Depending on where you work in the city, you may want to consider other parts of Jersey as well. If you don't work above midtown, your commute may actually be longer than 10 minutes, in fact it can be as long as 45 minutes. That's one drawback if you commute by bus. But even by car can be a big hassle. You should consider looking at Hoboken,Weehawken, West New York, and North Bergen for a quicker commute. Another drawback about Jersey is that everything closes really early, from the grocery store to bars. Hoboken is the only place with any night life at all- but of all the towns in NJ, Hoboken has the highest rent. Ive lived in Hoboken, Jersey City, West New York, and Weehawken and I think that by far, the most liveable was Hoboken. Insurance is going to be higher than New York and parking isn't necessarily going to be easier. Basically you have to make a choice, the less rent you want to pay, the longer your commute is going to be. Also you might consider checking out the new developements near the light rail station over in Jersey City. Hope I helped you some. If you need any help looking for a place, I'm very good at this. Anyway good luck. Sarah