On a sunny spring day, some say there’s no better place to be. A glimmering skyline with some of the tallest buildings in the world, an army of yellow taxis on every corner and thousands of people in suits hustling from one block to another. That’s the reality for those who live in the richest city in the world – New York.

According to a 2024 report by Henley & Partners, the Big Apple is home to a staggering 349,500 millionaires and 60 billionaires, making it the wealthiest city on the planet. But what is life really like among so much wealth? Jackie Steele, 45, has lived in New York since 2010. He now works as a Content Manager for Magic Guides, helping people plan Disney vacations – but he used to work directly for Disney too.

“I didn’t mean to stay forever. Just kind of happened,” he told the Express. “Thought I’d be gone in two years. Still here.”

Jackie admits that living in the world’s richest city can feel surreal. “Sometimes it feels like the richest city. Other days it feels like the most chaotic one,” he said.

“You see people walk past you in outfits that cost more than your rent. Then you walk two blocks and someone’s selling used books on a blanket.”

And for many residents, New York’s greatest challenge is indeed its cost of living.

As Jackie put it: “Yes. It’s expensive. You know it going in, but it still stings. A coffee and a croissant shouldn’t be $11 [£8.60], but here we are.”

For the 45-year-old, as for many others, normal life is something of a logistical battle.

He explained: “You pay for everything – space, food, peace, time. Normal life here looks like prepping your whole week on Sunday night because if you don’t, New York will eat your time and money by Tuesday morning.”

And while it may be thrilling for tourists, Jackie says the non-stop pace can wear people down.

“The constant noise, people stopping in the middle of the sidewalk, the packed subways. Some days I don’t want to leave the apartment.”

To cope, he’s built routines around the chaos: “Headphones in almost all the time. Grocery shop at weird hours. Walk the long way home to avoid crowds.”

But Jackie also says the city has changed significantly since he first arrived.

“Some neighbourhoods are barely recognisable,” he said. “Places that were grungy now have $6 [£4.69] cookies and dog spas. The pace came back after the pandemic, but it’s different. A little more edge, less patience.”

Nonetheless, despite the wealth around him, he doesn’t always feel like he lives in the richest city in the world.

“Parts of it feel like the richest city. If you’re walking past luxury stores or inside a hotel lobby in Midtown, sure.

“But most of the time, it just feels like a bunch of people trying to get somewhere, quickly,” he explained.

“You get these weird moments where you’re waiting for a subway, staring at rats on the tracks, while above you someone’s buying a penthouse with a private elevator. That gap is huge. You feel it,” he added.

So how does he escape it all?

“Honestly? I plan Disney trips I don’t even take. It helps,” he said laughing. “Disney is organised chaos. New York is just chaos.”

But for Jackie, living in the city isn’t about chasing luxury, it’s about finding your reason to stay.

“If you don’t have one, the city chews you up,” he said. “But if you find one – work, friends, the feeling of being part of something big – you stick around.”

“It’s not for everyone. That’s not a brag. It’s just how it is.”