Only a few visitors manage to see New York and not fall in love with it. Most of the guests of the city immediately fall under its charm, join the rhythm, dream of how nice it would be to settle here. For Russians, life in New York became a reality back in the 70s of the XX century. Emigration began with a Jewish wave, which brought to the city all those who fled from the injustice of the Soviet regime. Today the Russian community lives compactly in certain areas of the city and leads an active social life.
What standard of living should migrants prepare for?
New York is an attractive place for both tourists and those who dream of moving to America for permanent residence. Today this city is one of the largest settlements in the country with a population of over 8 million. Here are the offices of the largest financial corporations, stock and commodity exchanges.
The city was once the capital of American cinematography, eventually giving way to Hollywood. It is New York that is considered a trendsetter and the location of leading publishers.
All of this is largely due to the fact that the standard of living in New York is above average and many cannot afford it. It can only be compared with Moscow, which is also the multinational financial and cultural center of its state.
How much can you earn in New York
The income level of the inhabitants of the metropolis is considered one of the highest in the country. He can only compete with earnings in some cities of the state of California (for example, in Los Angeles). In general, Americans are distinguished from other nations by a high degree of mobility, which can be judged by the fact that they often live not where they were born, but where there is decent work and high wages.
It is not customary to talk about monthly earnings here. At the same time, each person knows very well how much he earned, since in April of each year, Americans fill out and submit an income tax return.
The level of remuneration depends on the sphere, the qualifications of the employee, on his achievements and the number of hours worked. For example, doctors of the same specialization may have different incomes at the same hospital.
The average salary in New York as of March 2021 is $ 4,546 after taxes (293,896 rubles). And the average earnings per hour is at least $ 15.
It will not be difficult for emigrants with high qualifications and work experience to find a suitable position; mostly vacancies are in business, IT, insurance, medicine, finance and advertising. But many will have to confirm their diploma in order to be able to work in accordance with their education. This is due to the difference in the curricula of universities.
The list of popular vacancies among those who decided to immigrate looks like this:
- nurse (subject to additional training);
- driver (including truck driver);
- designers and florists (in this area you will have to work hard to create a client base);
- Cook;
- hairdresser-stylist;
- jeweler.
Many of those who have just moved find jobs as dishwashers and window cleaners, loaders, and laborers.
The taxation system in the United States is multi-stage. Each resident pays a contribution to the state, metropolis and state. Insurance and pension fees are paid along with them.
Obligations to pay taxes are divided between the employee and the employer: 7.65% each. Of this amount, 1.45% is directed to health insurance and 6.2% to the formation of pensions and insurance against unemployment.
Social protection of the population
The city authorities provide comprehensive assistance to people who do not have enough funds to pay their basic bills and life in general. You can get certain preferences or material support under a variety of programs:
- Freezing the rate for renting an apartment for the elderly and the disabled population of the city. The program participant gets the opportunity to pay the previous level of contribution for rented housing when the tariff increases. The difference to the homeowner is covered by the city budget.
- Assistance in obtaining a medical insurance policy. Any New Yorker, including non-citizens, can enroll in the program. Registration takes place annually from November to January at the NY State of Health Marketplace.
- Home care services for the elderly.
- Providing services, health care and certain benefits to people living with HIV and those living with them.
- Get a free NYC card for certain categories of citizens (for example, for the homeless). This document is an analogue of an identity card and is issued to all residents of the city who have reached the age of 10, regardless of immigration status.
- Helping the poor to pay for utility bills. The funds can be used to purchase fuel in the winter for heating, pay utility bills, purchase or repair heating equipment.
- Tax breaks for the elderly.
- Pre-K for All Program - provides free full-time education for children under 4 years old. Emigrants can also apply.
- Free School Food breakfasts and lunches.
A complete list of available programs can be found on the New York City Council website (there is a Russian version).
Health care system
The cost of treatment in the United States can be called high and prohibitive for people who do not have health insurance. The medical services here are of high quality, but incredibly expensive.
Expatriates can take advantage of the HHC Option program, which provides certain discounts. For example, a visit to the doctor will cost only $ 15-60, which, according to local criteria, is practically nothing.
Free Medicaid is available to people who are legally in the country and earn less than $ 1,387 per month. Most often these are students, asylum seekers, tourists, participants in the international Work & Travel program.
Medicine is one of the priority sectors in which the government invests considerable funds. With this money, hospitals have the opportunity to hire high-class specialists, purchase expensive advanced equipment, conduct research and apply the results obtained in real conditions.
Education
The education system of the younger generation consists of several stages. Preschool and higher are not compulsory. Every child is obliged to graduate from high school.
For the children of emigrants, almost every educational institution has courses on intensive study of the English language.
You can study at the university only on a paid basis. Free higher education can only be obtained by those who manage to become a participant in a grant or scholarship program.
Universities in New York (like other cities) are divided into private and public. Studying in private institutions is considered more prestigious.
The leading universities include:
- Columbia University is the oldest educational institution included in the list of the most prestigious universities in the world, the diploma of which opens the doors of many large companies. The University's School of Journalism awards the Pulitzer Prize annually. Here you can get specialties in the field of law, engineering, medicine, business, arts, journalism.
- The University of New York is one of the largest private research universities in the country. Includes 16 schools, institutes and colleges. He is a member of the Association of American Universities.
- State University of New York - located in Albany, offers approximately 200 programs in various fields (biotechnology, politics, documentary filmmaking, computer science, globalization).
- Rockefeller University - specializes in large-scale research in the field of biomedicine.
In total, there are more than a hundred higher educational institutions in the metropolis.
Climatic and weather conditions
The climate in New York is more of interest to those who are aiming to move to permanent residence. For tourists, the city is good in any form and in all weather conditions. What you need to pay attention to:
- Summer in the city is hot and humid. The temperature can rise up to 28 degrees Celsius.
- Autumn comes quite late. Usually September and half of October are the continuation of summer. Only the night temperature gives out the change of season, which can drop to +5 degrees. During the day, the air still warms up to 20-25 degrees. From the middle of October, the rains and the time of yellow leaves begin. Precipitation during this period is almost a quarter of the season.
- Winter in New York is quite mild. Even in the coldest month of the year - January - the thermometer does not drop below minus three.
- In spring, the climate is the most unstable. Due to the high humidity, it always seems that it is too cold outside. March is characterized by the highest rainfall of the year. But it gets warmer very quickly, and already in April the air warms up to +15 degrees, and in May the weather is even summer.
The city is influenced by a temperate continental climate, but in fact the oceanic subtropical climate prevails here. But, according to travel brochures, there is no bad weather in the Big Apple (the most famous nickname of the metropolis).
Crime level
Crime in New York has centuries-old roots that go back to the time of the colonization of the territory by the Spaniards and the British.
In the 19th century, the city was a haven for bandits, thieves and fraudsters. At the beginning of the 20th century, the beginnings of mafia structures appeared here. Today you can still read about their activities in the newspapers. And although they do not behave so defiantly, they are responsible for robberies, murders, illegal trade in weapons and drugs.
The distribution of crime in the city is uneven. In Manhattan, for example, there is a well-known African-American neighborhood called Harlem, which is famous for the most murders. In Brooklyn, the criminal background is created by Italian gangs, in Queens - by Hispanics.
Stateon Island is considered the quietest. It is inhabited mainly by the middle class of American society. The area is quiet, respectable and calm.
Even with that said, New York is the third most secure country in the United States. Together with the police, the peace of the citizens is protected by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. But this does not mean that the residents of the city themselves need to lose their vigilance and not take security measures.
How much is life in New York
For those moving to this part of the country, it is of particular importance how much life in New York costs. It should be noted that the middle class lives mainly on loans, which are provided for by various banking programs.
Payments on loan obligations can be inherited if the main borrower did not have time to make them during his life. At the same time, everything is issued on credit, from buying a house to teaching children at a university.
Let's take a closer look at how the monthly budget of the average citizen is distributed.
The cost of housing and its maintenance
New York is a city of skyscrapers. But not everyone who moves here can afford to live in a prestigious area. Most are looking for areas where renting an apartment or house is inexpensive by local standards.
The amount of rent depends on the location of the housing, its livability and area. In order to save money, many migrants prefer to settle in several people or prefer duplexes.
Not everyone succeeds in buying real estate in New York. The cost of one square meter in the city center is 10,760-21,527 dollars. In the separated areas, this figure ranges from $ 3,678-10,763.
How much money you need to rent is shown in the table:
| Housing type | Price in dollars for 1 month |
|---|---|
| 1 bedroom apartment in the city center | 2 200–4 000 |
| 1 bedroom apartment in a remote area from the center | 1 500–2 500 |
| Apartment with 3 bedrooms in the central part of the city | 4 200–9 000 |
| Apartment with 3 bedrooms in a residential area | 2 400–5 000 |
Payment of utility bills will become a separate item of expenses:
- electricity, heating, ventilation, water, garbage disposal (85 sq.m. apartment) - $ 77-250 per month;
- 1 minute of mobile phone conversation (prepayment) - $ 0.01-0.10;
- Internet services - $ 50-100 per month.
Nutrition and food
Food spending ranks second on the list of important purchases for New Yorkers. Americans prefer to buy thoroughly 2-3 times a month in a large supermarket. Current purchases can be made in shops near the house or small markets.
Product prices are shown in the table (data as of May 2021):
| Name of product | Price in dollars for 1 liter or 1 kg |
|---|---|
| Milk | 0,92-1,37 |
| Bread (500 g) | 2,50-5,51 |
| Rice | 3,00-11,02 |
| Eggs (12 pieces) | 2,20-4,89 |
| Local cheese | 8,82-28,64 |
| Chicken breast | 8,00-19,84 |
| Apples | 3,31-11,00 |
| Bananas | 1.32-4,41 |
| Oranges | 3,75-8,82 |
| Tomatoes | 3,00-8,82 |
| Potato | 2,18-6,61 |
| Water (1.5L) | 1,50-3,19 |
| A bottle of wine | 12,00-20,00 |
| Local beer | 1,50-3,00 |
Eating out will become part of life in New York. To this has a large number of fast food restaurants, snack bars and vans where you can buy takeaway food.
Prices look like this, in dollars:
| Type of expenses | Price |
|---|---|
| Lunch at an inexpensive restaurant for one person | 14-25 |
| Three-course lunch at a mid-range restaurant for two | 60-100 |
| MacMeal | 7-12 |
| Homemade beer in a cafe (0.5 l) | 5-8 |
| Cappuccino | 3,5-5 |
| Pepsi / cola 0.33l | 1,5-3 |
And be prepared for the fact that in New York you will have to learn to eat on the go.
Transportation costs
The Big Apple is a city that does not sleep and is in motion all the time. Wherever you live, you will still have to find out what public transport is and get used to constant traffic jams, not too clean metro and a large flow of people literally everywhere, from city streets to subway. The fare is shown in the table:
| Service | Price in USD |
|---|---|
| One trip around town using public transport | 2.75 |
| Pass for 1 month | 121-130 |
| Boarding a taxi | 2,5-3,5 |
| 1 km taxi ride | 1,4-3,1 |
| Taxi, 1 hour waiting | 24-40 |
| 1 liter of gasoline | 0,73-0,97 |
A taxi to Manhattan from LaGuardia airport will cost $ 26-37, and from John F. Kennedy International Airport - about $ 52-60.
Buying a Volkswagen Golf will cost 20-30 thousand dollars, Toyota Carolla Comfort - 18-27 thousand dollars.
Other expenses
In addition to the main ones, it is necessary to take into account the additional costs that will have to be faced in New York:
| Expenditure item | Cost in dollars |
|---|---|
| Gym membership for a month | 30-150 |
| 1 hour of playing tennis on a day off | 20-75 |
| 1 cinema ticket | 12-15 |
| Full day private kindergarten | 1,200-3,000 per month |
| Private school | 28,000-50,000 per month |
If the apartment does not have a washing machine (this is very common - Americans do not favor this technique), you will have to use the services of laundromats - public laundries. The cost of one wash of clothes is $ 1.75, another $ 1 is charged for drying. In time, the process takes about an hour.
Buying clothes in the metropolis is a separate leisure activity for New Yorkers. They offer numerous outlets, shopping centers and brand stores. The price level depends on the brand of clothing, the place where it is sold and the season. For comparison, here are the prices for some things:
- Levi's jeans - from $ 30 to $ 80;
- a summer dress in a chain store (for example, H&M) - $ 25-60;
- Nike sneakers - from $ 60 to $ 120;
- men's leather shoes - $ 80-200.
If you shop during the sales season, you can upgrade your wardrobe inexpensively.
A little about the rules of life in New York
Each city has features that you need to be aware of in order to adapt faster and more painlessly.Here are some rules for those who chose New York as their new place of residence:
- If you manage to find a suitable housing option, immediately agree. According to the reviews of those who have already lived in the metropolis for some time, finding an apartment is a difficult and resource-intensive task. Take a couple of days to think - miss out on a good offer.
- In New York, you should definitely have “your own” bar, where you can go after a hard day's work to have a glass of beer or just chat with the bartender, telling him about all your sorrows. Having become a regular customer, it will be possible to periodically receive a drink at the expense of the establishment.
- When crossing a one-way street, you still need to look both ways to avoid colliding with a cyclist. The cycle path may even be where you never expected to see it.
- When you leave home, get ready to take things with you for all occasions. Given the busy schedule and heavy traffic, you are unlikely to be able to run home to change before dinner or a date.
- Always carry cash with you. Most mobile fast food vans do not accept cards.
- Find parks that aren't as popular as Central Park. The time spent in them will be spent on recovery, which is very important at such a fast pace of life.
- Always tip. They are the majority of the salaries of people who work in the service sector.
- On city streets with heavy pedestrian traffic, move at the speed of other people. If you cannot or are not in a hurry, just step aside and do not prevent others from running about their business.
Russian community in New York
The total number of residents of the metropolis as of January 2021 was 8.62 million. According to the latest data from the Bureau of Statistics, Russians in New York number about 600 thousand, another 1.5 million live in the suburbs. In general, this is approximately 8% of the total population of the city.
The move to this part of the country began with the Jewish wave in the 70s of the last century, when the Soviet leadership allowed the emigration of Jews to Israel. Most of those who wished really left for their original homeland, but a considerable number rushed to American soil, choosing New York as their place of residence.
Today, the city has one public school for the study of Russian language and literature - Stateon Island High Tech. To get into it, you need to pass a competition of 10 people per seat.
Theatergoers can visit the Russian Millennium Theater located in Brighton Beach, while lovers of the Russian press have a huge selection of Russian-language periodicals. The newspaper “Russian Bazaar” is published in the city.
Choosing a district
Which area of New York is better to live in depends on what the migrant expects from the new homeland, and what budget they have. The city is divided into 5 districts: Stateton Island, Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn.
What you need to pay attention to:
- Brighton Beach is a place of concentration of the Russian diaspora. This area is popularly called Little Odessa, and those who never leave it may well do without English. The population here is mostly elderly and young people who have just moved to America and have not yet settled. The areas adjacent to Brighton, Coney Island and Manhattan Beach, are also considered Russian.
- Manhattan, Washington Heights - here you can find the Russian quarter (closer to the Hudson), in which the "experienced" immigrants live. They move here with their whole families and settle down for a long time. There is a Russian store in the area.
- Queens, Rego Park - people from Central Asia live here: Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan. There is an Uzbek restaurant in the area, and on one of the streets you can even eat chebureks.
- Stateon Island, Midland Beach is another place where Russians live in New York. Well-to-do immigrants move here. The area is very quiet, cozy and calm.
- Brooklyn, Bensonhurst - There are many young settlers and middle-aged couples here. It is in this part of Brooklyn that the famous Russian Bazaar store is located.
In Manhattan, from inexpensive areas, you can choose Chelsea, Soho, Midtown.
Outcomes
For the decision to be correct, it is necessary to assess the pros and cons of living in New York:
| Advantages | disadvantages |
|---|---|
| New York is a city of great opportunities for those looking to build a career. In this case, we are talking about both financiers and designers, photographers, writers and journalists. Here you can find a huge number of like-minded people and immerse yourself in a creative atmosphere. | The need to confirm the diploma received at home. |
| A high level of social protection of the population and support for the poor at the state level. | High housing prices and other running costs. |
| Loyal attitude to emigrants from local residents. New York is a multicultural city in which opportunities are the same for representatives of all peoples. | Constant noise, smog and very heavy traffic. |
| The city is an ideal place for those who like to live in constant motion, feel like a part of a big metropolis and do not stop even at night. | If you rent an apartment in remote areas, you will have to spend a lot of time on the road to get to the center and back. |
| High level of wages compared to other regions of the country. | Intense rhythm of life, constant stress. |
| Winter is not too harsh. | High air humidity. |
| Those who want to live closer to “their own” should remember that New York is home to one of the largest Russian settlements. | |
| Well developed public transport system. Moving around without a car is much more convenient and faster here. | |
| The crime rate is lower than in other megacities of the country. |
