Working in Rutherford, NJ. Where should I live? Can I live in NYC?

50k salary, 80k debt and living in manhattan are not really compatible. A roommate situation makes it passile but you still won't be making much of a dent in that debt. Even though it is a reverse commute situation you are not prepared for the reality of what that commute will be like. Leaving Hoboken (going away from the city) takes 45 minutes at rush hour and that is just to get out of city limits of Hoboken (and Hoboken is only a mile wide). From Manhattan you are looking at well over an hour for this commute. I will guess 90 minutes minimum. Public transportation makes it easier (you can read, listen to music or otherwise zone out) but bus or trains to NJ make you a slave to their infrequent schedule. It isn't like the subway that comes every few minutes. The few people I know who rely on public transportation to commute out of Manhattan have 2 hour commutes. I live in Hoboken and love it. I've lived in Queens and Jersey City. Jersey City downtown is built up and expensive, but it's equivalent in Manhattan would be Financial district—it shuts down at night. There are affordable parts of Jersey City but it won't have what you want. They will be more run down and it won't offer much of a social life. I'd target Jersey City heights as your compromise of possible to commute to this job without a car and pretty easy to get to the city. The ninth street elevator area is the most accessible area to Manhattan via public transportation. There is a light rail stop there. The light rail map will be a good resource as that will be your way to get to Manhattan easily. I would cross reference that with bus and train maps that go to the job and find someplace that is serviced by both. Perhaps Weehawken? Queens and jersey city for me were just means to the end of a decent place while allowing me quick access to the city. Hoboken has put me closer to Manhattan than either and it is cheaper than Manhattan. I have a 2 bedroom for $3050 to give you an idea. Rents also go up pretty aggressively every year when you stay so that makes it tough as well when your budget is stretched thin. Landlords will want to know your salary and somewhere around that $1200 price will be as expensive a place as they will want to offer you. Putting together a renters resume can help you get considered. Include your savings, salary, debts, rental history, references, etc. Ultimately I would get an apartment near the job and commute into the city for fun. It will save you time as you will be commuting to work more (10 times per week!) than you will be going to see friends. It will also save a ton of money as rent will be lower. Lastly it will let you explore Hoboken and Jersey City and surrounding areas and target the right neighborhood for your future apartment.

Is your new job near a bus line or train station? Which ones? Knowing the answer to this question is key to knowing where you can live without a car.

Honestly? I think you might like Hoboken. You can get to Rutherford by train, and there's a lot of NYC transplants living there now. Ditto Jersey City. Montclair would also give you a slightly more suburban feel, but it also has a decent number of former NYC-types living there. Either way, you'd be looking at commuting via NJ transit train or bus, and it would most likely be direct. You do not want to live in Brooklyn or Queens and commute to NJ. You're looking at subway- NJ Transit-NJ Transit with a switch at Secaucus or subway-PATH/Ferry-NJ Transit, and a long commute either way. Manhattan is doable- you'd have the same trip options as above, but with a shorter subway ride- but even coming from Manhattan, Penn Station at rush hour is not fun (particularly with a transfer from the subway), even if you're going "the wrong way". Nor is the PATH Station- it's been awful with the WTC construction going on. It'll get better when that's done (hah) but it'll still be crowded.

Also: $1250 per month in rent? On a 50k salary? With 80k in student debt? I know, 30% rule and all, and you probably could make it work if you really had to, but I think your max on rent should be more like $1,000.

50k is not a lot of money by NYC standards these days, but I think you could get by in the city IF the Nolita apartment situation pans out. It would at least stabilize your views of the city and your work / home lives. It would also be the cheapest in terms of initial investment cost. It's not terribly far from Penn Station, and it's central to the "downtown lifestyle". If the Nolita place DOES NOT work out, you'll be much better off living in NJ near your workplace and just taking the train into NYC (there's a Rutherford NJ Transit station) whenever you want to come into the city. You could even spend weekends at your friend's apartment. Do not get a random roommate on Craigslist until you are more stable in your new work environment.

To the poster above me: most folks I know live in Brooklyn or Queens, and they seem to be experiencing NYC just fine. The "New York experience" is about more than just Manhattan. It always has been - but that's especially true now that most aspirational, middle-class transplants have been priced out of most of Manhattan. Can you afford Hell's Kitchen on a 50k salary? Doubtful, especially with 80k in debt. That said, the OP does not want to live in Brooklyn or Queens because the commute to NJ would make him want to slowly tear all of his hairs out. I'll throw a couple of new suggestions out there. Harlem/Washington Heights - not too much further to Penn than Nolita, provided you are on the right subway line. Also, there's a bus terminal at the George Washington Bridge - perhaps a bus to Rutherford leaves from there? I really don't know, but it might be worth looking into. Other towns in Hudson County - Weehawken, Union City, maybe Fort Lee or Edgewater. I don't think these towns are very active but they're cheaper than Hoboken/JC and closer to the city than Rutherford.

Do not live in Hoboken, Jersey City, Brooklyn, or Queens. Live in Manhattan. You will be miserable otherwise (totally missing out on the NYC experience). Here's where you need to find a place: Hell's Kitchen area (40s & low 50s). Why? It's the only place that's: - affordable - walking distance to Port Authority Bus Terminal - direct bus to Rutherford # 122 (30 min bus ride) No extra subway/bus headache - you simply walk to the port authority and take 1 single bus. At the end of your work day, you take the same bus back, and walk a short walk back to your apartment . This is totally doable, and you're fortunate that your job is in Rutherford. Best of luck.

Living in Jersey isn't that bad, it is what you make of it. There is a social life to be found, amazing ethnic food and neighborhoods, plus you can even find bits of nature here and there. But your life will be much easier if you get a car, even an old jalopy for shopping and getting around. If you will be in Rutherford, save yourself the commute and find housing near your job to make life easier. Save the commute for weekends in the city. Also: you can take a ferry from the Hudson river across to Manhattan for about ten or twelve bucks, which has free transfer buses to all parts of Manhattan from the dock and back. It sure saves on parking in the city.

Anywhere urban to Rutherford for an 8-5 job is going to be a reverse commute -- only one train or bus an hour in many cases. Don't forget to factor that in. If your office is near the station, at $100k a year downtown Hoboken is a no-brainer given the (literally) two stop ride to Rutherford. Easy walk to the station, easy PATH to the city when you want it. But at $50k a year with a desire to save seriously -- Hoboken ain't for you. It's become very expensive. Forget about Manhattan. Take an apartment which is walking distance to your office and the station. Rent will be half or less the rent in Hoboken. When you want to go out, you've got the quick train and quick PATH right there.