It shouldn't come as a surprise that the cost of living in New York City is through the roof.
There are more apartments in NYC that cost more than $15,000 a month than there are apartments that cost less than $2,000. Plus, roughly half of NYC's one-bedroom apartments cost more than $3,000.
So, we've got to ask. How much do you actually have to make to afford all this exorbitance?
According to DNAinfo's calculations, you've got to earn at least $130,800 a year to "make it" living alone in Manhattan.
September's median rent for a one-bedroom apartment was a record-high $3,271.
Since many landlords require a tenant to earn 40 times the monthly rent in order to sign a lease, it stands to reason that someone would have to earn $130,800 to rent an apartment in Manhattan.
Thought you'd find hope by looking in Brooklyn?
Well, you'll find lower prices there for sure, but not by much. The median asking price for a one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn for September was $2,200, which means someone would have to earn a yearly salary $88,000 to be allowed to sign their Brooklyn lease.
According to data from Census Reporter, 32% of NYC's households contain New Yorkers living alone.
The numbers shrink when examining them through the lens of age: only 19% of New Yorkers who live alone are under 35. 20% are between 35 to 55 years old, and 50% of New Yorkers who live alone are older than 55, according to data from the Citizens Housing Planning Council.
Of course, there are solutions. There are now these micro apartments that measure between 250 and 370 square feet each, and these micro apartments that measure just between 490 and 735 square feet.
These micro-units rent for $950 a month, and they're available solely for single New Yorkers making between $34,526 and $48,350.
marinellire Wow. From small #NYC flats to “micro” building apartments of 260sft to 360sft with huge windows. How big could they be? #PackRat & #PODS should get right on this but then why not get ahead of the curve, hello #YaffaBlocks & #Duplo! Click’em together and move in. Wait… 1st there was The #LegoMovie, why not The Lego Apartment? #BrooklynNavyYard #MicroUnits #KipsBay #TinyHouseBuilders #EastBay #BayArea #Home #House #Realtor #RealEstate #RealtorLife #HomeSearch #HouseHunting #HomeBuyers #Buyers #Sellers #FremontCA #Ardenwood #California #MarinelliRealEstate
We've go to ask the tough questions, though: Who really wants to live in an apartment where you can't stretch out in bed until you've folded up the kitchen table?
Right, no one.
Some New Yorkers do make these sacrifices to live alone, but some New Yorkers also can't sit up in bed or stretch their legs out on the toilet.
So, we'll have to take a pass on that one. We'll just live with roommates forever, we guess?
Check out 5 Most Expensive Buildings in NYC.
[via DNAinfo]
[Feature Image Courtesy HappyHourProjectNYC]