New York City: Abundant Jobs & World Cuisine

Expats in NYC can get a taste of the American dream through their career opportunities but at the price of sky-high healthcare and housing costs.

The City of Opportunities Offers Poor Job Security
Infamously High Cost of Living
Exorbitant Healthcare Costs & Poor Safety
You’ll Never Run Out of Places to Eat
Housing Prices Put a Damper on the Essentials
Difficult to Set Up a Support Network of Friends
Further Reading

Out of 53 cities in the 2024 Expat City Ranking, New York City comes in 28th place. This is an improvement from 39th in 2023, but the city is yet to recreate its performance from 2022 when it saw 16th place. The same can be said for expats’ happiness with their life abroad. After falling to 31st in 2023 from the top 10 in 2022, happiness in NYC now ranks 18th.

The City of Opportunities Offers Poor Job Security

After a major dip to 28th place in 2023, New York City’s Working Abroad Index makes it back into the top 10 in 10th place. This is thanks to improvements in the ranking for Work & Leisure (45th to 39th) and Salary & Job Security (from 38th to 29th).

In 2023, 47% of respondents in NYC were satisfied with their work–life balance (63% globally). A year later, this share increases to 57% — although it’s still below the global average of 60%, expats in NYC are relatively happier amid a global downward trend.

Job security remains a sore issue, with NYC ranking 44th. But expats can take solace in the fact that Career Prospects (2nd) and Work Culture & Satisfaction (7th) maintain their hold in the top 10.

The local job market and personal career opportunities rank 2nd. Close to three in four expats (74%) agree that moving to NYC improved their career prospects (vs. 56% globally). A similar share (71%) are overall satisfied with their jobs (vs. 60%), ranking this factor 4th.

“What I like the most? That there are a lot of opportunities to be successful. And I like the culture and the people.” – Indian expat

Infamously High Cost of Living

On the other end of the scale is the Personal Finance Index (45th), where NYC has graced the bottom 10 since 2022. For all three factors of this index, a lower share of respondents than the global average are satisfied.

Nearly two-thirds of expats in NYC (65%) are dissatisfied with the cost of living (vs. 39% globally). Though costs may be high, the same share (65%) feel that their disposable household income is enough or more than enough to lead a comfortable life (vs. 70%). Overall, 51% of respondents are satisfied with their financial situation (vs. 54%).

Exorbitant Healthcare Costs & Poor Safety

Such a high cost of living doesn’t necessarily lead to an excellent Quality of Life (45th), as besides Leisure Options (7th), expats in NYC are dissatisfied with this index’s offering. Out of five subcategories, three are in the bottom 10.

“I don’t like the bad infrastructure, the political polarization, and the income disparity.” – Swedish expat

In 50th place is Healthcare. Expats find it unaffordable (53rd), not easily available (43rd), and disagree that it’s of high quality (41st). Noticeably, 62% rate the affordability of medical care negatively, a full 40 percentage points higher than the global average (22%) — 32% even say it’s very bad (vs. 6%).

Safety & Security doesn’t fare better in 48th place. At 27%, the share of respondents that don’t feel safe in the city is more than three times the global average of 8%. Political stability is also viewed negatively by 24% (vs. 16% globally).

The Environment & Climate (45th) receives similar results. The air quality (45th) and urban environment (45th) stand out in particular. Around a quarter of expats rate these factors negatively (vs. 19% and 16% respectively).

You’ll Never Run Out of Places to Eat

The Travel & Transit Subcategory (36th) at least lands outside the bottom 10. It may not be easy nor safe to get around on foot or by bicycle (45th), but at least seven in ten expats find public transportation affordable (70% vs. 70% globally) and available (85% vs. 72%).

NYC’s silver lining is the abundance of food and cultural activities. More than nine in ten respondents there are happy with the culinary variety & dining options (95% vs. 73% globally) and the culture & nightlife (91% vs. 66%). Notably, 71% give the best possible rating to the food scene (vs. 40%).

Housing Prices Put a Damper on the Essentials

After placing 31st in 2023, NYC’s Expat Essentials Index (17th) is back to 2022 form, when it ranked 15th. Language (5th) is the best-performing subcategory, followed by Digital Life (15th) and Admin Topics (23rd).

Around nine in ten expats in NYC rate their unrestricted access to online services such as social media positively (92% vs. 82% globally) and find it easy to pay without cash (89% vs. 83%). Meanwhile, the share of expats that finds it easy to deal with the local authorities is at 46% not very impressive, but it’s still 10 percentage points higher than the global average (36%).

A major concern is getting a visa to move to NYC in the first place: 43% of respondents say it’s difficult (vs. 26% globally). Once there, Housing (30th) presents another challenge. Nearly three in four expats (73%) say it’s unaffordable (vs. 47%), with 33% giving this factor the worst possible rating (vs. 16%). Finding accommodation may be easier, but it’s nothing to write home about, as only 37% agree with this assessment (vs. 45%).

“It is all about money. You have it, you can enjoy the city. If you don’t, you are nothing. Housing prices are impossible.” – Spanish expat

Difficult to Set Up a Support Network of Friends

The Ease of Settling In Index is now in 22nd place after ranking 16th in 2022. The good news is that getting used to the local culture in NYC (11th) isn’t too much of a hassle, with the Culture & Welcome Subcategory in 13th place. And around three in four expats (73%) feel welcome there (vs. 63% globally) — perhaps thanks to the city’s multicultural nature.

However, building a personal support network appears difficult, with NYC ranking 43rd for this factor. This is despite the ease of making local friends (17th). The problem may not lie with Local Friendliness (21st), as 70% of respondents agree that New Yorkers are generally friendly towards foreign residents (vs. 61% globally).

Overall, about half of expats in NYC (53%) are happy with their social life, which is just about average (vs. 52% globally).