New York City
United States · North America · 8.3M people
Round-the-clock global capital with the densest subway in the Americas.
Ranked #186 of 303 overall · 40.71, -74.01
Overview
New York City sits in United States, on the North American continent, home to roughly 8.3 million people. It carries a strong student-city energy, with a young, transient population. Its reputation is built on history, architecture and a dense cultural calendar. People who choose to settle in New York City tend to point to solid infrastructure for remote work, reliable healthcare, and public transport good enough to skip owning a car as the deciding factors. Within the 48 cities we track in North America, the regional average sits at 6.3/10, which puts New York City's 6.3/10 a little behind the regional norm. On CityMatch, New York City scores 6.3/10 overall across cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet, ranking #186 of 303 cities in our database. Its strongest single criterion is internet & connectivity at 9/10, while cost of living is its softest spot at 3/10 — the full breakdown, honest trade-offs, and who this city actually suits are below.
Full scorecard
Among the pricier cities we track.
Generally safe with normal precautions.
Air quality dips at certain times of year.
A car is optional for most people.
Expect a proper seasonal swing.
Reliable access to quality care.
Remote work is a non-issue here.
Is New York City right for you?
Set your own priorities and see where it ranks against every city in the dataset.
Run the recommender →How are these scores calculated?
Every city on CityMatch is scored 1-10 on seven criteria — cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet — and those seven numbers are combined into the overall score shown throughout the site using a consistent, automated formula (an equal-weighted average by default, or your own weighting via the recommender tool). The same method is applied identically to every city, so scores are comparable across the full database.
Sources & data provenance
The current dataset is an internally curated starter dataset built for this version of the site, reflecting each city's general reputation on each criterion rather than a live feed from a single external provider. It is not yet sourced from a specific third-party API. If that changes, this section will be updated to name the exact sources in use.
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
Internet and connectivity score 9/10, making remote work a non-issue rather than a workaround.
Public transport scores 8/10, dense enough that skipping a car is realistic for most residents.
Healthcare scores 8/10, a meaningful factor for families, retirees, or anyone planning to stay long-term.
Trade-offs
Cost of living is the toughest line item, at 3/10 — budget accordingly, especially on rent.
Environment and air quality score just 5/10 — a real consideration if pollution affects you personally.
Is New York City safe?
At 6/10, safety in New York City is unremarkable in a good way: no particular risk stands out, but it's not a standout strength either.
At night
Nighttime is fine in most central areas, but it's worth checking which neighborhoods quiet down early versus stay lively and populated.
For tourists
Tourists are generally fine sticking to well-trodden areas; the usual advice about watching belongings in crowds and transit hubs applies.
For families
Safety, healthcare (8/10) and environment (5/10) together suggest a reasonable, if not exceptional, environment for families.
For solo travelers
Solo travel here is broadly fine with standard precautions; it's worth reading recent, specific traveler reports rather than relying on the city's reputation alone.
On public transport
Transport is reasonably safe day-to-day; late-night service quality and crowd levels are worth checking if you'll rely on it after dark.
Practical tips
- →Stick to well-lit, populated streets after dark, as you would in most cities.
- →Keep valuables out of sight rather than out of caution about any specific threat.
What's the climate like in New York City?
New York City scores 5/10 on climate, meaning a proper seasonal swing — expect at least one stretch of weather most people wouldn't pick as their favorite.
Seasonal character
Seasons here are more pronounced — at least one part of the year leans notably hot, cold, or wet compared with the rest.
Comfort level
Comfort varies meaningfully by season — some months are genuinely pleasant, others require real adjustment.
Best time to live here
Timing matters more here — researching the specific hottest, coldest or wettest months before committing is worth the effort.
Note: this reflects our single aggregate 1-10 climate score rather than month-by-month temperature, humidity or rainfall data, which we don't currently track — treat it as a general read rather than a forecast.
Quality of life in New York City
Put together, quality of life in New York City is shaped less by any single number and more by the combination: with a large student population, new york city has a younger, more transient energy than its size alone would suggest, paired with an outdoor/environment picture that's more mixed and transport that's genuinely workable.
Pace & lifestyle
With a large student population, New York City has a younger, more transient energy than its size alone would suggest.
Nature & outdoors
Outdoor and green-space time comes with more caveats here — environment (5/10) and climate (5/10) scores suggest it's more weather- and air-quality-dependent than in higher-scoring cities.
Getting around
Getting around is one of New York City's clearer strengths (8/10) — day-to-day life doesn't really require a car.
Culture & leisure
New York City is specifically known for its cultural and historical scene — museums, architecture and a dense calendar of things to do are part of its identity, not an afterthought.
Based on its actual score profile, New York City tends to suit people who prioritize internet & connectivity and public transport over cost of living — see "Who New York City suits" above for the specific profiles that fit best.
How clean is New York City?
New York City scores 5/10 on environment, suggesting air quality dips at certain times of year — a reasonable proxy for a public realm that's serviceable rather than pristine.
Public spaces
We don't have a dedicated public-space or waste-management score — the environment figure above (driven mainly by air quality) is the best available proxy, and it suggests room for improvement in at least some areas.
Infrastructure maintenance
General infrastructure maintenance isn't a criterion we score independently, so treat any specific claims about road quality, public bins, or graffiti with caution unless they come from a recent, first-hand source.
The "environment" score behind all of this is CityMatch's single combined measure of air quality and general environmental conditions — 10 meaning consistently clean air, 1 meaning significant pollution. It doesn't separately break out waste management, noise, or visual upkeep, which aren't part of our current dataset.
Who New York City suits
Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs — founders and small business owners who need reliable connectivity and a livable base without big-city costs (fit score 6.4/10 here).
Young professional
Young professionals — early-career movers who want nightlife and transit within budget, without yet prioritizing healthcare or climate (fit score 6.3/10 here).
Student
Students — students who need affordability, transit and a lively social scene (fit score 6.1/10 here).
Expat
Expats — expatriates relocating for work who lean on safety, healthcare and internet to stay settled and connected (fit score 6.7/10 here).
In depth
Cost of living
Budget matters a lot in New York City: it scores just 3/10 on affordability, among the pricier cities in our database, and rent in particular tends to dominate a monthly budget.
Safety
New York City scores 6/10 on safety — generally fine, with the usual big-city precautions rather than any particular red flag.
Climate
Climate is a middling factor in New York City, scoring 5/10 — expect a proper seasonal swing, including a stretch of weather most people wouldn't call ideal.
Quality of life
New York City scores 6.3/10 overall, but that average hides a real spread: internet & connectivity (9/10) is genuinely strong, while cost of living (3/10) pulls the picture down considerably. The average across all seven criteria is 6.3/10.
Transport
Getting around is one of New York City's strong points, scoring 8/10 on transport — a car is genuinely optional here for most day-to-day needs.
Internet & remote work
Remote work is well supported here: New York City scores 9/10 on internet and connectivity, with fast, reliable connections in most neighborhoods.
Why choose New York City?
The short version: choose New York City for its internet & connectivity, and go in with clear eyes about cost of living. Its 6.3/10 overall score reflects that balance rather than an unqualified recommendation.
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Frequently asked questions
Is New York City safe?
New York City scores 6/10 on safety — generally fine, with the usual precautions you'd take in any mid-sized city.
What budget do I need to live in New York City?
New York City is expensive by our data, scoring just 3/10 on cost of living — among the priciest cities we track. This isn't the city to pick primarily to save money.
Is New York City good for families?
New York City is a reasonable family option — safety (6/10) and healthcare (8/10) are solid enough, without being standout strengths.
Is New York City a good city for students?
Yes, New York City is tagged as a student city in our database — affordability (3/10) and transport (8/10) both matter for that, and both are workable here.
Is New York City suitable for digital nomads?
Remote work is possible in New York City, but it's not an obvious pick — internet (9/10) and cost of living (3/10) are less favorable than our dedicated digital-nomad cities.
What's the climate like in New York City?
New York City scores 5/10 on climate, meaning a proper seasonal swing including a stretch of weather most people wouldn't call ideal.
Is New York City pleasant to live in year-round?
Reasonably — New York City scores 5/10 on climate and 5/10 on environment, a fair rather than exceptional combination across the year.
Is New York City a good choice for a first move abroad?
It's a reasonable choice for a first move: safety, healthcare, transport and environment average out to 6.8/10 here, a fairly forgiving combination for someone settling in for the first time.
Is the internet good enough for remote work in New York City?
Yes — New York City scores 9/10 on internet and connectivity, comfortably enough for video calls and day-to-day remote work.
Is New York City a good place to retire?
It has real appeal for retirees: healthcare, climate and safety average out to 6.3/10 here — the three criteria that tend to matter most for that stage of life.
What are good alternatives to New York City?
Based on continent, tags and overall score, London and Paris are the closest matches to New York City in our database — worth comparing directly if you're still deciding.
Is New York City worth living in?
Reasonably — New York City scores 6.3/10 overall, a solid if unremarkable all-round profile. Whether it's "worth it" depends more on which specific criteria matter most to you than on the average alone.
Who should move to New York City?
Based on its score profile, New York City suits people who value internet & connectivity and public transport more than the average mover — see the "Who New York City suits" section above for the specific profiles (families, digital nomads, students, etc.) that fit best.
Is New York City walkable, and is public transport good?
Yes — New York City scores 8/10 on transport, dense and reliable enough that a car is genuinely optional for most residents.
What's the biggest advantage of living in New York City?
Internet & connectivity is New York City's standout strength, scoring 9/10 — the highest of its seven criteria on CityMatch.
What's the biggest downside of living in New York City?
Cost of living is the clearest trade-off, scoring just 3/10 — the lowest of New York City's seven criteria, and worth weighing against its strengths.