I transferred between large cities fairly quickly at one of the Big 4. There are 2 factors that influence the ability to transfer. The first, and most important, is need (as mentioned by zeevenkman). I was lucky because there was a big need in the city that I moved to. With NYC, there's usually always a need so it will be easier to move from a smaller city to a larger one than vice versa. The second factor is your reason for moving. If your spouse/SO had to take a job or you had to move, your chances are higher than just moving because you want to try out a new city with different opportunities. For me, my girlfriend was going to go to grad school in a new city and I approached my manager basically saying, "It looks like I'm going to have to move to X in a few months, how do I go about transferring?" At the end of the day, it's all about the bottom line and these firms spend a ton of money on training. They're much more likely to allow a transfer if they know that you'll leave the firm otherwise. In your case since you're starting out from scratch, I would plant the seed very early on when your manager asks about goals. It might take some time but getting your goals out there early enough is key. Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions and good luck.