NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 13: The Empire State Building towers over the Manhattan skyline on February 13, 2012 in New York City. The owner of the Empire State Building, Malkin Holdings, plans to raise up to $1 billion in an initial public offering on the 102 story Manhattan landmark. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
Photo: John Moore/2012 Getty Images
The borough earned a 233.5 on the Council for Community and Economic Research’s Cost of Living Index, which uses housing, food, transportation, and health care prices to come up with its rankings. (The average is 100, to put the number in perspective.) Brooklyn came in at a distant second with a score of 183.4, while Queens was sixth (151.4.) So, basically, your options are: Staten Island, the Bronx, make more money, or move (but not to Honolulu, which landed third place.) Or just stick around and keep shelling out $14 for cocktails and having those weird dreams where you discover an extra room in your apartment.
