New York City vs. Philly: The Grass Isn’t Always Greener

In 2023, I pushed fear aside and made a momentous move from New York City to Philadelphia. After living in Philly for the past 9 months, I think that I am qualified to make a comparison of the two metropolises. After all, they are two major cities in the North East so they can’t be that different right? 

Hmmm. As the title of my post suggests, the grass isn’t always greener, and to put it nicely, you get what you pay for. 

It is common knowledge that New York City is one of the most expensive cities in the US, so of course, I gladly welcomed the opportunity to relocate to an area where having an in-unit washer/dryer was a norm instead of a luxury like it is in New York City. And here comes Philly. I refuse to lug my laundry to another laundromat; indeed, it was time for a change. I’m sure you get my point by now. The cost of living in Philly is much lower than it is in New York City, which is a major pro if we’re concerned with having a decent standard of living. 

But, what no one talks about are the downsides to some locales outside of New York City. Among other things, I consider New York City to be very forward-thinking and progressive. The state, in general, strives to serve its residents. 

There are a few things I have noticed in Philly that I find quite questionable, which happen to rub me the wrong way. 

There is an unconventional process of titling and registering your vehicle in Pennsylvania.

This process requires the completion of a form (MV-1) which “must be completed by an authorized agent of the department,” according to the PA DMV.  Essentially, to transfer my out-of-state title, I had to go through a third-party subcontracted by the DMV. Unfortunately, this turns out to be quite costly for the driver who ends up paying an additional $88 in fees to the third party, for functions that should have been performed by a state agency. This ish does not go down in New York, as the NYS DMV fully handles these tasks without the need to outsource these mandatory government services to independent parties.

The state seems to be strapped for cash.

Running a red light here will cost you, maybe a week’s worth of meals. In Philly, while we are allowed to turn right on red unless otherwise prohibited, this should be handled with caution. Little did I know that the red-light camera on Stenton and Ogontz was out for me. Somehow, I appeared to have turned right on red after the light changed to red, while there was a sign that prohibited the same. I was totally unaware, to be honest. This is a busy intersection, so I would not have turned unless the light was green, anyway. After watching the video recording of the incident, it seemed like the light changed while I was in the process of making the turn. It is my responsibility, ultimately, to make better judgments when approaching stoplights. Unfortunately, this mishap would decrease my bank account by $100. Bruh, a red-light camera violation in New York City is $50. A hundred dollars is quite excessive and points to a bigger issue with this state

There is an overwhelming lack of service just about everywhere. 

In my aim to understand the violation mentioned in #2 above, I tried contacting the PA DMV by phone. Reaching a live person was next to impossible. Why am I even surprised? They are clearly understaffed and with no one to answer customers’ inquiries, you are left in a state of both confusion and frustration. You see, the ticket was issued to my vehicle, but the video images showed my old plates which no longer exist. They have been turned in and have been destroyed. So, do I still have to pay a fine for a ticket assigned to non-existent plates.

Not only is service lacking in government agencies but also in privately-owned companies such as CVS Pharmacy. I have been using CVS in New York City for years, and though not perfect, I have been able to reach a live person when I had inquiries about my medication, etc. Good luck with reaching someone on the phone at most of the CVS pharmacies here. I have had to change my pharmacy several times but now I am slowly realizing that this is sadly how things may be here

There is a lack of regulation on certain essential services. 

In New York City, vehicle inspections and emissions fees are set by the NYS DMV. To inspect a sedan in NYC, costs around $37, for instance. In Philly, this is not regulated by the state. Auto shops can essentially charge what they wish to inspect a vehicle. Prices typically run around $60 and up here.

Essential rental utilities are not covered in Philly.

In Philly, residential tenants are responsible for their own heat, water, and hot water. Conversely, these utilities are covered in residential leases in New York City. Could this account for why rental costs are so high in New York City? Having lived in both cities, everything is suddenly starting to make sense.  Could it be that NYC landlords are trying to recoup these costs by hiking rental prices?

You can get a parking ticket at any time!

I have driven in NYC for years and I have never received a parking ticket that was issued at nighttime. It could be purely coincidental, however. But imagine my chagrin when I discovered I was ticketed at 8:24 pm on a Friday night, a few weeks ago. Like, who writes a parking ticket at night? Are you that strapped for cash? I was ticketed for parking too close to a hydrant which I did not even notice to begin with, as the sidewalks were quite clear, to my knowledge

There is a lack of accessibility to your favorite items.

As a major city in the NE, I have to say that it is not always easy to find some of the items I have grown used to, such as Caribbean foods, and other specialty items. But this may be an important niche that I can fill so I won’t complain too much. At times, it is also difficult to find vegan items such as vegan cheese at some of the major supermarkets which shouldn’t be so hard to find in this day and age.

You kinda need a car. 

Public transportation options here in Philly include buses, trolleys, the subway, and the regional rail. However, the metro system does not offer the same 24-hour availability as it does in New York City. There are two main subway lines here compared to a ton in NYC. So depending on where you live, there may not be quick access to a metro line. It is therefore necessary to choose your residence carefully if you want the convenience of hopping on and off the train. While my current neighborhood is close to a regional rail and bus line, I do not have the convenience of hopping on and off a train as I had back in New York City.

While I knew it was time for me to leave New York City, I still question myself on whether I made the best choice. Sometimes we think that moving to a new locale is all it takes to change your life tremendously. But is the grass always greener? 

The reasons above highlight why I am having mixed feelings about relocating to Philly. I’m not sure if it is the utopia I dreamed of, but one thing I have learned thus far is that you have to make your new city/locale what you want it to be. I can be the most miserable person here, or I can be the happiest. I chose the latter, as I carve my path to happiness and fulfillment. I will water this “grass” and make it as green as possible.