If you live in an outer borough, chances are you still need a car. I've lived at the edge of Queens before without a vehicle and it is not easy. Everything is not a few subway stops away.Take this from someone from a place with absurdly shytty public transportation. I'd LOVE to have the option to just walk onto a subway and slide across the entire city as much as I want for $130 a month.
As opposed to $150/month in gas, $200/month in insurance, $200+ yearly for plate renewal, $250 a quarter for maintenance, and still have to deal with traffic and a$$hole drivers that have a much higher chance of seriously injuring people than a fight on the subway. This isn't even counting a car note.
$1,300/year for convenience with some "nuisances" vs. $4,700/year and a higher chance of serious injury.
I have no sympathy for New Yorkers on this.
So some folks are paying everything you pay, because insurance in NY is ass, plus the cost and fukkery of the subway.