Investing in a high cost of living area

[Michael Canlas]

Hey everyone, I'm a 26 year old guy living in New York. Just joined Bigger Pockets and I'm excited to learn from everyone here! I've been looking at investing out of state, more specifically south NJ near Philly for my first investment. But I'm also thinking about getting a FHA loan and getting a 1 bedroom in NY then moving out after a year. What do people think? Should I "house hack" and pay myself or try to find a better market to invest in?