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Native New Yorker Mohuya Khan, 27, in her apartment in Astoria, Queens. Lucia Vazquez for BI
Operating nine different income streams from her one-bedroom apartment in Astoria, Queens, 27-year-old content creator and business owner Mohuya Khan generated about $130,000 in gross revenue in 2025.After business expenses and taxes, Khan kept about $70,000 in take-home income, according to financial details shared with Business Insider for its “Cost of the City” series, which follows people dealing with the high cost of living in major U.S. cities.Although Khan has achieved financial independence and has no debt, she said managing nine sources of income while working long hours pushed her close to physical and mental exhaustion.“Living in New York City, it’s kind of a double-edged sword,” Khan told Business Insider. “You see, everyone, for the most part, around you hustling. You see people working multiple jobs, and obviously they’re tired, but they’re just doing it because it’s kind of the normal way of living here.”
Early career and financial struggles
Khan was born in Queens to Bangladeshi immigrant parents. Watching her parents work long hours taught her the importance of hard work from an early age.
Her father drove a New York City taxi for 16 hours a day, seven days a week. Her mother encouraged her to work harder than others if she wanted to achieve her goals.Khan got her first job at 15, earned her driver’s licence at 16, and moved into her own apartment at 22 while attending college. She earned her undergraduate degree from Hunter College and later studied childhood education there.To pay for school and living costs without depending on others, she worked as an after-school counsellor while using student loans and personal savings.During the pandemic, Khan began posting her artwork on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. As her audience grew, she used tutorials on YouTube and Skillshare to improve her illustration skills.She eventually left her education career and started her own fashion brand, Labyrinthave, which combines Indo-Western and Bangladeshi design influences.When she first became self-employed full time, Khan depended on her savings and determination.
However, she now warns others not to leave a stable job without enough financial security.“I don’t recommend everyone just to quit your job, and just work on your passions,” Khan told Business Insider. “It sounds great on paper, but when you try to actually do it, and you don’t have money saved up or a stable job or income that is going to come in, it is so scary to not have that.”Looking back, she said the period was extremely demanding and that she had few personal boundaries.“I’m proud of her, but I don’t know if I would do it again,” she said. “It motivated me. It also really burned me out.”
Managing costs in Astoria
Khan now shares a $3,000 monthly rent for her Astoria apartment with her husband.Her regular expenses include utilities, which cost between $50 and $210 a month depending on heating and cooling needs. Groceries for two people cost up to $400 each month.Khan owns a car and pays $300 a month for insurance. However, the vehicle stays at her parents’ home so her mother can use it.
Khan usually travels around New York using the subway.She also uses some of her income to help her parents pay their mortgage. In addition, she contributes more than $400 to a family mobile phone plan shared by her immediate family and her aunt’s household.Her spending on non-essential activities remains relatively low. She spends up to $100 a week eating out with her husband, has a basic ClassPass membership, gets massages twice a month, and occasionally has manicures.Her discretionary spending usually ranges from $300 to $500 a month, although it can reach $1,000 during months when she travels.
Setting healthier work boundaries
Five years after starting her content and fashion businesses, Khan has created stronger boundaries between work and personal life to avoid another period of burnout.She continues to run her businesses while living in Queens.“I don’t feel like I have to constantly burn myself out and overexert myself to prove anything to myself or others,” Khan told Business Insider.Even though New York City remains expensive, Khan has no plans to leave. She hopes to continue living in the city and raise her future family there.
