There are discounts and tax credits for those with low income who live in the area, and exemptions for people with medical conditions that prevent them from using public transit source.

Street parking in NYC is $9 an hour, and long term parking garages typically charge like $400 per month. If you’re driving in NYC the $9 per day congestion pricing isn’t going to be the thing that makes it unaffordable.

This is what I do - make a big pot of chili or soup for the week. But I recognize that this might not work for everyone. At my work there’s a conveniently located fridge and microwave, and I can eat in my office with the door shut for a quiet meal. If any of those things weren’t there it might not be worth it.

I also enjoy cooking, and don’t mind spending time making my meal for the week. If the prep work was a real chore then it’d be much more tempting to buy something premade every day.

Relevant XKCD

It doesn’t get more American than solving healthcare with gun violence.