Moving From New York to Philadelphia: What Should Renters Know?
From choosing the right neighborhood to comparing space, transportation, and lifestyle, here’s what New Yorkers should know before making Philadelphia home.
Moving from New York to Philadelphia can mean more than changing your address. You’re choosing a new neighborhood, figuring out a different transportation system, reconsidering what you want from your apartment, and learning how everyday life works in a new city.
The good news? Philadelphia offers many of the things New Yorkers value about city living—walkable neighborhoods, restaurants, culture, entertainment, public transportation, and distinct neighborhood personalities—while providing a different pace and apartment-living experience.
If a new job, changing lifestyle, remote work, or simply the desire for something different has you considering a move from NYC to Philadelphia, here's what to know before beginning your apartment search.
Key Takeaways
If you're moving from New York to Philadelphia:
- Don't choose an apartment based on rent alone. Compare location, space, amenities, transportation, and your total monthly costs.
- Philadelphia is a city of distinct neighborhoods, so where you live can significantly shape your experience.
- Northern Liberties, Old City, Fishtown, and Center City can each appeal to renters looking for different versions of city living.
- You don't necessarily need a car, but proximity to public transportation and walkable destinations should be part of your apartment search.
- Touring both the apartment and the surrounding neighborhood is particularly important when you're relocating from another city.
Why Consider Moving From New York to Philadelphia?
There isn't one reason people decide to leave New York.
A new job can bring someone to Philadelphia. Remote and hybrid work can make it possible to reconsider where home needs to be. Others may simply want a different balance between their apartment, neighborhood, and overall lifestyle.
Philadelphia offers the opportunity to continue living in a major East Coast city while experiencing a distinctly different environment.
Restaurants, professional sports, live music, museums, universities, historic destinations, parks, and neighborhood businesses are all part of life here. But one of Philadelphia's defining characteristics is how quickly the experience can change from one neighborhood to another.
That makes choosing where you live particularly important.
How Does Apartment Living in Philadelphia Compare With New York?
If you're accustomed to apartment hunting in New York, resist the temptation to approach your Philadelphia search exactly the same way.
Instead, use the move as an opportunity to reconsider what matters most in your next apartment.
Maybe you'd like an additional bedroom. Perhaps outdoor space has become more important. You may want a dedicated work-from-home area, better access to a fitness center, or a neighborhood where more of your everyday destinations are within walking distance.
Rather than beginning with the question, "How does this compare with my New York apartment?" ask:
"How do I want to live in Philadelphia?"
That change in perspective can open up very different apartment options.
What Kind of Space Do You Actually Need?
Think beyond the number of bedrooms.
A studio can make sense for someone who spends most of their time exploring the city. A one-bedroom provides greater separation between living and sleeping spaces. A two-bedroom can create flexibility for couples, roommates, guests, or a dedicated home office.
The best floor plan isn't necessarily the largest one. It's the one that works best for your daily routine.
If you're weighing your options, our guide to Studio vs. One-Bedroom vs. Two-Bedroom Luxury Apartments in Philly takes a closer look at how different layouts fit different lifestyles.
Look Beyond Monthly Rent
Rent is obviously an important part of your decision, but it shouldn't be the only number you compare.
Ask about utilities, parking, pet costs, amenity fees, internet, move-in expenses, and other recurring charges. Then consider what you're receiving for that total cost.
Location, usable living space, building amenities, walkability, transportation access, and the amount of time you spend commuting can all affect the real value of an apartment.
For a deeper look at this topic, read Understanding the Cost of Luxury Apartment Living in Philadelphia.
Which Philadelphia Neighborhoods Should New Yorkers Consider?
One of the best ways to approach a Philadelphia apartment search is to choose your neighborhood before choosing your building.
Different parts of Philadelphia can offer dramatically different living experiences, even when they're relatively close geographically.
Here are several areas worth exploring.
Northern Liberties
Northern Liberties combines residential living with restaurants, cafés, entertainment, parks, and convenient access to other parts of Philadelphia.
It can be especially appealing to renters who want an active neighborhood outside their front door without living directly in the middle of Center City.
Its location also makes it convenient for exploring nearby Old City, Fishtown, the Delaware River waterfront, and downtown Philadelphia.
For a deeper look at the neighborhood, read Is Northern Liberties a Good Place to Live in Philadelphia?
Old City
Old City provides a very different Philadelphia experience.
Historic architecture and some of the city's best-known cultural destinations sit alongside restaurants, galleries, nightlife, and residential buildings.
For someone moving from New York who wants a walkable urban environment surrounded by unmistakably Philadelphia character, Old City deserves consideration.
Fishtown
Fishtown has developed a reputation for its restaurants, music, nightlife, cafés, and independent businesses.
Renters who prioritize an active dining and entertainment scene may want to include it in their neighborhood search.
Center City
For renters who want to be directly in Philadelphia's downtown core, Center City provides proximity to offices, restaurants, shopping, cultural destinations, and transportation.
The tradeoff is simply a different living experience from Philadelphia's more neighborhood-oriented areas.
There's no universal "best" Philadelphia neighborhood. The right choice depends on what you want immediately outside your apartment.
What Is It Like to Live in Northern Liberties After New York?
For someone coming from New York, Northern Liberties can offer an interesting balance.
You still have the ability to walk out your door and find restaurants, coffee, entertainment, and neighborhood activity. But the area can feel more residential than living in the center of a major downtown district.
That combination is one reason apartment shoppers shouldn't evaluate Northern Liberties solely by looking at a map.
Spend time walking around.
Grab coffee. Have lunch. Walk toward Old City. Explore the nearby streets. Find the public transportation options you would actually use.
The goal is to understand what your everyday routine might look like if you lived there.
Can You Live in Philadelphia Without a Car?
Depending on where you live and where you need to go, you can live in Philadelphia without relying on a car for every trip.
Philadelphia residents use a combination of SEPTA, walking, biking, and rideshare services to navigate the city.
For someone accustomed to New York's transit system, however, don't assume your transportation habits will transfer perfectly from one city to the other.
Before choosing an apartment, map the trips you'll make most frequently.
Where will you work? Where is the nearest transit stop? How will you get groceries? Where will you exercise? What neighborhoods will you visit regularly?
The answers can tell you much more about whether an apartment is well located than a simple distance measurement.
Our guides to Walkability & Transit: Choosing a Luxury Apartment in Philly and Where Should You Live in Philadelphia for an Easy Commute? can help you evaluate those factors.
How Does Getting Around Philadelphia Compare With New York?
New Yorkers often think about location in terms of subway lines and travel time rather than mileage. That's a useful habit to bring to Philadelphia.
Two apartments that appear similarly located on a map can produce very different daily routines depending on transit access and where you need to go.
Consider your complete transportation picture:
- Walking
- Public transportation
- Work or school commute
- Biking
- Parking
- Rideshare
- Access to regional transportation
If you'll regularly travel to Center City or University City, for example, research the actual route from the apartment you're considering rather than simply looking at how far away it appears on a map.
Less time spent getting somewhere means more time available to actually enjoy your new city.
What Should You Know Before Making the Move?
If you're seriously considering moving from New York to Philadelphia, spend time experiencing Philadelphia as a potential resident, not a visitor.
Choose a few neighborhoods and explore them at different times of day.
Walk the routes you might regularly take.
Tour several apartments, so you have meaningful points of comparison.
Try the transportation options you'd use for work or school.
Visit the grocery stores, restaurants, coffee shops, parks, and other places that could become part of your routine.
Your goal isn't simply to answer:
"Do I like Philadelphia?"
It's to answer:
"Can I picture my everyday life here?"
That's a much better way to choose your next neighborhood—and your next apartment.
Explore Philadelphia Living at The Keystone
If Northern Liberties feels like the kind of Philadelphia neighborhood you're looking for, the next step is experiencing it for yourself.
At The Keystone, you can explore thoughtfully designed apartment homes, modern amenities, and a location near Northern Liberties and Old City that keeps you connected to more of Philadelphia.
If you're moving from New York, schedule a visit and give yourself enough time to tour both The Keystone and the surrounding neighborhood.
