NYC versus SF – the debate that never ends
It seems that every week one of our friends moves from NYC to the Bay Area for the allure of Silicon Valley, usually as a result of a job offer at a tech company, but sometimes with the bold endeavor of becoming an entrepreneur. Some end up loving SF. Others end up hating it.
Here is our thought on the NYC versus SF debate. We encourage readers to email us their viewpoint on the topic at editor@ygenmag.com.
NYC:
- World class nightlife
- Great for single men: High ratio of attractive women to males
- World class restaurants
- Interesting people. Some of the smartest, most talented people from around the world
- Diversity. Global city that is a major center of finance, media, culture, fashion, entertainment, arts
- Bagels, pizza, Italian, and Kosher food is better in NYC than SF
- Truly the American Dream for those who work hard. Endless career potential
- Easy to get around. Efficient subway and easily accessible/cheap by cab and Uber
- An hour flight from DC and Boston
- Summer scene: Hamptons, Fire Island, or other New England summer destinations such as Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard
SF:
- Recreational, outdoor activities abound- it’s common for young professionals to join a dodgeball league or play on a rec sport team
- A lot of things to do on weekends due to the proximity of amazing places such as Napa, Lake Tahoe, Sausalito, Half Moon Bay, Yosemite and Big Sur. LA and Vegas are an hour flight away as well, if you get the itch to party (which you may not satisfy in SF)
- Great for single women: High ratio of smart, wealthy (or potentially soon to be, post-IPO) men
- Awful for single men: You’ll probably have to “lower your standards” in SF…
- World class restaurants: 2nd best restaurant city in the U.S. (after NYC) based on number of Michelin stars and James Beard Award winners
- The global center of technology and the best place to build a career in tech
- Mexican and Asian food is better in SF than NYC
- Relaxed vibe. People are less uptight and neurotic.
- Less pretentious. Although there’s almost a pretentiousness about being unpretentious – i.e. designer hoodies, Tesla’s, and PBR’s
- Most expensive city in the U.S. for housing, with rents even higher than NYC. However you usually get more space than NYC. Also notoriously hard to find an apartment – people have been known to show up to apartment viewings with cashiers checks.
- Issues with crime, arising partially from tension over the gentrification of the city, pricing out anyone but six figure income earners.
- Great weather. Moderate year-round temperature conducive to active lifestyle. One could run outside every day of the year.
