Other Services and Amenities
- Casino & Gaming Halls
- Resorts World NYC (Queens)
- Parcel Delivery Service
- FedEx, UPS Store, USPS (Post Office)
- Tech Repair Services
- Apple Store (5th Ave), Rossmann Repair Group (mains/circuits)
- Table Tennis Spots
- SPIN NYC (Flatiron), Bryant Park (Outdoor tables)
- Language Classes
- Berlitz, Rennert New York, Fluent City
- Libraries & Study Spots
- NYPL Stephen A. Schwarzman Building (42nd St Rose Reading Room)
- Community Centers
- 92NY (Manhattan), YMCA of Greater New York
- Gaming Lounges
- OS NYC (Lower East Side), Waypoint Cafe
Essentials
- City
- New York City, New York, United States
- Population
- Approximately 8,300,000
- Internet Speed
- Average 200-500 Mbps (Verizon Fios, Spectrum)
- Currency & Banking
- United States Dollar (USD). Major banks: Chase, Bank of America, Citibank.
- Tap Water
- Drinkable and highly rated (sourced from Catskill Mountains)
- Power
- 120V, 60Hz, 🔌 Type A/B sockets
- SIM Card
- T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon. Prepaid eSIMs via Airalo or Holafly are popular.
- Banking for Expats
- Wise, Revolut, and Chase (requires SSN or ITIN for most accounts)
- Accommodation
- StreetEasy (apartments), Airbnb (limited by local laws), Blueground (furnished)
- Cashless Friendly
- Yes, cards and Apple Pay accepted almost everywhere except some small cash-only bodegas.
- Short Term Rentals
- Outpost Club, June Homes, Sonder (starting at $2,500/month for studios)
- Budget Accommodation
- HI New York City Hostel (891 Amsterdam Ave) - approx. $60-90/night
- Best Area to Stay for Tourists
- Midtown Manhattan (near Times Square/Central Park) or West Village
- Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads
- Williamsburg (Brooklyn), Long Island City (Queens), or Upper West Side (Manhattan)
Working and Networking
- Best Coworking Space
- WeWork (various locations) - Day pass approx. $45; Industrious (Union Square) - $50/day
- Best Cafe for Work
- Variety Coffee Roasters (Bushwick/Chelsea), Devoción (Williamsburg) - Free WiFi, ample seating
- Networking Events
- TechCrunch Disrupt, NY Tech Meetup, General Assembly workshops
- Social Events for Expats
- Internations NYC, Meetup.com groups (New Yorkers in their 20s/30s), Soho House circles
Transportation
- Best Taxi/Ride App
- Uber, Lyft, and Revel (mopeds/EVs)
- Bike/Scooter Rental
- Citi Bike (unlimited 30-min rides for $205/year or $19/day)
- Best Beach Nearby
- Rockaway Beach (Queens) - 1 hour by A train or Ferry ($4.00)
- Top Regional Airline
- JetBlue, Delta
- Top International Airline
- United Airlines (EWR hub), Delta (JFK hub), American Airlines
- Highway Access
- I-95 (New Jersey Turnpike), I-87 (Major Deegan), I-495 (Long Island Expressway)
- Main Train/Transit Hub
- Penn Station (Amtrak/LIRR/NJ Transit) and Grand Central Terminal
- Public Transport Passes
- OMNY (contactless pay-as-you-go, caps at $34 per 7 days)
- Regional Travel
- PATH (to Jersey City/Hoboken), Metro-North (Upstate/CT), LIRR (Long Island)
Health and Wellness
- Best Hospital
- NYU Langone Health (550 1st Ave) or NewYork-Presbyterian
- Yoga & Wellness Centers
- Sky Ting (Chinatown), Yoga to the People (St. Marks), World Spa (Brooklyn)
- Gyms & Fitness Centers
- Equinox ($250+/month), Blink Fitness ($30/month), Planet Fitness ($15/month)
- Laundry Services
- Wash & Fold services at local laundromats (approx. $1.25 per lb)
Food and Drink
- Best Food Delivery App
- DoorDash, UberEats, Grubhub (Seamless)
- Best Local Dish to Try
- NYC Bagel with Lox, Joe's Pizza (Dollarish Slice), Pastrami on Rye
- Vegan/Vegetarian Options
- Modern Love (Brooklyn), Dirt Candy (Lower East Side), ABCV (Flatiron)
- Best Dessert Spots
- Levain Bakery (Cookies), Magnolia Bakery (Banana Pudding), Junior’s (Cheesecake)
- Affordable Shopping Spots
- Trader Joe's, Whole Foods (deals on 365 brand), Chinatown markets
- E-commerce/Online Store
- Amazon (Same-day delivery available), FreshDirect
- Grocery Delivery
- Instacart, Amazon Fresh, Mercato
- Bar/Nightlife Area
- Lower East Side (Manhattan) or Wythe Ave (Williamsburg)
- Local Brewery
- Brooklyn Brewery (Williamsburg), Other Half Brewing (Carroll Gardens)
- Wine Bars
- The Ten Bells (LES), Ruffian (East Village)
- Street Food Stalls
- The Halal Guys (53rd & 6th), Smorgasburg (seasonal weekend food market)
- Popular International Cuisine
- Ippudo (Japanese), Katz's Delicatessen (Jewish Deli), Raoul’s (French)
Culture and Attractions
- Must-See Landmarks
- Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square
- Museums & Art Venues
- The Met ($30), MoMA ($28), Whitney Museum, Guggenheim
- Historical Sites
- 9/11 Memorial, Ellis Island, Federal Hall
- Religious Sites
- St. Patrick's Cathedral, Riverside Church, Eldridge Street Synagogue
- Annual Events
- Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, US Open (Tennis), NY Fashion Week
- Cultural Districts
- Chinatown, Little Italy, Harlem, Astoria (Greek hub)
- Theater Venues
- Broadway (Times Square), The Public Theater (Off-Broadway)
- Local Markets
- Union Square Greenmarket, Chelsea Market
- Music Scene
- Blue Note Jazz Club, Village Vanguard, Madison Square Garden
- Street Art
- Bushwick Collective (Brooklyn), First Street Green (Manhattan)
- Cooking Classes
- Institute of Culinary Education (ICE), Eataly NYC Flatiron
- Art Galleries
- Chelsea Arts District (West 18th to 27th St)
- Historic Buildings
- Flatiron Building, Chrysler Building, Woolworth Building
- Local Heritage
- Ellis Island (immigrant history), Stonewall National Monument (LGBTQ+ history)
Nature and Outdoor Activities
- Nearby Nature Escapes
- The High Line (elevated park), Governors Island, Hudson River Park
- National Parks Nearby
- Gateway National Recreation Area, Bear Mountain State Park (1 hour drive)
- Cycling/Walking Paths
- Hudson River Greenway (13 miles), Central Park Loop (6 miles)
- Scenic Viewpoints
- Top of the Rock, Summit One Vanderbilt, Brooklyn Heights Promenade
- Birdwatching Locations
- The Ramble in Central Park, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
- Bonfire-Friendly Spots
- Jacob Riis Park (permitted fire pits)
Business
- Studio Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. $16,500 per m² (e.g., 40 m² = $660,000)
- Studio Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. $8,200 per m² (e.g., 40 m² = $328,000)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. $17,800 per m² (e.g., 60 m² = $1,068,000)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. $7,500 per m² (e.g., 60 m² = $450,000)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. $19,500 per m² (e.g., 80 m² = $1,560,000)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. $7,000 per m² (e.g., 80 m² = $560,000)
- Corporate Tax
- 21% Federal + 8.85% NY State + 4.0% NYC (Effective roughly 30-34%)
- Dividend Withholding Tax
- Standard 30% (reduced by treaties)
- Tax System
- Worldwide income basis for US Citizens; resident-based for green card holders/visa residents.
- Highest Income Tax Bracket
- Approx. 37% Federal + 10.9% NY State + 3.87% NYC
- VAT
- Combined NY State/City Sales Tax: 8.875%
- Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules
- Yes, Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income (GILTI) rules apply.
- Property Tax
- Yes, based on assessed value (approx. 0.8% - 1.9% of market value)
- Property Transaction Tax
- Mansion Tax (1% on $1M+), Transfer Tax (approx. 1% to 1.425%)
- Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads
- No (High tax burden compared to international hubs; no specific nomad visa)