[macintologist]

What's the better city? Is Boston supposed to be slightly slower paced? What about crime and standards of living. Which city has more culture and excitement?

I'm not so sure but I'm leaning towards Boston as the better city to live in.

[Eug Wanker]

NYC is more interesting to me, but I've never lived in either city. I did look at condo prices in Boston though a few years ago, and near the nice areas they were pretty damn high too.

What kind of stuff do you like? Why do you like Boston better. I like NYC because it seemed more multicultural, and anything you could want is available, at almost any time.

[mduell]

How old are you?

I think Boston is better for 20-somethings.

/is 21
//lives there

[milhous]

i really need to visit boston sometime, i've heard it's really nice. been to nyc many times and it's a great city. cost of living is no doubt lower in boston.

[imitchellg5]

I enjoy both cities a lot. I like the vibe of New York, it is truly a city that never sleeps. But I like Boston a lot more, less pickpocketers, it is a lot safer, and has more parks.

[MaxPower2k3]

I've heard good things about Boston, but I've never actually been there myself, so I can't really compare them. I love living in NYC, though. It's getting safer all the time, great mass transportation, there's always places to go any time of the day, and you won't find a more diverse group of people anywhere else in the world.

[imitchellg5]

I really enjoy the diversity of NYC, but Boston is catching up. Boston is an awesome place if you love history too.

[Timo]

I've lived in both. I found people in Boston suspicous of outsiders. I find people in New York don't care where you're from as long as you don't bug them. And in New York, you have to have a high tolerance for wierdness.

I feel Boston is the capital of Provincial America. New York, on the other hand, is indeed an expensive, obnoxious and dirty place, but it isn't as provincial -- although the typical New York attitude about being unable to imagine any other place in America worthy of living in is a pretty provincial idea at base.

For this outsider they're more alike than different, but don't try suggesting that to natives of either place, unless you like that dagger-eye look. They have a lot invested in the supposed big differences between New York and New England, and don't take kindly to someone pointing out all of the obvious similarities of character, attitude and temperment.

[Timo]

...and as for "rather live", I think I'd chose San Francisco. Just as provincial as Boston, mind, but with a lot more beauty and dynamism to crow about. San Franciscians are self-satisfied, to be sure, but boy do they live in a place that gives one reason to be.

[Eug Wanker]

I don't find Boston and New York alike at all.

[dcmacdaddy]

I have only visited Boston a couple times and didn't really like it. Too "boring" with rude people and no easy way to get around.

I have visited the City over 100 times in the past 16 years and have always had a good time, even with all the weirdos and crazies, sometimes even because of them. But, I'd really better like NYC as I am moving to Brooklyn in nine days. (Crown Heights, YO!)

[calamar1]

once you get used to it, most things in boston are just easier to deal with than in new york. the latter is a lovely place to visit, but i always find it just exceptionally time-consuming to do anything or get anywhere there (and it's not for lack of knowing where to go). boston is obviously a lot smaller than new york, but the way i see it, it's got most of the important parts, and with 50% less hassle. similar things, different scales. and yes, apart from baseball, they are more like than unlike, enough so that much of the country likes to hold both up as being emblematic of everything wrong with the country. as long as that's the case, they're both great places to be.

[Albert Pujols]

Boston is cleaner, less crowded, and it seems to be more cultured. Other than that, it sucks. You'd think Boston would be more welcoming to strangers with it's many universities and colleges, but I guess that's not the case.

[ironknee]

boston is nice...but nyc is it!

if u can make it here you can make it...anywhere...

[bstone]

i've been in boston (cambridge) for two years. i really like it.

[applenut1]

Originally Posted by imitchellg5

I enjoy both cities a lot. I like the vibe of New York, it is truly a city that never sleeps. But I like Boston a lot more, less pickpocketers, it is a lot safer, and has more parks.

Boston is not safer, does not have less pickpockets and does not have more parks. (NY's park system actually destroys Boston's by acreage and funding)

Boston is nice if you like snobby new englanders with goatees that are stuck in the 20-30 age range permanently and chant Yankees Suck at every public function.

There is really no reason to live in Boston over New York. Boston is a cool place, to visit and not have to live with the people. New York on the otherhand has a little (ok a lot) of everything.

The cost of living isn't much different despite what some will claim and you can live pretty much anywhere in the boroughs (minus staten island) and have a convenient mass transit commute to where you have to work.

Summers are ****ing hot though, but so are Boston's.

[bstone]

Originally Posted by applenut1

There is really no reason to live in Boston over New York. Boston is a cool place, to visit and not have to live with the people. New York on the otherhand has a little (ok a lot) of everything.

My school has no branch in NYC. New Yuck!!!!!

Really, I cannot stand NYC. It's too noisey for me. I love Cambridge. It's too cute!!!!!

[DeathToWindows]

I'm a lifelong Bostonian (grew up in the suburbs, now go to school and am employed by Boston University). I love the city; decent pace, totally foot-walkable (stuff isn't as far away as you think - from my on-campus housing last year I could be in Kenmore Sq in 2 min, Central Sq in 15, Newbury St in 5 and Harvard Sq in 30.

That being said, I don't really like NYC - too many people, too loud, too much pollution.

[mac128k-1984]

Boston all of the way, while it doesn't have the night life like NYC it has more character and curtsey. Think Yankee fans, Giant fans and you get the picture.

[Dork.]

I've been to Boston a few times now, but grew up in New York, so my perspective is a little skewed. But as long as you can get over how crowded the city is, I'd pick New York over Boston any day. Boston is quite a nice city, but it seems to me that everything Boston has, New York has more of, and New York is generally easier to get around if you know where you're going. (Especially since the last time I went to visit Boston a few years ago, it seemed like the entire city was under construction....)

[Dork.]

Originally Posted by applenut1

The cost of living isn't much different despite what some will claim and you can live pretty much anywhere in the boroughs (minus staten island) and have a convenient mass transit commute to where you have to work.

There is a huge chunk of Queens with no subway service, though, and I've never considered taking a bus to get to the subway to be convenient.

[hadocon]

NYC all the way for me. I live in Boston now and it's boring... Everything closes soo early.

[Millennium]

My wife lived in Boston for a year while she was doing grad school. She still has many friends up there, so we try to visit at least once a year. It's a nice place depending on where you go, but New York is no different as far as that goes.

Some things I've learned from my scant experience:

1) Get an air conditioner, central if possible but window units will do. You're only going to need it for a relatively short time every year, but when you do need it, nothing else will do. This goes double if you plan on keeping pets.
2) If at all possible, live and work near transit (not necessarily the same stop). You do not want to drive in Boston whenever you can possibly avoid it: the roads were literally designed by cows. No, I'm not joking. Animal behaviorists actually study the roads sometimes to research bovine movement patterns.
3) Live as close to one of the colleges as you can. Rents are somewhat higher (but not too high, since they have to be able to cater to students), but there's a lot more to do.

[applenut1]

Originally Posted by mac128k-1984

Boston all of the way, while it doesn't have the night life like NYC it has more character and curtsey. Think Yankee fans, Giant fans and you get the picture.

More character? Are you kidding me? The only character boston has is living in New York's shadow.

Think Boston fans.... inferiority complex.

[applenut1]

Originally Posted by Dork.

There is a huge chunk of Queens with no subway service, though, and I've never considered taking a bus to get to the subway to be convenient.

This is true. But those areas of Queens can afford to drive :-P

The same can be said for the north (east) bronx.

But there are also express busses to those locations to get you to the city fast.

So it really doesn't matter

[Moderator]

These are two completely different places. I'm from Boston but live now in NYC. Apples and Oranges.

Boston is a cool city to live in. But NYC is on another level as far as the experience.

[mac128k-1984]

Originally Posted by applenut1

Think Boston fans.... inferiority complex.

One word - yankee fans how's that for character - hah.

Boston's the best no competition.

[Velocity211]

I've never been to Boston, but I've been to NYC. I personally don't like NYC for all of the noises.