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Austin vs. NYC: Observations on the Hidden Cost of Govt.

Submitted by Cahnman on Wed, 12/24/2008 - 10:47
in

Christmas greetings from New York City!!!  I'm up here visiting friends and family.  At the same time, I have a few observations on the hidden cost of govt. in my original hometown vs. my adopted hometown.

Cost of Airport Taxi:

Austin -- $35 for 20 miles

NYC -- $60 for 15 miles

 

Cost of "Cheap" Beer in Dive Bar:

Austin -- $1 for Lone Star

NYC -- $5 for PBR

 

Cost of Breakfast in Diner:

Austin -- $7

NYC -- $15

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The not very hidden cost of land and demand

Submitted by NextRightNando on Wed, 12/24/2008 - 14:05.

Population

Austin - 743K

NYC - 8.3M

 

Population Density

Austin - 2,396.3/sq mi

NYC - 27,147/sq mi

 

Commercial Real Estate

Austion - $180 sq/ft

NYC - $1,000 sq/ft

 

% Surrounded by water preventing low cost expansion

Austin - 0%

NYC - 100%

Are you really that blinkered?

You did nothing to disprove Cahnman's numbers

Submitted by RedMango on Thu, 12/25/2008 - 16:15.

All you did was prove that NYC is an overpriced hellhole naturally, but has gotten more so because of its policies.  There's nothing about 'density' that makes your breakfast 2x as expensive as Austin's.  NY could accomodate more people than Austin because you can build 1,000 feet buildings, while in Austin you can't.  So it's not like geographical limitations are that much of a barrier.  NY choose to charge people lavishly and there are enough dumb people (8 million in fact) to bite into the poisoned Big Apple. 

 

 

If you can't understand why

Submitted by NextRightNando on Thu, 12/25/2008 - 16:33.

a 9X increase in the cost of buying or renting space might tend to make your breakfast 2X more expensive, then I don't know what more to say.

Yes, NYC can build taller buildings, but (a) few restaurants want to be on the 16th floor; and (b) it is more expensive to build tall buildings on expensive land than it to build low buildings on inexpensive land.

Must everyone on this site wear their blinkers all the time?

I don't remember that

Submitted by Paleo-Skeptic on Thu, 12/25/2008 - 04:34.

...with the Lone Star being that cheap.

Though it is a fairly good beer at a discounted rate.  Just as good as some name brands I could think up.

 

Anyway, you just explained a lot.  And I would say that you're probably fairly young.

I've worked in 5 different states this year, for the record.  What's more, they need me far more than I need them. 

It's 5am....

Submitted by Cahnman on Sat, 12/27/2008 - 05:13.

....that said, I'll begin by saying that NYC has laws that restrict the supply of all sorts of real estate.  While I would love to write a long reply proving that [swear word] stuff [/swear word] is the result of big govt, the simple fact is that if I want to catch my train at 7:15 there's no way in heck I'm going to have the opportunity to conclusively prove that the reason NYC has a higher cost of living is govt.

That said, vote for Rudy!!!

Since I assume you are in Manhattan

Submitted by NextRightNando on Sat, 12/27/2008 - 10:13.

I suggest you contemplate whether or not it isn't the Atlantic Ocean that is doing the most to restrict the supply of land.

When you have time, please do post that proof, I'd love to see it.