I hate to say it but Madison Bar & Grill was my worst restaurant experience possibly ever.

When I lived alone I lived in JC and it was wonderful. Great food, good bars and close to the city. I’m now in Hoboken for two years and it’s super cozy. It’s hard to pick which one but funny enough I met some people recently in JC and they’re ALL in the biotech field. They were cool and I think that’s a sign to go for JC lol.

Jersey city is great and 3.5k budget is reasonable. You can find a spacious one bedroom in that range. Possibly 2 bed but smaller common areas. Anyways, jersey city and Hoboken are an easy commute to the city and safe. Jersey city is pretty big but if you stay downtown or near the water, you’ll find it’s a similar vibe to Brooklyn. The food is great but the night life is definitely much slower paced here. Nothing a quick path into the city can’t fix though. I’d recommend spending some time in the area before making the decision. I’ve never lived in Brooklyn but I love it there. I’d choose jc or Hoboken personally.

Brooklyn similarly to jersey city has its nice areas and not so nice areas. I think a major pro for jersey in general is that it’s safer. “Nice” is definitely subjective. I personally adore Brooklyn but wouldn’t leave jersey for it. Just personal preference.

It all comes down to what your idea of comfortable is as well as what your budget is. A studio in downtown will prob run you close to 2k a month. Parking is also extra unless you get a permit for street parking. I personally found a street where I only had to move my car twice a week and since I worked from home, I made it work. Anyways, I’d say follow the 1/3 of your pay for rent rule to be safe.

I know it was once 1/4 but let’s be real, that can be tough.

You sound extremely young. This isn’t healthy. Please take everyone’s advice and move on.