<p>Tupperware? You actually do that?</p>
<p>I have been doin summer research in the NYC past summer, and I lived in my anut's apartment, my cost of living, which mainly including the food and transportation and miscellious spending, total up about 70 dollars per wk...</p>
<p>Naw, I was just kidding. I do, however, like to pig out at receptions with free food. Why socialize when you can eat?</p>
<p>densely populated urban areas usually have higher living costs.. eh? not just nyc, but say.. boston. my uncle turned down a tenured position at harvard medical school b/c of the living cost, and went to wake forest (north carolina) instead.. ._.
yea.. living cost in ny is really high though.. wonder if it would be possible to commute from syosset. have a place to stay in syosset.. plausible?</p>
<p>be ready to spend lots of cash in this lovely city of ours. i mean i love it, but you can go broke-- so especially those of you who are not used to being surrounded by EVERYTHING in the world: glue your wallets shut.</p>
<p>As said before, the rent is the big problem. If you adjust your style of living accordingly, the rest is manageable. Any city can be more expensive because there are simply more ways to spend your money. And the time of food plans that are offered at a school can make a difference as well. If you have to pay a la carte for everything, it can be expensive. I know that when my S was in college, I bought him a small freezer from Sam's (about $130 then) and stocked it full of portiions of frozen food that I fixed and also bought boxes of Hot Pockets and other quick protein servings from Sam's along with cases of instant ramen and other quick eats. That helped somewhat. The tiny frig he shared with 5 other guys was growing stuff I did not want to even see and the freezer was miniscule and full of vodka. The stove was disgusting. The microwave was passable but if that were not, I would have bought one for him (they cost less than $100 for a full size these days). The problem is that if parents visit a student in NYC or Boston or DC, it is usually an expensive trip. I have trouble not spending a fortune when I go to NYC. The hotels are expensive, the parking is atrocious and there is so much there in ways of spending the money that it is easy to go through $1000 in a weekend, very easy. I can drive to State U, stay at the local Day's Inn (very clean, includes breakfast, under $50 with tax, parking free) and there aren't too many places to spend a lot of money. After one try at the local "parents" restaraunt, I know my friend sticks to the little less expensive, cute eateries since she does not like to be hit with huge prices for "wedding" food. Lots of cheap entertainment there as well on campus. Not the same as going to DC where you just have to see the "Capital Steps", and let's try that great new restaraunt, and there is a new boutique to die for. I have paid for parking AND taxis in the cities, getting double dinged for that. But my brothers who live in NYC seem to do fine on a tight budget for every day living expenses.</p>