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New York
#42 of 124
North America

New York

NY, United States

Salary & Cost of Living

View purchasing power ranking

How do salaries and expenses in New York compare to Asuncion?

Purchasing Power Comparison

An engineer in New York is 163% better off vs in Asuncion

This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in New York compared to Asuncion, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.

Median Salary
$191,500
+$179K (+1378%) vs Asuncion
Based on 7730 data points from levels.fyi
Net Salary
$129,837
+$119K (+1137%) vs Asuncion
Tax Rate: 32%

Community Insights

New

New York City remains a polarizing but magnetic hub for software engineers, offering a high-stakes, high-reward lifestyle. While the cost of living (ranked #124, the most expensive) and tax burden are severe drawbacks, the city compensates with exceptional purchasing power (#42) and career trajectories that are hard to replicate elsewhere. The consensus is that NYC is less of a "pure tech" hub like San Francisco and more of a "business-first" environment where tech serves finance, media, and commerce, creating a faster-paced, grittier, and more diverse professional atmosphere.

Resident Sentiment

Current residents express a distinct "love/hate" relationship. Transplants often describe the first year as a "survival test" of adjusting to smaller spaces and higher costs, but many conclude that the career acceleration and social vibrancy make it "worth it" for at least a chapter of their lives. However, a notable segment eventually plans to leave for cheaper cities to buy property, citing that while NYC is unmatched for building a career, it is exhausting for long-term settling down.

The Good

Living Environment

Weather•Safety•Pollution•Events

A quick look at climate, safety, pollution, and tech community compared to Asuncion.

Rankings

Net Income

Top 4%

#5

of 124 cities

$129,837/yr

Current value

Community Events

Top 6%

#7

of 124 cities

15 events on luma

Current value

Comfortable Weather

Top 26%

#32

of 124 cities

66/100 weather score

Current value

Housing Affordability

View affordability ranking

How affordable is housing for a software engineer in New York compared to Asuncion?

Avg. Property Price
$13,485 / m²
825% more expensive than Asuncion
View detailed property prices on Numbeo

Salary Converter

Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in New York to maintain the same standard of living.

$

Do you have kids?

Cost of Living
369% more expensive than Asuncion
View detailed cost breakdown on Numbeo

Top Paying Companies in New York

Reddit logo
Reddit
Citadel logo
Citadel
Facebook logo
Facebook
Unrivaled Career Opportunities: Home to a massive density of high-paying jobs in fintech, HFT (High-Frequency Trading), and big tech offices (Google, Meta, Amazon), offering some of the highest compensation ceilings in the world.
  • Vibrant Social & Cultural Life: Residents describe an energy that is "hard to overstate," with world-class nightlife, distinct neighborhoods, and endless events that make it easy to meet people outside of work.
  • Car-Free Convenience: The extensive subway system and walkability make it one of the few US cities where owning a car is completely unnecessary, a major perk for those who hate driving.
  • Networking Potential: The "seat at the table" effect—being physically present in NYC offers access to diverse industries (media, finance, fashion) beyond just a tech bubble.
  • High Savings Potential: Despite the high cost of living, the net income (ranked #5) for software engineers often allows for higher absolute dollar savings compared to lower-cost-of-living cities.

    • The Bad

    • Exorbitant Housing Costs: Rent is a "huge barrier," with residents complaining about tiny apartments, fierce competition, and historically high broker fees (often 15% of annual rent) adding thousands to move-in costs.
    • High Tax Burden: Ranked #71 for tax rates, the combination of city, state, and federal taxes significantly eats into the high gross salaries, a frequent point of frustration in financial discussions.
    • Grime and Noise: Threads frequently mention the "sensory overload" of trash on sidewalks, smells, and constant noise pollution, which can be draining for sensitive individuals.
    • Strict RTO Mandates: unlike more remote-friendly hubs, NYC's finance and tech sectors have pushed harder for Return to Office (3-5 days a week), reducing flexibility.
    • Weather Extremes: Residents complain about the humid, sticky summers and freezing, windy winters, contrasting sharply with the mild climate of West Coast tech hubs.

    The Verdict

    You'll love it if...

    The ambitious career climber who thrives on energy and "hustle." It is ideal for extroverts who value social spontaneity, fintech specialists looking to maximize earnings in trading/banking, and those who despise car dependency. If you want your social life to be as active as your work life and value convenience over personal space, this is the place.

    Skip it if...

    Software engineers who prioritize savings rate (percentage) over absolute earnings, or those who value quiet, spacious living quarters. It is a poor fit for remote-first advocates who resent office mandates, nature lovers who need immediate access to the outdoors, and anyone easily overwhelmed by crowds, grime, or noise.

    Updated 11/29/2025

    Weather6.6/10+47% vs Asuncion
    Safety49+11%
    Pollution58-16%
    Events15+15
    6.6/10TechCities weather score vs 4.5/10 in Asuncion

    0–10 composite (higher is better) combining temperature comfort, sunshine hours, rainy-day count, and humid days. See methodology for weighting and data sources.

    Weather snapshot

    Average High
    17°C(vs 28°C in Asuncion)
    Average Low
    10°C(vs 19°C in Asuncion)
    Sunshine Hours
    2,535h/yr-268h/yr(-10%)
    Hottest Month High
    29°C(vs 33°C in Asuncion)
    Coldest Month Low
    -2°C(vs 14°C in Asuncion)
    Rainy Days
    94/yr-14/yr(-13%)

    Community & Quality

    New York community pulse

    New York has 15 Luma events listed.

    Asuncion has no listed Luma events for comparison.

    Purchasing Power

    Middle of the pack

    #42

    of 124 cities

    Home Affordability

    Middle of the pack

    #63

    of 124 cities

    ≈8.3 yrs to buy 80m²

    Current value

    Tax Rate

    Middle of the pack

    #71

    of 124 cities

    32%

    Current value (lower is better)

    Pollution Score

    Middle of the pack

    #81

    of 124 cities

    57.9/100

    Current value (lower is better)

    Safety Index

    Bottom 34%

    #83

    of 124 cities

    48.9/100

    Current value

    Cost of Living

    Bottom 1%

    #124

    of 124 cities

    100/100

    Current value (lower is better)

    SWE Affordability
    8.3 years
    2.8 years quicker than Asuncion
    Muggy Days
    46/yr-122/yr(-73%)
    Cloud Cover
    46%(vs 36% in Asuncion)