I just moved out of NYC after 5 years because it was just getting even more expensive than it was pre-pandemic. I was paying $2500/month for a 500 sq ft, 1 BR with a dishwasher and 2 passthrough (in wall) AC units with paid laundry in the basement, and that was pretty cheap. This was in a small residential neighborhood in Brooklyn, about 11 miles (45 minutes) from Midtown Manhattan. There was nothing around me, you had to drive, walk 20-25 minutes or take the subway to pretty much everything.