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- Writer Lola Méndez moved to New York City in 2009 to finish her college degree.
- She worked in fashion and PR and spent nearly a third of her salary on rent for years.
- Méndez says moving away at 25 was the best thing she ever did for her wallet and well-being.
When I moved to New York City from Los Angeles in 2009 to finish my college degree, I was stunned at how much more expensive rent is in New York City and how little you get for the hefty price.
When I left LA, I was paying $1,100 a month for a massive studio in West Hollywood in a complex with a swimming pool, gym, and parking. My first apartment in New York was $200 more for significantly less space and amenities. I paid rent from scholarship funds, grants, and student loans.
I was living in studios in New York, but it wasn't sustainable
I paid $1,300 for a tiny studio on 64th and West End in 2009. It was so small I slept on a pullout couch that couldn't even open fully, and I slept at a slant.
I graduated from college in 2010 and worked as a coordinator at a PR agency. I lived in the Lower East Side and paid $1,450 for a slightly larger studio on Stanton and Ludlow. I had mostly lived alone since I was 17 and preferred not to have roommates.
I loved that apartment, but someone started stalking me shortly after I moved on. It went on for months as the NYPD investigated. Fearing for my safety, an acquaintance convinced me to move into a two-bedroom apartment on 1st St and 1st Ave with security guards in March 2013.
Roommates are a necessary evil as a young person living in New York
Initially, I split the rent with my roommate based on room size. I took the smaller room for $1,450. My roommate abruptly decided to leave New York four months into our two-year lease. She made it challenging to find a replacement.
Ultimately, a new roommate was able to take over her portion of the lease. I was so exhausted that I let the new roommate live in the larger room with a built-in closet, but we still split the $3,280 rent, each paying $1,640 before utilities. I lived with this arrangement from October 2013 until March 2015.
At the time, I was a Senior Manager at a strategic fashion branding agency in New York on $5,582 a month after taxes and 401(k) contributions. Around 30% of my income was going toward my rent.
Monthly expenses like gyms and entertainment rack up
I often felt like I was living from paycheck to paycheck. There was immense pressure to have a wardrobe of trendy pieces. I had enough clothing, most bought on sale, to fill a closet and two clothing racks.
My monthly expenses added up quickly with student loan payments, gym memberships, exercise classes, taxis, and going out several times a week for dinner and drinks. My savings were essentially nonexistent.
Leaving the city at 25 wasn't an easy decision for me
I loved my life in Manhattan, had wonderful friends, a decent apartment, and was excelling at my career.
Toward the end of 2014, I was notified I would be promoted. I knew other people on that level were making six figures. I should have been elated, but I wasn't. I realized I didn't want to spend the rest of my 20s sitting at a desk for 10 hours daily.
In 2015, I resigned from my role. I planned to move to Uruguay, where my father was from, and start a nonprofit.
In the months leading up to my departure, I saved around $10,000 by selling my designer clothes at consignment shops. Letting go of Christian Louboutin shoes and Louis Vuitton handbags was painful, but with each sale, I could envision myself traveling to some far-off destination.
There are benefits to being a twenty-something in New York
The benefits of living in New York in my 20s were having access to the best art, dining establishments, and music in the world. Also, my career thrived quickly. I had nine internships during my degree. By the time I graduated, I had several full-time job offers.
Life in New York was never boring, but it was expensive. I got caught up in how superficial the fashion industry is. I was a snob and hardly left Manhattan. I experienced difficult moments that challenged my wholesome Midwestern upbringing and sunny California disposition.
I thought I had to live in New York to be successful, but it wasn't worth the lack of saving in my 20s. Leaving the city at 25 was the best decision for my well-being and wallet.
I've been able to save 6 figures because I don't rent in New York
I'm now 34 and have been renting apartments for half my life. I haven't moved back to the States since leaving New York. I've mostly lived alone in modern apartments in trendy neighborhoods. I've lived in Madrid, Chaing Mai, Thailand; Hoi An, Vietnam; Montevideo, Uruguay; and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and never paid more than $800 a month for housing.
As a freelance journalist, I could never afford the quality of apartments I've become accustomed to if I lived in New York. I've saved over six figures in the last nine years — mostly because I'm not paying Manhattan rent. I'm based in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico where I pay $730 a month for a gigantic one-bedroom with a California King bed, a balcony overlooking the mountains, a swimming pool, and weekly maid service.
As a freelancer, I don't have steady guaranteed income, so having left-over money to contribute to my investments and high yield savings account is key to managing future expenses.