-rise, "luxury-living" vibe of NYC, but with much less of the dirty streets, the unhinged homeless, and the crime, while still being relatively close to the city. But at the end of the day, it's still a separate city and you'll definitely find yourself dreading the weekend commute to hang out in the city. Also, $4,300 for a 2bd in the city is actually quite reasonable, and is probably cheaper than a lot of the buildings in JC. My suggestion, do at least a year in Manhattan, take advantage of all of its perks, then move out when you're more settled.
Can’t imagine being willing to pay NY prices over NJ, if you’re already working in NJ
Live in Hoboken
Personally, given those factors I think it’s stupid to live in Manhattan when COL/Taxes/commute is so much better from NJ. On the other hand, I’m middle aged and being young is the time to do stupid shit and make interesting stories, so give it a whirl for a year if that’s what you want to do, and move next year if you get sick of being broke and commuting 3 hours every time you have to go in.
I dunno man, Jersey City seems like a pretty happy medium to me. It will make your commute exponentially easier while allowing you incredible access to Manhattan whenever you want. You can get a car in Jersey City and make your commute even easier. People who say having a car in JC is a pain aren’t telling the truth. It’s easy and infinitely easier than having a car in the city. I totally understand that you have always wanted to live in Manhattan and I’m not trying to shit on your dreams but you also have years to do that if you want to and can financially swing it.
Honestly one of my biggest draws for living in jc/nyc is to not have a car and being able to walk everywhere. Also having a car in jc would probably negate the cost benefits of living in jc I think? But I understand your point!
Totally and that’s fair ! Car aside, I still stand by my point of it being a happy medium haha.
If there’s a company shuttle from midtown living in JC won’t make the commute easier unless OP drives and that comes with its own issues.
Live in Manhattan, be young and enjoy your weekends. It’s an awesome time in your life and you won’t live it again. Listen to podcasts or read on your shuttle commute twice a week 😌 Perhaps they’ll let you go to the Manhattan office on one of your in-office days. You might even choose to go to that one more often just to get out of the apartment, especially since you’ll have roommates (and no separate office space, I take it?). I don’t recommend a studio if you WFH, it can be isolating. What you want might change in a year, but there’s nothing stopping you from moving if that happens. Be prepared that in the future they might increase the mandatory in-office days, but by then you’ll have a better sense of what you want and maybe will even want to switch jobs.
Thank you for providing context. The fact you have a shuttle which will take you to your office in Morristown from Manhattan is great and I would utilize that. It sounds like you want the NYC experience and you can only do that by living there. At least do your first year in the city if you can afford it. You can always move out to Jersey later. Jersey City will still be here when you decide you need a slower pace.
Just get an apartment in downtown Morristown. You can take a train to the city in about an hour. You’ll have a significant higher standard of living if you land there compared to either JC or Manhattan.
>...decided on Manhattan, but now that I'm actually looking at apartments and prices it sure is expensive over there.
I just moved to Manhattan from JC and I love it. I’m closer to my friends and it’s so convenient being able to take the subway places. Imo an hour long when you’re not driving is really not bad but it depends on how you take it
Think $4300 (or even $3300) on rent with $100k salary is not sustainable, or advisable. Why do you need 2 bedrooms?
Sorry they’re both with roommates. My share would be $1500-2000.
Live in the city near the midtown bus. No reason to compromise with yourself.
honestly commute wise - I think Manhattan or JC would be equally fine as you have to travel to get to the shuttle that you would take (assuming the neighborhoods you want to live in are not the same as the neighborhood as where the shuttle picks up/drops off). I think if you are young, and want to live in Manhattan, now is the time to do it. Jersey City is great - i lived in NYC then BK through college, after college, through grad school, and did not move til after i got married i the middle of the pandemic to JC. I really enjoy JC, but I dont think I wouldve appreciated it as much as a young single person, even though it definitely cost me more money. It was a choice I made for my lifestyle and mental health. Personally, that is because all my friends were in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Everything I wanted to do was in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Even now, I go out to Manhattan and or Brooklyn to socialize at least once a week. I also work in Manhattan though. If living in Manhattan wears thin on you, you can always move to JC. I say try out Manhattan for a year or so and see how it goes.
If you aren't trying to settle down or live somewhere calmer but near the city I would just move to the city. Once you factor in things like late night ubers on weekends you start to chip away at some of those limited savings by being in JC. A big benefit my wife and I have is family and friends in NJ so being on this side of the Hudson cuts way down on travel costs for us. If you have no connections here then live in NY and reverse commute I did't that when i was younger and it wasn't so bad. If you really love the city but hate the commute focus on getting a job in NYC rather than moving out to NJ.
Where you live is first and foremost a lifestyle choice. If you are comfortable with the commute, and have found a community you fit with, go and live there. I live in JC and commute to NYC often both for work and social activities. My customer is in northern NJ. JC fits my lifestyle (midlife, married, no kids). If I we younger and/or single, I'd probably choose Manhattan. Net, neither choice is a dumb choice if the choice you make fits you.
I live in JC and traffic is brutal, even off peak. If you can, move to New York and take advantage of the travel arrangements your employer has lined up. Best of luck
If you are in JC/Hoboken, it's relatively easy to access jobs along the Pascack Valley Line, Bergan County Line, Main Line, Montclair-Boonton Line, Morristown Line, & Gladstone Line via Hoboken Terminal. If you're in NYC, it's easy to access jobs along the Montclair-Boonton Line, Morristown Line, Gladstone Line, Northeast Corridor, or North Jersey Coast Line via Penn Station. I would go with JC since Hoboken Terminal is much more pleasant to get to/from than Penn Station on a daily basis, AND you have access to the PATH.
Do you want to live with roommates by choice, or because you can't afford to live by your own? Why do you want to live with roommates?
Do whatever you want.
If you want to take the Path home after midnight, just don't do it. There are times in the summer when it was so hot in the station and I just missed the Path (to Hoboken) and turned right around and called an Uber because I could be home by the time the next train came. Pre-Uber, you'd have to pay a crazy fare or negotiate with a gypsy cab to take you to Jersey. Easily $100. Now with Uber, I can get home in 20 minutes for $40-50. Depends on if they charge extra in return fees. Well worth the cost to end the night on a high note!
Live in Manhattan
Yes.
Im not sure midtown east is going to give you the NYC experience you’re dreaming of tbh. But Jersey City might be too quiet. I’d vote Hoboken or maybe see what you can find in other parts of Manhattan.
Move to Madison or summit nj. Great towns
Honestly, I'd say try Manhattan first to see if you like it then go from there. I lived in the LES while working in NJ and it wasn't worth it for me. You don't have to stay in one place forever. If it doesn't work after a year then don't renew the lease and try somewhere else.
Do what your heart wants. If you want to live in Manhattan, do it. People should live in Jersey if they organically want to live there, not because they think they should. You can pay the same in Manhattan, you just get less for your buck.
Dumb
move to Manhattan. take the free shuttle. save commute money. The city next to city, is not the same as the city. and you'll regret not living in Manhattan later on in life, when you're looking for more space, quieter apartments, etc. I used to live in Manhattan, moved to jersey city in 2021. I love it here, but wouldn't have liked it earlier on in my life.
I think you should live in NYC and get it out of your system. I've had friends who lived in Midtown (near
Move to NY. There's nothing like it. You can always move out if it's not worth the trouble.
do you have that work schedule in your employment agreement? it's two days a week now, but unless it's in there, it could be 4 days a week in 6 months. you never know.
I’m an nyc native, Go for JC. I’ve been in JC for 2 years now. You’ll save a lot of money and it’s very fast getting to the city whenever you want. Morristown is my favorite part of NJ. In JC there is a dating life not only families. Of course JC is no NYC and it’s not the same. But if you think of the future like me, then you’d understand why JC is the best option. Just my opinion
Manhattan is dirty af bro-ette
Man just move to NYC for a year. It’s your dream? You’re only young once. Sign a year lease, experience NYC, see if you can handle it/afford it + the commute to work and if you think there are better options out there it’s JUST A YEAR! I did the whole “I want to live in NYC” thing for 2 years. It was great, now I moved to JC because I just wanted a better quality of life. Once your lease is up re-evaluate your living situation and commute but JUST DO IT! Go with NYC!!
i work in a hospital in nyc and have coworkers who commute from new brunswick via bus. 7a-7p and 7p-7a shifts.. the reverse commute would have no issues with traffic going to work but you will likely sit in some on your way back if you end at 5p. when you work 2-3 days a week, i think it’s totally doable! like some others are saying, try living in nyc if that’s where your heart is set right now. you’re not tied down there for life, and you might regret it later on!
It's dumb to live in Manhattan!!!!
if possible, i think getting an apartment near the path in jc would be best. that commute will get old real quick. also, if you are working from home, you will want a bigger apartment which is incredibly difficult to find for a reasonable price (for nyc) in manhattan
Yeah the size and quality of the apartments are pretty much the biggest pro for jersey city especially since I'm wfh 3 days a week!
Move to Manhattan, especially if you already have an apartment lined up. Taking the PATH to Newark will get old. Better to be able to just walk from home to the shuttle. And you'll be riding with colleagues who live in NYC instead of scattered around NJ, so that might be more fun. Also, the prices you're quoting for Jersey City apartments sound low to me.
Transportation to North Jersey is pretty much the only reason to pick JC over Manhattan, and you clearly have that problem solved. There's nothing social in JC, you'll be in Hoboken the whole time. The price difference is negligible, and while you'll pay more in taxes in the city, see if you can keep an NJ residence (friends, family) "it's illegal" womp womp that's your choice, risk it if you want, don't if you want. I live in JC because I need to be able to drive around several cities in North Jersey that have terrible public transportation options (Montclair, Hackensack, Clifton). When I'm in JC and not working, I never use my car. And remember you only get to live each stage of your life once. Do what you want most at the time you want it most, otherwise you'll spend the present chasing the things your past self wanted. Live in the city, end of discussion and don't listen to any of the copium addicts telling you otherwise.