How can people possibly afford to live in one of the most expensive cities on the planet? It\u2019s a question New Yorkers hear a lot, often delivered with a mix of awe, pity and confusion.<\/p>\n
We surveyed hundreds of New Yorkers about how they spend, splurge and save. We found that many people \u2014 rich, poor or somewhere in between \u2014 live life as a series of small calculations that add up to one big question: What makes living in New York worth it?<\/a><\/p>\n As an Uber driver in New York City, Anup Baniya works long hours behind the wheel of his S.U.V., navigating snarled traffic.<\/p>\n The passengers he ferries across the city may be surprised to learn how little he earns.<\/p>\n Mr. Baniya, an immigrant from Nepal, brings home roughly $25,000 each year after paying for his vehicle and other business expenses.<\/p>\n His wife, Sonu Khadka, stays home with their 7-month-old son, Ivaan. There is little money left at the end of each week.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I make a few extra bucks, maybe we can get some things for the baby,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Mr. Baniya, 36, said it had become more difficult over the years to make a living driving for Uber<\/a>. His costs have risen, and trips are harder to find.<\/p>\n He has considered doing other jobs like becoming a data analyst. But he likes choosing his own hours. It was important for him to join his wife for her prenatal appointments and to attend his son\u2019s pediatrician visits.<\/p>\n \u201cI like the freedom I get from it,\u201d he said. \u201cThrough my wife\u2019s pregnancy, I had flexibility.\u201d<\/p>\n A Family Friendly Complex in Queens<\/p>\n The family lives in a small apartment in LeFrak City, a housing complex in Corona, Queens, that has long been a haven for working class<\/a> and immigrant families<\/a>.<\/p>\n The rent is $2,500 per month, which they split in half with a roommate. Mr. Baniya pays roughly $400 per month for internet and utilities.<\/p>\n The complex feels like its own village with 20 high-rise buildings and sprawling lawns of green space. Ivaan recently started using the swing set at the playground.<\/p>\n Their apartment is cramped, and Mr. Baniya worries about rent increases. Their roommate sleeps in a small room that typically serves as a den.<\/p>\n Mr. Baniya used to pay for a parking garage, but now parks on the street to save money.<\/p>\n His work day usually starts at 7 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m., except for Tuesdays which he takes off to spend with his family. He drives for Uber and sometimes for Lyft.<\/p>\n \u201cThe more jobs we do, the more income we get \u2014 I\u2019m usually on the road for 10 hours,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n A recent Monday was a \u201cbad day,\u201d he said. Business was slow. He spent five hours on the road with passengers and made about $125, or $25 per hour before expenses.<\/p>\n The Economics of Driving for Uber<\/p>\n Mr. Baniya\u2019s greatest expense is the vehicle he uses for work. He pays $2,400 per month to rent a hybrid RAV 4 S.U.V. and $450 per month for car insurance.<\/p>\n He spends about $100 per week on gas, though that could increase with the recent jump in gas prices<\/a>. He visits the carwash twice a week and gets regular oil changes. All together, his business expenses cost more than $30,000 per year, according to a copy of a recent tax return.<\/p>\n His family relies on a low-cost health insurance plan through a federally-subsidized program called the Essential Plan<\/a>.<\/p>\n Around 2017, he joined the Independent Drivers Guild, a group that represents Uber drivers, to help fight for higher pay<\/a>.<\/p>\n Mr. Baniya said that the city\u2019s minimum pay rules for ride-share drivers<\/a> had not kept pace with inflation and that Uber was keeping too much of the fare \u2014 nearly one-fourth per trip, according to research by the driver group<\/a>. The city\u2019s cap on new vehicle licenses<\/a> raised the cost of renting a vehicle, and he argued that the city should instead limit the number of new drivers.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like customers are paying way more than they used to pay, but drivers are making way less than they used to make,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Uber, which is expanding its offices in New York<\/a>, has argued that drivers do make a good living<\/a>, roughly $52,000 per year<\/a> for many full-time drivers, and that congestion pricing tolls and airport fees have contributed to higher costs for passengers.<\/p>\n When Mr. Baniya is working, it is often difficult to find a place to stop for a break. Parking spots are elusive in Manhattan, and he worries about violating the city\u2019s complex parking rules<\/a>, which carry large fines, including $115 for parking near a fire hydrant or $50 to $250 for blocking a bus lane.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is nowhere for us to rest or to try to run and get a cup of coffee,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n