Why are people moving from NYC to Philly?
Best places to live in - November 22, 2018
Deciding where to live is always difficult – every place has its ups and downs, its pros and cons. And weighing them against one another is almost never easy. For example, many people are moving from NYC to Philly these days. So what exactly does Philadelphia have to offer that the Big Apple lacks? And is this even a good choice at all, or are these people making a mistake? Don’t worry, you won’t have to figure it out on your own – we’re here to give you a few informed pointers on the subject.
Moving from NYC to Philly for work
At first, this might seem like madness, right? It doesn’t actually matter which specific profession we look into – New York simply offers a lot more job opportunities than Philly, right? And yet, you’ll hear more and more that people are moving from NYC from Philly for work. So, what’s the catch? Does Philadelphia’s job market have something that escapes New York? You’ll be surprised to hear the answer actually isn’t that difficult at all – it all comes down to competition.
As we all know, New York is the place almost every up-and-coming young person dreams of working. If you’re someone who’s got a career in some of the creative industries, New York is the next best choice after Los Angeles. And the same goes for any career related to the humanities. But there’s a flip side to that coin – because everyone is flocking to NYC, the competition is much stronger. So in the end, no matter how much open positions there are – only the best and the brightest make it in New York. And others, who may be perfectly capable, but simply not the best – hire residential movers and move their home. Which is why some of them go to Philly instead, where they’ll be able to land a job with much less competition from their peers.

Biking is an option
In this day and age, more and more people are dumping cars and switching to bikes as their primary means of transport – or at least they’d like to. And let’s be honest here: New York isn’t exactly very bike friendly. While it may seem silly – it’s one of the reasons that people are moving from NYC to Philly. Sure, it may look strange to switch cities because of that – but many people out there take their health and exercise very seriously. On the other hand, Philadelphia is quite bike friendly. Which is why people who are bike enthusiasts look for moving companies to take them to Philly! These days, many streets there have clearly marked bike lanes, so getting around on your bicycle is not an issue at all.
The lifestyle is quite different
As we’ve already mentioned, New York is really one of those beacon cities that every country has, to which people flock to in droves. But one sad fact is – not everyone from smaller environments can get used to the New York way of life. It’s not that either one is inherently better or worse, of course – but they’re simply different. Which is why, after a while, many people who’ve come to New York want to find another city. And so, they find smaller cities, which are still big enough for them to find many opportunities for work and entertainment there. It’s one of the many reasons people are moving from NYC to Philly.
Once you take a look at the city of Philadelphia, you’ll find that it’s not small by any metric. But on the other hand, it’s smaller than New York, and it’s got something of a homely atmosphere. People from smaller towns often find that Philly suits them a lot more than the New York way of life.

Real estate costs are much lower
Finally, let’s get into one of the biggest reasons people are packing up moving from NYC to Philly. Because once you go down the list of reasons we’ve previously mentioned, you’ll see that they’re not really comparable to this one. Why? Well, because this is something that has a much bigger impact on how and where people live their lives. As a matter of fact, we’re talking about real estate costs.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re renting an apartment or saving up to become a homeowner yourself. The fact remains, Philly is much more affordable. Depending on the neighborhoods we’re comparing, Philly can even be as much as 50% cheaper! Really, it’s no wonder people with smaller salaries are relocating there.
Philly is more affordable in general as well
Of course, while real estate prices are the main expense for most people – it’s not the only one, not by far. And when you get into the nitty-gritty of price differences, you’ll realize something; for everything from utility bills to sports events, Philadelphia is simply much cheaper than New York. And sure, there are creative ways to save money – but at the end of the day, they may not be enough. Which is why people who can’t afford the Big Apple are moving from NYC to Philly. At the end of the day, it’s the only logical move to make in a situation where you can’t afford a restaurant or even something less significant.
