The city provides a constant sense of adventure for newly minted New Yorkers. Where else can you ogle world-famous art, nosh on soup dumplings, then beeline to the beach to watch the sunset with your toes in the sand? But if all you know about NYC comes from binge-watching TV shows and movies, you may be a little worried about how it is in real life. The big question: which NYC neighborhoods are right for you to stake your flag in? We chatted with real estate experts and longtime New Yorkers for advice on finding the best NYC neighborhood for you, depending on your preferences and lifestyle.

Photo credit: From a listing at 695 First Avenue #36F

Manhattan Rentals under $2,500 On Streeteasy Article continues below

Yorkville

531 East 87th Street

$2,100 No Fee

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Upper West Side

235 West 102nd Street

$2,500 No Fee

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Yorkville

308 East 90th Street

$2,200 No Fee

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East Harlem

258 East 112nd Street

$2,390 No Fee

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Washington Heights

2224 Amsterdam Avenue

$1,950 No Fee

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Upper West Side

491 Columbus Avenue

$2,350 No Fee

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Lower East Side

90 Rivington Street

$2,375 No Fee

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Hamilton Heights

13 Hamilton Terrace

$1,998 No Fee

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South Harlem

62 West 125th Street

$2,100 No Fee

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East Harlem

2415 Second Avenue

$1,800 No Fee

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South Harlem

2054 Adam C Powell Boulevard

$2,500 No Fee

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Yorkville

311 East 85th Street

$2,450 No Fee

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Explore Different Neighborhoods

There are — wait for it — hundreds of NYC neighborhoods to choose from. For people who have a hard time making decisions, that’s more intimidating than selecting a coffee at Starbucks. Try to narrow your NYC neighborhood search by focusing on a borough first. There are just five. Indeed one will feel like home, whether you want to steep yourself in historic Manhattan or live on the frothy Atlantic Ocean in Brooklyn or Queens.

“If someone is completely new to the city, the best advice I give them is to first reach out to any family or friends and get some guidance from them,” says Nora Ali, a licensed real estate salesperson for Corcoran. “The next thing I always recommend is for them actually to go and spend time in areas of interest.”

If you haven’t arrived in NYC yet, don’t fret. There are plenty of local press sites that will give you taste, such as the Queens Gazette, Brooklyn Eagle, Staten Island Advance, Bronx Times, and Manhattan papers like The Villager. You can also visit the NYC Life section on StreetEasy Reads for an even more granular look at neighborhoods.

Brooklyn Rentals Under $2,500 On StreetEasy Article continues below

Bay Ridge

6810 Fourth Avenue

$1,700 No Fee

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Flatbush

1904 Nostrand Avenue

$1,778 No Fee

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Dyker Heights

115 Battery Avenue

$1,795 No Fee

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East Flatbush

4515 Snyder Avenue

$1,795 No Fee

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Cypress Hills

200 Highland Boulevard

$2,000 No Fee

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Stuyvesant Heights

211 Marion Street

$2,108 No Fee

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Midwood

1430 East 3rd Street

$2,500 No Fee

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Bay Ridge

601 79th Street

$2,200 No Fee

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Crown Heights

30 Rogers Avenue

$2,300 No Fee

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Weeksville

252 Schenectady Avenue

$2,500 No Fee

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Crown Heights

1120 Saint John’s Place

$2,499 No Fee

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Cypress Hills

165 Nichols Avenue

$1,950 No Fee

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Find Out How Much It Costs To Live in NYC

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, Tel Aviv, Paris, and Singapore now top the world’s most expensive cities list. But New York is in sixth place. So, of course, your pocketbook may be a deciding factor regarding which NYC neighborhoods you’re considering. (Don’t worry, plenty of the more affordable NYC neighborhoods offer many perks.) “Things like budget always play a part on where to live,” Ali says. “Once my clients lock in on a budget, that in itself will narrow down neighborhoods for them.”

It’s easy to see median asking prices for rent and home sales on the StreetEasy Data Dashboard. For example, the median asking rent in Long Island City, Queens, is $3,700 as of December 2021. Over in Manhattan, the median asking rent on the Upper East Side is even less: $3,300. But remember, a “median” is just that — you can find steals way less than that and splurges that cost way more, too. Finds tips for your rental search here.

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East Elmhurst

23-16 99th Street

$3,300 No Fee

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Ditmars-Steinway

24-09 27th Street

$2,500 No Fee

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Kew Gardens

83-16 Lefferts Boulevard

$2,395 No Fee

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Oakland Gardens

221-08 64th Avenue

$3,100 No Fee

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Ridgewood

1704 Gates Avenue

$2,560 No Fee

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Long Island City

27-16 41st Avenue

$2,820 No Fee

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Maspeth

52-61 65 Place

$2,600 No Fee

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Hunters Point

27-19 Thomson Avenue

$5,591 No Fee

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Hunters Point

3 Court Square

$4,850 No Fee

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Corona

97-11 Horace Harding Expressway

$2,663 No Fee

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Kew Gardens

117-14 Union Tnpk

$2,800 No Fee

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Ditmars-Steinway

18-36 21 Drive

$2,800 No Fee

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Public Transportation Is a Big Part of the Decision

New Yorkers are movers and shakers by definition. So when you’re weighing the pros and cons of NYC neighborhoods, you will want to familiarize yourself with the local subway and bus lines. Are there express stops nearby, or only local ones? Does it take you not just to work but also to see friends or catch a show? Is the nearby station scheduled for a lengthy shutdown in the near future?

Do You Need Lots of Greenery and Open Spaces?

Even the most die-hard residents of NYC enjoy some green space occasionally. Others need it often. Be realistic about where you fall on that spectrum and evaluate accordingly. (The good news is that NYC is home to many world-famous parks, both old and new, including Central Park, Prospect Park, Hudson River Park, and Brooklyn Bridge Park.)

Note that what qualifies as a “park” in the city can vary widely. One might be a vast green expanse that invites you to lounge and picnic. Another might be a series of benches on a boulevard. The best advice is to visit your nearest parks in person if green space is essential to you.

Bronx Rentals Under $2,500 on StreetEasy Article continues below

Central Harlem

137 West 137th Street

$1,800 No Fee

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Sunnyside

44-15 43rd Avenue

$2,400 No Fee

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East Flatbush

1632 Brooklyn Avenue

$2,495 No Fee

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Flatbush

1505 Nostrand Avenue

$2,295 No Fee

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Morningside Heights

1270 Amsterdam Avenue

$2,300 No Fee

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Ditmars-Steinway

21-37 23rd Street

$2,200 No Fee

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Kew Gardens

83-83 118th Street

$2,500 No Fee

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Jamaica Estates

87-01 Midland Parkway

$2,350 No Fee

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Upper West Side

566 Amsterdam Avenue

$2,500 No Fee

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Oakland Gardens

224-36 64th Avenue

$2,300 No Fee

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Forest Hills

111-38 76 Drive

$2,300 No Fee

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Briarwood

139-21 85 Drive

$1,995 No Fee

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Do You Crave Nightlife or Shopping?

Maybe your weekend doesn’t begin until you’ve sipped a craft cocktail at a stylish spot, or you’re addicted to hunting through the racks at high-end consignment boutiques. Keep those needs in mind when searching for where to live in NYC. “People think you need to be able to walk to work or have a very short commute,” says Doron Zwickel, licensed real estate broker with CORE real estate. “For me, it’s more about where your social circle is and your favorite restaurants and retail. That’s more valuable to me than an easy commute to the office.”

Above all, do not settle. The promise of New York is that there’s a surprise around every corner. And there usually is. So go ahead, walk down all the streets, try all the bodegas, slice joints, and coffee shops you can. It’s the best way to discover the best place for you to live.