Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics said, it is very likely that Amazon will put HQ2 on the East Coast, “preferably the Northeast Corridor.” In that case, New York rises to No. 3 behind Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

“New York gets dinged by its cost structure,” he said.

Amazon is expected to winnow its list of candidates by Dec. 25, but the review process will extend well into 2018.

In addition to New York City’s proposal, the state is putting up its own candidates. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is backing proposals from Western New York and the Finger Lakes; the Syracuse area; the region near Albany; and a metro New York City bid that includes Long Island and parts of the Hudson Valley.

The state’s top economic development official, Howard Zemsky, has crafted an incentive or subsidy package for Amazon, although state officials declined to release details because of the competitive nature of the contest.

In drafting its proposal, the state has had to navigate the upstate-downstate divide, not wanting to be accused of favoring New York City.

Mr. Zemsky also went out of his way at a meeting of the Partnership for New York City on Roosevelt Island on Oct. 3 to assure about 75 top corporate executives that the state was taking the competition seriously. And while the governor and the mayor have had an often fractious relationship, he told the crowd that the state and city were working harmoniously.