> In New York City you should be making at least $150k to $200k for a decent life IMO. If that’s not you there’s no point living there, People can have a pleas

> In New York City you should be making at least $150k to $200k for a decent life IMO. If that’s not you there’s no point living there, People can have a pleasant life in an expensive city making far, far less than that IMO. Just to be contrarian, there's more than 1 valid life path, but I'll make the totally opposite argument than yours. People who can't make a lot of money should consider living in a big city, and people who can make a reasonable amount of money should try and live outside of it. Here's the argument. People who can't make a lot of money anywhere won't likely ever be buying a house anyway regardless of where they live, so they'll fit into the rental culture in the city very well. If you're not making a lot of money, you won't be able to frequently travel regardless of where you live, so living in a big city is an advantage as it at least gives you an opportunity to experience a bit of global culture, have friends from around the country/world sometimes pass through and visit you, and gives you an option for an occasional fancy dinner out or tickets to some event when you can save up enough without thinking about a long trip that you don't have time for and can't afford. Ok, maybe you won't be going out for a fancy dinner, Beyonce concert, or Knicks game every single week, but you can save and plan for that once in a while and it's a realistic subway ride across town if you want it. A poor person living in a big city can have experiences that they wouldn't be able to logistically arrange otherwise. But if you are capable of making a reasonably solid living, it makes more sense to stay out of the city. First, you'll likely be able to afford your own home comfortably. Even very high-earners can't afford to ever buy much more than a nice and clean and relatively roach/mice-free shoe-box in NYC, but you can live like a near-king in a smaller city making anywhere in 6 figures and can buy a massive home with all of the space needed for just about any hobby. A million dollars can get you a near palace outside of a major city, whereas a million dollar home in NYC is still depressingly small. And if you're making money and have your own home, you have the ability to travel anywhere you want when you're jonesing for some nightlife, beaches, gambling, entertainment, etc. The uber-rich can afford to have homes in multiple towns and cities and can afford lots of space and an uber-comfortable life in any expensive city, so this analysis doesn't matter for them.