Roommates, Roaches & Rats: What No One Tells You About Living in New York City

'It’s sometimes said that, in New York City, you can have a good job, a good apartment and a good companion—but not all three at the same time.' The origin of the saying is unknown but damn it if it isn't true

I've lived in New York for about 8 years and most times I love taking a juicy bite out of the Big Apple. But there are other times where that thing (NY) is so incredibly sour I want to spit it out faster than the speed of light. There are times I would rather eat barrels of slimy snails than live in the City. Yeah you heard me, it gets that bad.  The concrete jungle is seriously one of those places that will kick your ass while simultaneously giving you a hug. It's a living and breathing oxymoron.

But yet and still I live here. 

This is my home and there is no place in the world I would rather be. Suffice to say I have a love/hate relationship with the Empire State.

I often get questions from people that don't live here about what it's really like to live in New York City. Here are 3 dirty little truth's that no one ever tells you about living in Gotham city. 

Roommates

The rent in New York is too damn high. The average price of a two bedroom rental in Manhattan is $4,042 according to the Citi Habitat's April 2014 market report. Damn y'all. That's 4 grand for a two bedroom. To put things in perspective the average sale price of a home in Manhattan last year was $1.46 million, according to a recent Douglas Elliman report, while the average sale price for a new home in the United States was just under $230,000.  And because everyone in NY is not a baller, folks often get roommates. Most people solicit them via friends, co-workers or websites such as Craigslist and the search for one can be quite exhausting. You absolutely run the risk of living with someone crazy (or someone amazing) but that's the price you pay for living in NY. 

Rats
You really haven't experienced New York until you take the subway and are greeted by a big ole nasty rats scurrying by on the tracks. This my friends is the real NYC with almost 2 millions rats living in the five boroughs. And the rats aren't the only problem, most city dwellers are constantly killing roaches much to their chagrin. Chile, a roach will make you feel like you should start charging them for rent. They are so damn disrespectful.

So we already talked about roaches and rats above so let me burst another bubble. Forget what "Sex in the City" told you. This City is not for lovers.  You are more likely to catch an STD than catch a cuffing partner. True story. Finding a boo thang in New York City often feels like finding a needle in a haystack. Damn near impossible. Most people that come here are in search of a career or just for fun so the temptation to settle is non existent. Of course this isn't an all encompassing rule, there are absolutely exceptions to this rule. But ask any woman or man about dating in New York and he/she will tell you it's nothing like the sexiness portrayed in the movies.

So why do I still live here? Well it's the greatest City in the World! The opportunities are endless here and you cannot beat the incredible views of the skyline. At any given moment I can choose to dine at a Jamaican or  Ethiopian or Greek or Chinese restaurant. The diversity of the city never ceases to amaze me.  Name one city where at any given moment you can spot a celebrity casually walking down the street or  you can see a  movie being filmed in your neighborhood just a stone's throw away from your doorstep. The arts culture in NY is unrivaled. Whether your drug of choice is Broadway, ballet or Beyonce, entertainment is always one subway ride away. So yeah it has it's downfalls but there is no literally no place like home. For now that is :)