Living in the central Midwest has many advantages. Amazing barbecue, wide open spaces, backyards and the ability to rent an apartment without fear of bedbugs. But one of the biggest advantages we have going for us is our low cost of living. Although we work hard to keep a roof over our heads, we know that for what we pay here, we'd only be able to afford us a shoe box in other cities!
Although wages might be a little higher in some places to help compensate for high cost of living, that's not always the case. In some places, a higher rent or mortgage is just the standard and not because you have to pay extra for deposit or down payment.
We've lived all over and have paid a great deal more than we pay now and a great deal less. It all depends on where you land, so for those considering a career change or are looking to spend as little as possible to enjoy other fine things in life, we're running a very casual survey. To participate, list off your location, home size and monthly rent or mortgage costs below. Maybe there's a city you never knew you wanted to live in — until you found out you'd be paying half of what you do now!
Image: Flickr member TheTruthAbout... licensed for use by Creative Commons
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When I rented, my rent was $2,500 + utilities for a one bedroom. Outrageous!
The stats for me and my bf:
Queens, NY, 550 sq. ft., $1390/month
Manhattan, NY, 600 sq. ft., $2300/month
For me, living in a friendly, tree-lined neighborhood and having garden access is worth the 15 minutes to Manhattan. For him, the convenience of Flatiron is worth the expense.
I would like to highly recommend Staunton, VA. I don't live there anymore, but spent a few years, and its very charming if you're into the "small town" sort of thing. Its in the Shenandoah Valley, so you can enjoy the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains any time. Also, I had a generous two-bedroom apartment, hardwood floors, separate dining room, and a back porch for $450/month. The historic mansions are to die for!!
$1750 for a three bedroom/1 bath just outside Boston.
$1015 for a two bedroom (I share with a roommate) at 1200 square feet in Orlando, Florida.
So this really get's my goat:
Brookline, Mass: Gorgeous 1-bedroom (800 sq/ft) with fireplace right on the subway: $1,600/month
Edmonton, Alberta: a 3-bedroom (1,00 sq/ft) in a nice area (still I had to buy a car): $1,900/month
It's nice to have the extra space (all 200 feet of it) and a yard and a dog, but in general it is sooo not worth it.
Orlando, FL - mortgage was $1,300/mo for 1,1800 SF
Miami, FL - mortgage $1,600/mo for 1,688 SF - culture, beaches, concerts, great restaurants, tremendous shopping choices, priceless!
Of course I meant 1,800 SF in Orlando, FL
Chicago, IL-- $595 for a cozy little studio, all utilities included. It's maybe 200-250 square feet, and a bit north of the city (Ravenswood, for those who are familiar).
My bf pays $780 for a one-bedroom in a nearby neighborhood, but it's much larger (maybe 450 sqft).
I once had a 1200 sqft 4 bedroom for only $1250 (with three roommates)-- but alas, it was in a terrible neighborhood.
Pittsburgh, PA (within city limits)
2000 sq ft, 3-story house, with big yard
15-year mortgage, $900/month
10-15 minute bus or bike ride to universities, hospitals, and downtown
We used to live in a 2-bedroom apartment in Santa Clara, CA (Silicon Valley) for $2350/month. I miss California but will never move back because of the cost of living.
north park, san diego, ca
$1250 for about 1200 sf + a 200 sf patio.
$500 London, ON (670 sq/ft) for a one bedroom in a nice neighborhood with only a short walk to downtown.
$725 for a 700 sq/ft one-bedroom with a balcony and off-street parking in St. Paul, MN, with a half-month free when I moved in. It's not perfect and I'm probably moving once I get a new job, but it's certainly good value. A year and a half ago I was paying $550 for a 500 sq/ft alcove studio without parking in a better neighborhood.
$1750 for ~500sq ft 1 bedroom on the first floor of a brownstone on E. 26th st manhattan. It also has a shared backyard space which is kind of nice.
Davis, CA $1200 for 900 sqft badly maintained craptastic duplex. And that was a steal for a 2brm there!
West Sacramento (15 mi away) $860 mortgage for 1250 sqft house on a tree lined street, huge back yard.
$2,200 (mortgage + condo fees) for 790 sq/ft two bedrooms with juliet balcony and courtyard in a tree lined historic neighborhood with a short walk to downtown Alexandria, VA.
$875 for a 350-sqr ft studio in the 'Tender-Nob' neighborhood of San Francisco. It was on the fifth floor with the building elevator always out-of-service and really not the safest area but a mere 5-minute walk away from Union Square and work.
$525/month studio Des Moines, IA (includes utilities)
$1800/month 2 bedroom Seattle, WA (plus utilities)
$1200/month 2 bedroom San Diego, CA (plus utilities)
All apartments were close to downtown.
Central Illinois:
$694 / month house payment on 2800 square foot house...3 bedroom / 2 bath
$2000 for a 3 bedroom in Chicago. We're 5 minutes from the blue line, and our apartment is a wonderful rehab that kept all of the vintage charm:)
Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
$2,000 (plus we pay for heat & hot water, which is usually included in NY rents)/month for 590sqft 1 bed with balcony.
$940 for a one-bedroom apartment with utilities and parking included.
^In the GTA.
$1725 for a two-bedroom with a separate dining room and a balcony (utilities not included) in Somerville, MA (right outside of Boston). With a ten minute walk to the train station, it's a steal around here!
$850/month in charleston, sc for a one bedroom in the heart of the peninsula
Williamsburg, Brooklyn $2300 for 460sf (in a full service building though, so "my" tv room, terrace and fitness equipment aren't counted in the size!)
Elmwood Village, Buffalo, NY ~$700/ mth for all expenses and mortgage in a 2600sf house.
I split time between the two, so I prefer to say I spend an average of $1500/ month on housing:-)
$1260/mo for a spacious 2 bed/2 bath in a Fort Lauderdale, FL suburb.
We paid $700/mo for something comparable in Provo, UT.
Indianapolis
1850 square foot house
$900 mortgage
$803 mortgage on a 1 bedroom condo in nashville tn. It's 752 sq ft. . This is not including association fee and utilites. My utiltes are not bad but still it gets a little tight for me.The location is great- right in the center of it all. I'm about to move the bf in, he is splitting one side of duplex with a guy, good safe location but it's a moldy crap hole. I want to sell pretty soon and look for a house or two bedroom condo/apt.
Past few years in Tampa:
$625 for a 1 BR, 1.5 Bath townhouse in the 'hood. After I realized that I didn't really want to carry my gun all the time, I moved to ...
$1500 for a 1750sf 3 BR, 2 Bath apt with 2 car garage in a much nicer section of town. After I lost my roommate I moved to ...
$850 for 1400 sf 2 BR, 2 Bath apt in the same neighborhood, just in an older complex.
Dallas - One bedroom loft 1100 sq feet for $950
(but we pay extra for having laundry machines and a pet, so total is $1065)
$570 for a 900 sf 2-bedroom in the Clintonville area of Columbus, Oh. There are apartments with better amenities, but you cant beat the price and the giant private roof terrace.
I pay $1,280 for a 900 sf 1 bedroom, 1 bath apartment in Edmonton, Alberta. Too much. However, it is practically downtown, in a newer "luxury" rental apartment building, has a Starbucks right across the street and a major grocery chain next door. Convenience is what we pay for.
We live in Athens, Oh, a lovely college town in southeastern Ohio. We pay $600 a month for a 2-3 bedroom house with yard and laundry. However, this is a steal for the town and could be kept in better shape. Still, in this market, we could be paying less on a mortgage for a potentially much nicer house! grrrrrrrrrr.
Two-bedroom, 1200-square-foot 1950s bungalow with hardwood floors and a "bonus room" (which we use as the office), one-car garage, and backyard, with lawn service included - St. Petersburg, FL (Old Northeast neighborhood), $995, which I split 50/50 with my boyfriend.
$725 a month for a very small studio (265sqft) in Lakeview, Chicago, Illinois.
$475 a month for a two bedroom in Coventry, Cleveland, Ohio.
All Midwest cities are not created equal.
I'm in Cambridge ON (45 Min west of Toronto)
The last place we rented was 700 sq/ft and it was $850 a month. We paid for our utilities. It was in an ok neighborhood but it also meant we only needed 1 car vs 2.
We also managed to get a great fenced in yard with no neighbors behind us.
We now own for the same monthly payment a few blocks away.
Orlando, FL: $900/month rent for a 600sqft studio & parking space (5 minutes to work)
These became $350k condos, so we moved to a house.
Ocoee, FL: $1200/month mortgage for 950sqft 3 bed 2 bath & yard in great neighborhood (15 minutes to work)
$1200/month for a 1-bedroom in Los Angeles :(
Downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan:
- $490 for 500+ sq. ft. one bedroom
- $570 for 800+ sq. ft. one bedroom
- $450 for 500+ sq. ft. one bedroom
- $540 for my current 600 sq. ft. one bedroom
- $700 for a 1000+ sq. ft. 2 bedroom (plus garage space!) -- currently working on signing a lease for this apartment
Most of these apartments have been within walking distance of everything downtown. I love this city!
775/mo for a 1 bedroom/1 bath, decent neighborhood in a 4 family flat in st. louis. i have granite countertops and always a hot shower. the hot shower thing is a biiiig deal to me- a place i lived in 5yrs ago (750/mo 2 bedroom/2 bath) had the worst hot water heater- went from scalding hot to frigid in about 4 minutes. also had the worst windows so brutal utility bills!!
Current- 1400 sf 3br house with small yard- $2000/ month mortgage, 20 min outside of Boston. 10 years ago, Greenpoint Brooklyn- 1200 sf awesome loft apartment was $1250/ month, including heat. I wonder what the landlord charges there now...
(1) $3100 for a 800 sq feet 1bd in UWS
(2) $2500 for a 500 sq feet studio in Battery Park
(3) $2000 for a +1000 sq feet 2bd w/formal dinning room in Hoboken.
I'm still trying to decide if the extra space is worth the commute into the city.
Lincoln Square, Chicago
1900 SF, 3rd floor 2 bedroom with sunroom, Garage, 2000SF yard, basement storage, In-unit washer/dryer, central AC, radiator heat
1 block from Lincoln Square, 1/2 block from EL.
$1500 a month
Philadelphia, PA:
- We paid $900/month to rent a 2BR, 800 sq ft rowhouse in South Philly for years.
- We currently pay $1200/month for the house payment (mortgage, insurance, taxes, etc.) on a 3BR, 1100 sq ft rowhouse.
Now, that doesn't include the multiple thousands we're putting into renovations and upgrades... new kitchen, new boiler, refinished floors, insulation, etc. But it still feels like a pretty reasonable cost of living to me... I love my house (1870s, high ceilings, old hard pine floors, french doors, a charming 50's pink and blue bathroom) and my neighborhood (East Passyunk - great shops and restaurants, nice neighborhood parks, a half block from the subway and a 10 minute subway ride/25 minute walk to Center City).
First apartment 20 min. north of Baltimore:
$700 for a 750 Sq ft 1 bedroom with patio and lake view
Moving on Saturday to Greenbelt (Just outside of DC) for $750--1/3 of the total mortgage on a 3 bedroom house
I live in the "trendy" part of Philadelphia and I pay $1000 for a smallish 1 bedroom, but it's new and a block from the subway. I just moved out of a four bedroom house on the other side of the neighborhood that cost $2100. It was cheap, but it was also old and drafty.
1300 sq ft house in Ferndale, MI (Metro Detroit) with 3 beds, 2 full baths on a double lot. Our mortgage is $680, but our payment is $1040 with taxes and insurance bundled in.
$2950 for 600 Sqft no doorman West Village NYC
Worth every penny.
Chicago —
$1150 for a 1200 sf 2-bedroom apt (Ravenswood). Big - 7 rooms in a vintage Graystone, heat/water incl., free laundry, small back yard, pets allowed, street parking.
The place wasn't updated but retained some vintage charm. It was an awesome 'hood for a great price and only 3 blocks to Metra or L.
Austin, Texas:
- 400 sq. ft. studio plus a storage unit: $625 including cable, internet, and all utilities but electricity
- 600 sq. ft. studio plus balcony: $650 including gas
Hey, not all parts of the Midwest are that affordable. Chicago is awfully pricey, esp. if you want to be where the action is (not where the gunfire is)!
Kansas City - 4 bedroom house with a full basement - $950/month
I've lived in 7 places in Ottawa. The cheapest was a one bedroom for $800/ month (all inclusive, but inconvenient location). My house was about $1300 a month in mortgage (so all the utilities, taxes, etc. were extra).
My current place is ~850sq feet, plus a basement. I can walk to work and to most of my shopping. It's $1055+hydro. Not the best price, but the space is nice and I'm saving by not having to drive and park at the office.
$1000/mo + utilities for 600 sq ft 2 bedroom in uptown nyc. cheaper rent than anyone i know in the city
Oklahoma City duplex in a super quiet suburban neighborhood: 1200 sq ft, 2 bed, 1.5 bath, garage, galley kitchen, backyard, front yard, side yard, huge living room, walk-in closets in both bedrooms, laundry closet, linen closet, private driveway off of a shared driveway, no utilities included (but the place has pretty good insulation, so the bills aren't that bad except for in the summer when it's 100+) - $600/month
thebev- i love athens. went to college in marietta.
brooklyn (boerum hill) studio - $1327 about to go up $30 for about 450' sq. breadbox
Currently, $1200/month + electric for a ~700 sq.ft. one bed/one bath on the 2nd floor of an old converted rowhouse in a fairly good neighborhood in Washington, DC (actual DC, not the VA or MD 'burbs), where I don't need a car because everything's within walking distance.
I've paid as little as $950/month for a one bedroom apartment in a less-awesome area of DC, and as much as $1400 for a gorgeous studio in my current neighborhood.
I absolutely adore DC, so I'm willing to put up with the insane rents. *shrug*
$1500 for a 2bed/2bath with a spacious foyer + terrace overlooking the Hudson River. Five minutes to Metro North takes 15 - 20 minutes to NYC.
Driving time to NYC varies but takes anywhere from 25 - 40 depending on traffic.
$1175 for 700 sqft 1BR in Washington Heights NYC
$1275 for 380 sqft studio in Chelsea (rent stabilized)
$1900 for a 2000 sq ft 4br on UWS. (rent control)
Still, I am dying to take a buyout, move back to the south, and buy a house.
Meant to say 25-40 minutes depending on the traffic.
Central Michigan, 3 bedroom 1 1/2 bath house with attached two car garage and finished walk out basement. A little under 2000 sq ft with 140 ft of river frontage and property for 778$ a month.
$1850 + utilities for a cozy 3-bedroom (approx. 900 sq ft) townhome in Fairfax, VA a mile from the metro
MINNEAPOLIS: In NE Minneapolis: $1500 mortgage 3000 sq/ft home w/2 car garage.
$850 rent 1200 sq/ft 2 bedroom in the Wedge Neighborhood.
$450 900 sq/ft Studio, all utils. paid. off of Eat Street.
$425 first apt. 700sq/ft 1bdrm in Kenwood.
Welcome to a great standard of living!
East Bay, San Francisco Bay Area:
1068 sq. ft. 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, 1 car garage, 5,000 sq. ft. lot 2 miles from the bay in a good neighborhood. $2,100 mortgage payment, with taxes and insurance.
$2400.00/mo for 2400 sq. ft. loft with hardwood floors and 25 foot ceilings in a live/work building Oakland, CA. rent includes broadband internet, industrial heat & ac, water and gated security parking.
Central Texas -
3 bedroom 2 bath, 2 living areas. two lots: 850.00/mth.
$1660 for 1000 sq ft 2bed/2bath in rent controlled West Hollywood.
$1200 for a 2-bed/1-bath, 1200-sq. foot. apartment in Andersonville in Chicago, heat included in rent. Shared with boyfriend. Love our neighborhood, love our place - it's on a quiet little street close to everything. Just moved in, so still totally in the honeymoon stage. :)
$675 for a one-bedroom attic apartment right downtown in Easthampton, MA (a smallish town on the edge of a college-y area in Western MA).
Tucson, AZ:
$595 for a 595 sq. foot 1 bedroom adobe. (yes you'll usually pay a dollar per square foot here.) It's a nice walkable neighborhood.
I could never live as good in New York City where I am from.
$720 a month for 1400sf. 3br 2 ba apartment
pittsburgh: i have never paid more than $400 in rent (totally $800 for the last 2.5 bedroom house we were in)
my mortgage for a 1000sq ft house with a generous side yard and porch is under $600.
<3 u pgh.
$0 per month for a 2,800 sq foot brand new home on 29 acres in the rural South.
I sold a home in Southern California in 2007 and built a new home with the proceeds. We broke ground in July 2009. I moved in this past May
I'm 54 and recently retired. I didn't inherit money -- just lived a fairly frugal life. Living rent/mortgage free is one of those "dreams" most people think of as illusory, but it CAN be done!
^ 2 bedroom, built ins, original woodwork, and i can walk to work, groceries, etc :D
$1100 + utilities, 520 sq. ft., downtown Toronto. Fifteen minute walk to Yonge + Bloor, 7 minute walk from the subway, 30 minute walk to Front St/Union Station. Not the cheapest, but not nearly as expensive as many 1-bedrooms go for in this city, especially with the convenience.
$2200 for 650 sq.ft 1bedroom converted schoolhouse with "doorman" on LES
Just purchased 800 sq ft + balcony coop 6 blocks away, also on the Lower East Side, mortgage $1750, maintenance $635, includes utilities.
Nashua, NH
Mortgage: 950
Condo Fee: 250
I also escrow my property taxes monthly, so in total I pay about $1350 for my 2-bed, 2-bath 1300 sq. foot condo.
I pay $750 for a newly-renovated one-bedroom in a kind-of sketchy neighborhood in St. Louis. My current income can support it, but I could have found something similar for less if I had more time.
Definitely don't want to go back to the $400 apartments I had when I was just starting out, though.
$3600 for an 800 sq. ft. one bedroom near Union Square in NYC.
This is disgusting...
Mortgage on a 1100 sq. ft. 2 bedroom townhome bult in the 70's in Santa Barbara.
$3200 mortgage payment + $300 HOAs + utilities.
When we rented, it was $1800 for one bedroom.
$925 for a one-bedroom with balcony on the top floor of a historic landmark in Denver. All included except electric. It's pretty typical for the neighborhood.
rent: $2660 (1,000 sq ft, 2 bd 1 bth, 100 year old historic building, hard wood floors, character galore) near golden gate park in san francisco.
worth every penny.
$1300/month mortgage on 1000 sq ft 2 bed 1 bath condo in Hyde Park Chicago. Great tree lined street, friendly neighborhood, close to the lake. Best place I've lived in the city by far.
Same price in most place in the city would have gotten us some badly done gut rehab in a dodgy neighborhood, 1bed, 600-700 sq ft.
Used to pay $1100/month for 800 sq ft 2 bed apartment in Wicker Park area. Loved the place but hated the neighborhood.
Chicago can be affordable if you think outside the box a little and get away from all the transient "up-and-coming" areas. Check out the more established neighborhoods and you might be surprised by what you can find.
Richmond, VA (Carytown district):
1600ish sq ft with 3 bedrooms, 1+ bath (there's a "help" toilet in the unfinished basement), hardwood floors, laundry, off street parking, and LOTS of charm for $1285 (includes $30 pet fee but no utilities).
$485 (including basic utilities) for a two-bedroom "mini-townhouse" style apartment in small town (population < 15,000) Kansas.
$949 for a 930 sq 2 bed, 2 bath apartment (including $40 each for two garage spots plus $15 for a cat) in Madison, WI
There are also cheaper ones around here, but they were a little more run down or did not allow cats.
625 sq. foot "Executive Condo" in downtown Calgary: $1300 month (rent).
In Saint Paul, MN, I had a 2 bedroom, hardwood floors, nice neighborhood (Mac-Groveland) and balcony for $875.
In San Francisco, 30 minute bus ride from downtown, I had a studio by the park for $1350. Now I pay $630 for a bedroom... and only because my roommate had 14 years of rent control behind her.
San Francisco in insanely expensive, but the transit to the other side of the bay is an issue after midnight.
CURRENTLY:
Midtown Manhattan (Hell's Kitchen): $2500/month for 450 sq ft, 3 story walk-up. Plus gas, electricity, laundry (must send out b/c no access in building), internet, etc.
PREVIOUS:
Downtown Toronto (McCaul and Dundas): $1500 for 400 sq ft plus balcony. Everything included, even cable TV.
Rosedale (just north of Toronto): $1800 for ~1000 sq ft, 2 balconies, on the 3rd floor of a mansion. Laundry, electricity and TV included.
Downtown Toronto (Yonge and Bloor): $900/month for 200 sqft studio. Laundry, electricity and TV included. A bit small for 2 people, I must say :)
New Orleans (Garden District): $1200/month for ~600 sqft 2BR. Needed to buy a car and the second bedroom had a palmetto bug infestation that made it unusable.
New Orleans (Carrollton and Claiborne): ~1500/month for ~1000 sqft. 2nd floor of a house, shared with 3 roommates. No electricity (meaning no fans, AC, refrigerator, etc-- we lived here in August), only had running water in one of the bathrooms. No laundry. Obviously, this house didn't quite survive Katrina and we ended up moving to the nicer apt above.
There have been lots more, but I'll stop here. We move a lot!
Denton, Texas (DFW area)
$550+ electric for a 690 sq ft 1 bedroom townhome with a pretty big patio
I live in a three bedroom bungalow in Hollywood, and we pay $2200. The neighborhood is not fantastic, but we really like the property.
In comparison, I went to college in northwest Ohio, and we paid $900ish for a three bedroom townhouse with lots of space, a full basement, yard, unlimited parking spaces.
PITTSBURGH, PA
$1100/month = house payment (mortgage, insurance, taxes) on a 4BR, 3 full baths, 2600+ sq ft carefully renovated Victorian rowhouse.
This is not in the suburbs, either. I live right in the city in a funky neighborhood (Lawrenceville) with tons of cafes, shops, restaurants, and bus stops. It's just 2 blocks from the river and a 10 min drive into work.
121 miles east of downtown Chicago. (small city of 30,000)
$750 month (20 year mortgage)
1600 sq ft (3 bed, 2 bath) 1930's brick 1 1/2 story.
Williamsburg, Brooklyn -- $1,750 for a 1.5 bedroom, about 650 square feet. No bells and whistles, just a nice apt in a cute crooked charmer. I'm a bargainer, a deal like that is hard to find in Wburg.
Arlington, VA (just outside DC by Courthouse) -- $1300 + utilities for 1 bedroom, around 650 square feet.
DC (Capitol Hill NE) - $1800 1 br + utilities, around 650 square feet. Considered "luxury" apartment, with gym, rooftop pool, and concierge service.
San Francisco, CA
$1,579.16 for a 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment. San Francisco rent laws make for strange rent amounts when the apartment community can only raise rent by X% each year.
It's a super cheap place for San Francisco... Too bad it's super ugly. I'm pretty sure it hasn't been renovated since the 70's.
$485 mortgage in rural South GA for a 3 Bedroom 2 Bath 1056 sq ft home on a quarter acre lot. We only have one income so it is about right for us.
Los Feliz area in Los Angeles (90027 zip)
This is upscale hipster central (Echo Park area has more downscale hipsters), full of musicians, movie/TV people, and young professionals from all over the world.
*
$1000 to $1200 for 1-bed apt (from 500sf to 800sf); 60% of these units without backyard or balcony
$1400 to $2500 for 2-bed units
The expensive 2-bed units typically offer more attractions (size, fire place, balcony, 2-sty townhome-like, rich period detail, backyard, secured parking spaces, etc.).
90% of the units in Los Feliz have rent control therefore when your lease becomes month to month, the rent can't go up beyond the city mandate (currently 3% annually)
*
Walking distance to many restaurants, stores, and scenes (Vermont Ave. and Hillhurst St.).
Biking distance (1 to 2 miles) to Metro Red Line (Vermont/Sunset Station).
Next door neighbor to Silverlake area
Not too far from freeways (Interstate 5 and 101 Freeway)
Decent driving distance to Hollywood, downtown Los Angeles, Burbank (TV and Studios), Pasadena, San Fernando Valley, and West San Gabriel Valley (Asian central).
Calgary, AB (oil & gas corporate central) - in 2007, my 2 bedroom 700 sq.ft basement suite went from $575 to $1200 over less than 6 months. those who weren't pushed out by successive rent increases were finally kicked out for condo conversion. recession hit, & the building still sits half torn apart and empty.
i got in on a 3.5% mortgage last year, so recession isn't all bad :)
For a 720 sf cookie-cutter one bedroom in a doorman building in the e. vill. in NY, i paid $3750!
Just moved to brooklyn, and now pay $3200 for a 1,500 sf two bedroom lovely brownstone apt. with original, unique finishings.
$1350 for a small one bedroom in Honolulu.
Maybe 600 sq ft in a good, centrally located neighborhood. Outrageous given the generally low salaries here.
$610 for a newly-built studio in Texas.
When I rented (last year) $1550 for a 1 bedroom, 1 bath, 800 sq foot ugly condo in Pasadena...and it was a good deal. I sometimes long for the more suburban, rural, middle america rent...but unfortunately...it's just not an option.
Southern Indiana-- $574 a month gets us an 800-sf one-bedroom with a balcony, water and trash included. No dishwasher or washer/dryer hookups, though. :( It would be $40 cheaper, but the landlords charge me $20/month per cat. Our utilities run under $80 a month in general. And our city is considered expensive compared to the surrounding small towns!
$1850 1 bedroom/1000 sq ft - San Francisco, 1920's building near the Presidio, at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge. Very fairly priced for quality of the apt, and for this neck of the woods,
$2200 1 bedroom/600 sq ft - Honolulu, building was built in 1969. Downtown, high rise with an ocean view.
The price to quality ratio in Honolulu made me think that SF was cheap!
I live in Jacksonville, Arkansas, 15 minutes from Little Rock, the capital. We own a ranch style home, just over 1,000 sf, and we pay $514 per month.
Currently $737 a month (mortgage and condo fee) for a 560 sf condo in Madison, WI. Seems a lot bigger though with my 20 foot ceilings and lofted sleeping area.
Previously $600 a month for a 450 sf studio apartment.
Oh, I should add: my college apartment in northeast Missouri, circa 2004 (which, granted, was one-half of a converted two-car garage) cost me $225. My husband paid $190 for a 2nd-floor studio on the city square. On the downside, we both made under $7 an hour.
Location: Carbondale, CO (north of Aspen)
Description: Small accessory dwelling unit (ADU) behind the "main house", 750 sq. ft., loft bedroom, beautiful kitchen/bathroom, concrete floors and a small yard which backs up to green space, off street parking
Rent: $1200 a month (we negotiated down from $1400) with water/sewer included
We just signed a lease for a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house with an office, finished basement, a heated 2 car garage, and a huge fenced yard (it's a double lot) for $1450 a month (negotiated down from $1600).
It isn't as pretty as what we are in now (I prefer to think of it as retro and not outdated lol) but because my boyfriend was a professional musician in his 20's and still plays/records as a hobby we needed more space for him to play his drums and guitars and I am an artist so I needed more studio space.
Plus I wanted a garage so I don't have to clean 2 ft. of snow off my car in the morning!
Because of the proximity to Aspen, the wages in this area are higher but not high enough to allow a lot of people to rent without roommates or 2 incomes much less buy a house. However, prices are coming down now since the economy is so slow.
Even though it is expensive to live in this area my boyfriend and I both think it is worth it not to have to deal with the traffic and crime of Denver anymore (where we lived before). Plus the natural beauty, and the associated outdoor activities, of the Rockies and the Roaring Fork River is so worth it!
Houston, TX (where it's balls hot all the damn time). 1000 sq ft condo, free cable, w/d, dishwasher, gated, covered parking, fireplace (?!?!), wet bar, GIANT closets. $625/mo. I pay electric, which can get a little pricey at times, because we run AC from February through November.
Of course, I also remember renting a 2/2 in University Heights (San Diego) for $550.
2 bedroom, 2 bath, fireplace, large living room, 14' x 3' balcony, second floor, quiet, great neighbors, 1.5 blocks from major bus lines, 14 blocks to beach, decent kitchen, roomy dining area: less than half the going rate because of the tender mercies of rent control, my tenacity, and the contributions of AT (and AT-ers) to make a boxy/popcorn-ceilinged ho-hum place warm and pretty.
Many thanks to you all.
Between $500 - $800 can get you into duplex living in downtown Albuquerque. Most adobe duplexes are about 700 to 800sf. The cost goes up from there if you are looking to rent the REALLY cool loft spaces. My place is about 750sf with a yard, hardwood floors and walking distance from work and restaurants/night life. Can't ask for much else.
$565 for a 1 bdrm + a den and 1 brm, 900 sq. ft. (plus utilities) in Kansas City.
It actually has lg rooms and plenty of closet space and lots of green space outside so that you are not looking directly into the apartments around you.
Huntington, WV - 900 sf, 2 bedroom, 2 bath, garage, corner lot - $380/month includes mortgage, taxes and insurance.
Not a great neighborhood but okay and a short bike ride to the park and downtown.
Currently live in Rockford, Illinois, in the "River District" (a.k.a. downtown and nearby areas). I have a huge 2-bedroom, 1400 sq. ft., apartment in a vintage 1917 apartment building designed in what the architect at the time called a "Wrigleyville" style--meant to mimic the 3-flat and 6-flat buildings in Chicago neighborhoods like Wrigleyville, Lakeview, Hyde Park, etc. Hardwood floors throughout, nice woodwork, gorgeous non-functional brick fireplace with wood bookcase surrounds that evoke a Craftsman-type style, etc. Rent: currently $745, going up to $765 next month.
$900+gas/elect in NJ 07003 for a f-ing shoebox! >:/
Near Toledo OH, Small 3-bed, 2 bath craftsman house built 1923 on half acre, gorgeous oak floors, built-ins, nearly paid off for $550/month. Also, stick built cottage on a chain of lakes 75 miles away, $350/month. Great place to live and you don't have to work three jobs to live well.
Long Island, NY / 4 Bedroom, 3 Bath, Garage, Corner Lot with a big yard / Mortgage is about $3K / month. The taxes are ridiculous, but we live close to family and our original Queens stomping grounds.
San Francisco, CA
$5000/mo (mortgage)
Two-unit building (each 1400 sq. feet) with 3 car garage and back terrace/yard.
(Note: we have rental income from second unit of $2500)
Total expenses: $2500 + property taxes
Worth every penny.
We (my boyfriend and I) pay $1700 for a ~750sq 1br/1bath in the first floor of a rowhouse in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood of DC. All utilities included, with a washer and dryer in the basement, a backyard and no pet fees for our two cats. We also are part of the Mt. Pleasant solar cooperative, or rather our landlords are.
It's not the cheapest place we could live, but we lived in a less accessible DC neighborhood before and were absolutely miserable.
$840 1 bd/1 bath (been there for 4 years, rent gets increased about $20 or so every year)
That's right, $840. I can never leave LOL.
West Los Angeles/Palms/Culver City/Mid-City area...and found it on CraigsList!!!
Downtown Kansas City: Loft style condo, Studio, 455 sqft for $700 (not including HOA).
Seattle - 700 sq ft condo w/balcony
$970 mortgage, $298 HOD
Love my place (it's in a nice zip code and walking distance to a HUGE park), but hate the mortgage. I had the luck of buying at the very peak of the market in 2007 and my neighbors are now marketing at about 20% less than what I paid and not getting any bites. Good thing I'm not looking to move anytime soon.
An "up and coming" area of Baltimore, close to downtown, $965 mortgage which includes taxes and insurance (around $675 without, min. down-payment). 2 bed, 3.5 bath, ~1200sf, roof deck, 12x18 back yard. Some areas in Baltimore are seeing an influx of middle class residents looking for an affordable place to drop, in once crumbling areas that otherwise have all the promise of location location location!
*2.5 bath
$594 2 bedroom/1 bath around 800 square feet in Greenwood, Indiana
In the up and coming West Broadway neighborhood of Providence, RI we paid $850 + utilities for a huge 1 bedroom in a beautiful 150 year old victorian.
For a 2 bed with a triple parlor (living, dining, office/den) and a large eat in kitchen and huge closet was $950 + utilities in the same neighborhood. If you were to live on the East Side of Prov, the rent on a 2 bed triple parlor would be about $1400.
$ 1700 mortgage for my 1400 sq. ft. dream house, red brick with white shutters, huge rhododendron bushes around the house, old trees, all doors and built-ins from old oak, floor of natural stone (kitchen, halls, bath) or planks (living- and dining room).
A fireplace with old blue-white tiles from Delft, Netherlands.
Plus a 16.000 sq. ft. garden. And, after moving 22 times all over the world & three continents, it's perfect for me as a single mother to have my parents just 80 yards away. It's 10 minutes walk downtown of a small town of 34000. The only bugger is my 21 mile distance to work.
But i love the house!
Also, a 2 bed 2 bath townhouse style apartment in an historic brownstone just outside Boston was $1100 + utilities 3 years ago. An absolute STEAL and I wish we never moved!
Greenville, NC (about 7 blocks from ECU campus):
Duplex ~900 sq. ft. @ 625$ a month + utilities (split between three people)
3 bedroom, 1.5 bath, hardwood floors, attic, & aprox. 200 sq. ft. fenced backyard.
Mostly students in the neighborhood, but surprisingly quiet! Love it and I don't ever want to go back to an apartment complex.
In Phoenix, I have an 800 sq ft duplex with wood floors, a fireplace, and vintage charm for $550/mo. Note that "vintage charm" does not only mean high ceilings and interesting details, but drafty windows, loose floorboards, and mysterious holes everywhere.
I have found a beautiful Spanish style 2 br apartment built in the 1920s in the same neighborhood for $900, but that was out of my grad school price range. I really wish I could have lived there, it was a dream. Antique cabinets, stained concrete floors, French doors opening to a brick patio...
In Boise ID: $775 mortgage, about $100 utilities a month on average. This gets me 3 beds, 2.5 baths, 2 car garage, decent yard, all in about 1500 sq feet. I will note that I bought a foreclosed home which keeps the cost low per month. A friend got her 3bed/1bath for $130K down the road and still pays under $1000 a month. Rental rates are around $900-$1500 for 3 bedroom house in the downtown/college area.
I've been living in various St. Paul apartments for 3 years now, and I've found one thing: rent is usually $1/sq. ft. to live in a decent neighborhood.
My first apartment was $695, and went up to $715 just before we moved out, for a 2-bedroom, heat included, a block away from Snelling and Selby (busy area!).
My second was $810 for right around 800 square feet; however, since it was in a better neighborhood (just off of Summit Avenue), heat was not included.
My current apartment for over a year now is a 3-bedroom, 1-bath near the airport. We lucked out - none of the bedrooms have a shared wall, heat is included, and there's 2 built-in AC units in the apartment. Rent is $995 for over 1,000 square feet!
Everett, WA, just North of Seattle: $800 for a two bedroom with secured parking.
The http://www.rentometer.com/ site says I'm about on par for the area.
Chicago, SE Lakeview: $840 for a 400 sq ft studio w/ nook that fits my queen-sized bed. Heat, cooking gas, trash/recycling, water, internet, and access to the fitness room included. The building receives packages and has on-site maintenance.
Management offered me a rent freeze; the new lease starts Sept. 1.
two bedroom, one bath in boerum hill, brooklyn for $1750. it's a lot but worth it so far and a great deal for the neighborhood. crossing my fingers that our landlord doesn't hike it by TOO much next year. although to be fair, the second bedroom is small and windowless.
Pittsburgh, PA.
The neighborhood (Bloomfield) is very centrally located with short walks to galleries, coffee shops, farmer's markets, international cusine, etc...
$615 a month mortgage payment.
1,365 square feet on a double lot with a back yard, front porch, & deck over our garage.
Our rent previously was $515 plus electric in an old Victorian mansion. It was a one bedroom with wood floors. This was in another central neighborhood.
Cedar Park, TX (suburb of Austin)
We have a 4 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom, 2300 sq ft house on about a 0.25 acre lot. 30 year, fixed rate mortgage is $1366 per month which includes escrow (taxes, insurance, etc).
Downtown Sacramento - $925 1bd/1ba ~900ft^2 unit (quad-plex)
Hardwood floors
Gas appliances
Shared backyard
Uptown, New Orleans: $810 studio (369 sq. ft.)
previously
Bloomington, IN: ~$620 1 br (~700 sq. ft.)
Originally from the Chicago area, I lived in Lakeview in a small bedroom (and I mean small) in a 4 br apt. for $225
Last year I was paying $550/mo (a special rate being run by the apartment complex) for a 750 SF 1 bedroom apartment w/ screened in porch in West Ashley- across the river from Charleston, SC (outside 526 for those in the know). It was 15 min from downtown and 20-30 min from the beach!
Now I'm paying $940/mo for a mortgage on a 1,500 SF 3 bed, 2 bath house (+ a HUGE yard) further out in Goose Creek- 30 min from DT and 40-45 min to the beach.
Nashville, TN:
$925/month for a 2BR/1.5BA condo townhome rental with access to a pool (literally) in our backyard, and a private fenced patio. 1,000sf.
Previously, in surrounding areas:
$749 (going up to $840 when we moved out), 2BR/1.5BA townhome apartment from the 60s/70s and an ant problem and insane electric bill.
$550 (6 years ago) 2BR apartment in older neighborhood.
--------------
if you live in Nashville, depending on the neighborhood, you'd generally expect to pay at least $500/month for a decent studio or 1BR, $700-900 for a good 1BR or decent 2BR, and $1,200-$1,500 for a really nice place or 3BR home.
That being said, though the rental rates aren't as good as some other areas, we don't have a state income tax.
We're in the heart of New Orleans, 1 block off Magazine street - $1100 / month for 2 bedrooms, 2 story, 1100 sq ft. no utilities included.
We moved from a converted shotgun with 750 sq ft for $1050 and the utilities were $300+ per month.
** CHICAGO IS THE BEST **
$800 for 636 sf
Charming vintage apartment
Nice neighborhood
10-minute express bus to downtown (~6 miles north)
BIG city living without the big city spending -- I mean, this is C.H.I.C.A.G.O.
Berkeley, CA, a block away from the BART station (23 minutes to downtown SF)
400 sq foot, jr one bedroom (studio, with kitchen separated from the living space)
$1000/month (no utilities included)
still wouldn't trade it for the cheap mid-west - i don't have/need a car! :)
Milwaukee, W.I. One bedroom, $645
Walking distance to the beach, Milwaukee Art Museum, the popular east side, and downtown. My rent includes water, heat, and parking.
If you've never been to Milwaukee, its incredibly and so worth the trip.
750 sf, $750 a month, all util pd except (cheap) electric
Downtown Detroit's 'Gold Coast', directly on the river with a view of Canada. Gated community with valet pkg., etc. - close to heaven.
Long Beach, CA: $2700 per month, 700 sq ft, 50 year old bldg, high crime.
2 BR, 1 BA 1,200 square foot house in San Diego - $1800.
And no, my wages are not any higher than when we lived in a huge 3 BR, 1 BA in Cincinnati, OH.
San Diego has a problem with not paying a sufficient living wage....but it is sunny all the time!
$2,018 for a ~1,700 sf rent-controlled sunny, top floor flat in San Francisco overlooking Duboce Park and Buena Vista Hill.
I share the rent with 1.5 roommates (1 is part-time on weekends) and we have 3 bedroom suites (2 rooms apiece) plus living room, dining room, kitchen, 2 baths, no parking, no yard.
14 years ago I paid $565 for my portion of the rent and now it's only $850. I'm spoiled and can't ever move - two bedrooms are the same price as my four bedroom...
$470 for 350 square feet in Kokkola, Finland.
It's a recently renovated studio apartment with an alcove(ish space) and a separate kitchen. Monthly rent includes water but not electricity.
I live in Palmdale, CA in a 1800sf house (specifically, 5 bedrooms, 2 baths). Mortgage is $950.
I pay $1250 a month in rent for a giant 1200 sq ft first-floor loft in a trendy and mostly-safe neighborhood in Philadelphia (Northern Liberties). No utilities are included and it's tough to heat and cool a giant room with 16 foot ceilings and 80-year-old windows.
Philadelphia:
Years ago, I had an apartment in Center City and the rent was $450 a month for 500 sq/ft and never went up. It was a unique situation, the new Landlord wanted to fix up each apartment, but had to wait until someone moved out...so I was lucky enough to get in right before they sold it.
In the Roxborough section of the city I lived in a huge Victorian mansion where me and my ex had the entire first floor. It was at least 1,000 sq/ft and the rent was $550 a month, but with the electric and heating bills, it was more like 900 a month.
In South Philly where I currently reside, I pay $775 a month for about 600 sq/ft, not including the back patio and a full basement for storage.
Living in:
Ann Arbor, MI: $975, 2 BR duplex, ~800 sq feet plus full basement. 1.5 miles from the U of M.
Currently making $15,000 less annually than when I lived in:
Alexandria, VA: $1200, 1 BR condo, 700 sq feet, no storage. 1 mile from the Metro.
Arlington, VA: $1400, 1 BR condo, ~800 sq feet, included utilities but also roaches. 1.5 miles from the Metro.
And $7,000 less annually than when I lived in:
Champaign, IL: $725, 2 BR apt, ~1000 sq feet. 1.5 miles from the U of I.
$1700 for 750sqft, 2BR, 1BA just outside of Geneva (but on the French side of the border), charges included
San Diego, CA -- Mission Hills/Hillcrest area
$1,600 for 2 bedroom/2 bath condo approx. 1,000 sq feet, enclosed patio and two car covered garage
We rent directly from the owner and recently had our rent raised last year
$695/mo for 500 sf 1br in Providence, RI. Full basement and back yard, garage.
It's a three-room former doctor's office, attached to a house that used to belong to a physician.
Portland, OR - $895 2BR 2 Bath ~1000 sq ft. duplex. East side, about 25 min walk to downtown, near the Rose Garden Arena.
£1,700 monthly: 675 square foot, 1 bedroom in London UK...
$1426 mortgage for approx 1800 square feet. 4 bedrooms, 2 (soon to be 3) baths, large 2 car detached garage, small back/front yard.
Upper Bucks County, PA (philly burbs)
$1426 mortgage for approx 1800 square feet. 4 bedrooms, 2 (soon to be 3) baths, large 2 car detached garage, small back/front yard.
Upper Bucks County, PA (philly burbs)
$1426 mortgage for approx 1800 square feet. 4 bedrooms, 2 (soon to be 3) baths, large 2 car detached garage, small back/front yard.
Upper Bucks County, PA (philly burbs)
Oops, sorry for the multi-post!!
Grand Rapids, MI = 1,600 Sq ft, 3 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath, full basement, a nice backyard, and a beautiful front porch for $625 (own) in a cute little neighborhood!
The problem with listing how much you pay for a mortgage is that so many factors influence it (interest rate, down payment, etc.). It's sort of a useless figure for determining where to live and more of a reflection of the homeowner. (Rents are a different story.)
$890 for a 1,000 sq ft apt in University Place, WA
Bay Area - 25 miles from SF
1500 for 1090 sq ft 2 bedroom with ponds and trees all around. And FIFTEEN windows!
Worth every penny
I paid the same for a 3 bedroom house in Houston with formals, a giant den and giant sunroom.
But I get paid 2 1/2 times my Houston salary, and honestly only lived in only part of my Houston house. About the amount of sq ft as a 2 bedroom apt
$915/month (mortgage) on a 2500 sq/ft semi-craftsman style house in Central Texas.
Minneapolis, MN: Our house is about 1100 sf finished, $1300/month mortgage.
Our old apt. in the Warehouse district downtown MPLS: 2BR/1BA in-apt laundry, 800 sf $1000/month with 2 parking spots.
$1080 for a 864 sq ft one bedroom in the International District of Seattle, WA.
Here in Kansas City the hubby and I have a 1200 sq. ft., 2 bed, 2 bath apt. on the fifth floor of a beautiful building that was recently rehabbed. Our apt. wraps around the front of the building. 17 windows. Great manager and maintenance. We can walk or bus to nearly everything (except Oklahoma Joe's) and we pay $620/mth. Oh, and we have gated, off-street parking for a one-time fee of $30.
Most commenters are probably in the US, but I'll say mine anyway. $640, h/hw for a 1 bedroom in Halifax, NS, Canada.
$1175/month for a 300 sq ft studio apartment in Laurel Heights of San Francisco, CA.
BF and I live in downtown Topeka, KS (about 45 minutes west of Kansas City) in a beautiful 1920s apartment building that's a block away from the State Capitol building, and is on both the National and Kansas Historic Registers.
650 sq. ft, 2 BR, 1 BA, Hardwood floors, arched doorways, original built-in china cabinets, subway tile in the bathroom, private balcony, trash/water/gas paid, plus fitness club membership and a reserved parking spot, all for a whopping $502/month. Living in the midwest can certainly pay.
2007-2009 - Toronto, ON - 1bedroom + den - $1100 all included.
2010-present - Montreal, QC - 1bedroom (~500sq ft) - $450 + utilities
Los Angeles (Hancock Park "adjacent"):
$1299.00 for 1200 sq ft (maybe a little larger), rent split with roommate. Includes front, side and enclosed back yards where I garden.
. . . and balcony w/ view of Hollywood sign!
$660/month including heat and water, for a Victorian 2-bedroom apartment in a converted house. Original wood floors, trim, and moldings, a separate living and dining room, and back deck.
We live in a beautiful, walkable neighbourhood of Hamilton, Ontario - it was a steel town, but it's becoming a lot more... and bonus? Low crime rates and an escarpment with trails running right through the middle of the city.
I love this city, and it's twice the space we had in Toronto for the same price - and a train ride to Toronto if need be. Plus, we sold our cars when we moved here.
1000 sq ft (3 bed , 1 bath) + garage, with big yard in a reasonably clean and safe Los Angeles suburb. Mortgage is $1250 per month, but jumps up to $1600 with insurance and taxes.
Housing costs seem so high after reading through all the comments, not just here in LA.
I think the big question is what % of your gross monthly income goes to housing?? Mine is just under 35% :(
...after tax, it's over 50% :( :(
Formerly, I rented a 1600sq/ft, 3 bed/2 bath in East Lost Angeles for $1500/mo (rent controlled). We had a 2 car garage, one additional off street parking spot and a small garden and patio. It was poorly insulated and we had helicopters overhead every night.
Now I have a mortgage of $2600/mo for a 3 unit property on a 7,000 sq/ft lot in a better part of LA (near Silverlake and Eagle Rock). Of course the tenants really help put a dent in that hefty mortgage. No way I could do that on my own comfortably.
Santa Fe, NM: $1167 for a month house payment (mortgage, insurance etc) for a 1600 sf, 3+ bedroom, 1.5 bath on 1/4 acre.
We rented this same house for 4 years before buying it and we rented it for $975 which is far below the market for similar rentals!
$1400, inc. utilities, for a 900 squarefoot guest house in Old Towne in Orange, CA. Abundant parking, great neighborhood, amazing garden shared w/owners. Own washer and dryer :) Split with the bf.
Northeast Louisiana - rent: $250/month - 2BR/1BA, 950 sq ft, massive fenced yard for my dog
Less-than-great neighborhood, but still not bad. It's about 4 blocks from my alma mater, and I kind of just stayed.
^^Oh, and it's a house, not an apartment.
Issaquah, WA - $1,930 per month for a 2 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom, two storey 1,380 sq ft Townhouse with a large 2 car garage (utilities are not included in the rent)
2007 - 79th St & York Ave, Upper East Side, New York, NY - 1-bedroom (~300 sq ft), 6th floor walk-up, 15+ minute walk from the subway - $1775 all utilities included
2008-2009 - 86th St & 1st Ave, Upper East Side, New York, NY - 1-bedroom (~500 sq ft), 3rd floor elevator building - $2400
2009-2010 - 6th Ave & 13th St, Park Slope, Brooklyn - 1-bedroom railroad (~620 sq ft), 1st floor, d/w, own w/d, 200 sq ft private back yard - $2300
2010-present - Greenwood Heights, Brooklyn - 2-bedroom (~620 sq ft), entire 2nd floor of a 2-family, just renovated with tons of light - $1400 no utilities included
I feel amazingly lucky to be where I am now because I have a roommate and we split the rent 50/50, so I pay next to nothing for a gorgeous Brooklyn apartment near the subway, I never want to leave!!
$625 - 400 sf studio in 1920's building in Portland, OR (Alphabet District of NW Portland).
Mortgage is $469 in St. Louis, Mo: for a 1,000 SF house with an extra finished basement and finished attic, fenced in back yard, one car garage.
San Diego Mission Valley- $1300/mo for 730 sqft
Austin- $825/mo for 840 sqft
Austin suburbs mortgage- $1100/mo for 1600 sq ft
Murfreesboro, TN (30 miles outside of Nashville)
1700 sq ft house 3BR/2BA + bonus room
$1100/month (includes homeowners insurance and property taxes)
Rexburg, ID -$420/mo 500sq ft
Las Vegas, NV -$550/mo 600sq ft
Moscow, ID -$500/mo 700sq ft
The Rexburg apt was a total dive with a dark gray carpet that revealed itself to be blue upon scrubbing. It was pretty gross and only had windows that went out to a covered rooftop, so no natural light got it at all.
The Las Vegas apartment was pretty decent, but we were in the ghetto so it was cheap.
Moscow, ID was alright at best. We were renting through a company called Welcome Home. They were awful. $800 deposit and we barely got $500 back. They overcharged for really stupid things and were impossible to get out for a service call.
We now live in a trailer that we paid $17,000 for with a 5 year mortgage and $250/mo payments, but we'll get it paid off sooner than that for sure. The lot rent is $317, which is a lot, but it's a really nice park with paved roads and landscaping.
$450/mo for a 3/1 house on 3 acres with fruit trees. You don't even want to know how far the closest Starbucks is.
cmarriott: i want to be your friend! :) i'm from pittsburgh and i moved to santa clara for a job. it's insane what difference there is in rent here. i pay $1600 for a shoebox. my rent in pgh was $500 for a friggin house!
Freeport, IL
$200 Mortgage: backyard, 1 stall garage, two bedrooms, 865 SF not including walk-up attic and full basement
Milwaukee, WI
$660 Rent, 1 parking spot, two tiny tiny bedrooms, 750 SF
Various apartments in Washington, DC:
$1100/month including utilities, room in 4BR group house
$1100/month including utilities, room in 4BR group house
$930/month including utilities, room in 8BR (yeah, you read that right) group house
$1000/month, half of a run-down 2BR house
$1500/month, mortgage on a 1050 sq. ft. 2BR condo (it would have been closer to $2000 but I put as much money down as I could)
Renting in DC is very expensive, and it was only because of the convergence of luck and certain circumstances that I was able to get such a good deal on my condo. I have consistently paid 50-55% percent of my income in housing costs and had to slash my budget elsewhere. But I really wanted to live in the city, so I made it work :)
Knoxville, TN
$700 rent. A 2 bed room, 1.5 bath, 900 sq ft. newer construction house in an established neighborhood. A real front porch and a deck in back. Huge yard full of wildlife. (I pay more in rent than the neighborhood average - I have a pit bull mix and it is tricky to find a place where she is welcomed)
Oklahoma City, OK
$730 Mortgage for 1,300 Sq. Ft, 2 bedroom 1 bath and a big back yard. Great Neighborhood close to downtown.
Portland, OR
$1500/mo for 3 bed/2 bath/1800sf
10 minute bike ride to downtown, close to parks, MAX train, farmers market, coffee shops, restaurants, food carts, blah blah blah.
Doesn't it all depend on the deal you got with the bank and what your downpayment is?
In this one bedroom apartment in the lower mainland of BC, Canada... which is close to buses and amenities, rent was about $750. Mortgage is $550, but adding insurance, strata and other little things, it's probably the same as renting. The difference is, my money is actually going somewhere useful!
My husband and I bought a 1932 house in suburban Oklahoma. It has well water for outside, a shop building, 3b, 2b, 2living areas, covered porch. We are currently remodeling so in a few months it will be 4b/3b/2L!
2291 sq ft ~ $770/month including taxes and insurance!
Tempe, AZ $500/month (includes utilities) 660 sq ft, complex has a nice gym, three pools,etc but it's older and needs repairs a lot
Dupont Circle, Washington DC:
1BR 1 bath, $2150. Four blocks from the metro, top floor, no utilities, completely renovated. I'm almost positive it's no larger than 500sf.
Mortgage: 450$
550 sf in Montreal, 10 minutes by walk to cool places
This is fascinating!
We just purchased our first place. $1,000 (that includes escrow) for a 1,900sf ranch built in ’58. 3/2 with a two car garage. It took the place of a slightly smaller rental that was $1500. We are in flat, dry, and hot West Texas (Odessa). Not much here but high rent, affordable mortgages, wind, and oil.
Past:
Starkville, MS - $600 for a university owned faculty house. It was a really cool 20’s farmhouse.
Denton, TX - $900 for an 80’s tract home.
Terre Haute, IN – 500 for a small three bedroom. Neat house in a architecturally interesting town, that was unfortunately fairly run-down.
San Francisco, CA:
Pacific Heights: $4100/mo. rent for a 2BR/2.5BA with a tandem garage parking space included. Foyer, formal dining room, lovely remodeled kitchen, fireplace, moldings and character galore. Heat included and don't need A/C. Roughly 1800 sq. ft. Still painful to write that check every month.
Apt. before that in Russian Hill neighborhood: $2350/mo. for 2BR/1BA w/out parking; huge FDR; 12-foot ceilings; redwood wainscoting; huge kitchen. $2350/mo. Totally under market. We were forced out under the Ellis Act -- would never have left that place and that rent control voluntarily.
Apt. before that: Russian Hill 1BR/1BA w/out parking. $1500/mo.
When I rented a 1 bedroom ~600 sq ft apartment in NE Oregon, it was $430 + $65 in storage unit fees due to lack of space.
I bought a 1800 sq ft home and the mortgage is $496 in same town.
Monthly income is $2k for context.
Mortgage for a 3 BR/2.5 BA 2100 s.f. house w/ an attached double carport, above ground pool with deck, patio and covered porch sitting on a half acre is only $610 including taxes and insurance.
Located in a small town in southern GA. I'm from NYC but love the more affordable options that the south has to offer.
I'm not sure about the square feet, but I have a $750 one bedroom in a two flat built in 1915 in Chicago. The apartment boasts hardwood floors, large dining room that opens into the living room, and a huge pantry. Downsides: small bedroom and bathroom. The building also is much longer than the surrounding homes, so I have a tree at every window and lots of light.
400 sq ft studio cottage with all utilities including cable and internet included. $900 in downtown San Jose.
Montreal, Quebec, Canada: 2 bedroom apt for $695. It's an older place, but it was clean and the price was right!
$485/month is buying us 1400 square feet on almost 1/3 of an acre at the base of Hot Springs National Park, AR, just a 15 minute walk to downtown.
$1398 mortgage for 2100sf in Manassas, Virginia. I paid more per sf in rent closer in to DC but I don't have to commute anymore so I was able to get so much more out here!
900 sq ft 1 bedroom for $2100 a month in downtown LA. i know it's pricey but it's new, quiet, clean and big compared to other apartments in LA.
Charlotte, NC (Uptown): 2 Bedroom/2 Bathroom/1 Parking Space/ 1,200 Sq ft. $1,800/month
Charlotte, NC (SouthEnd): 2 Bedroom/1.5 Bathroom/Open Parking/ 1,500 Sq ft. $1,200/month
Currently paying $915 (just went up from $880) plus hydro (water not included, landlord pays for that) for a one-bedroom in Toronto. I do not have a car so I am paying a premium for being very near a subway. But my building is older and has no elevator, so I am getting a bit of a deal. I have gone as low as $700 for a comparable space, but that was a basement, and after a bad flood one year, I will never do that again. I will never, ever be able to afford to buy; real estate is crazy here.
$1750/month for a 1950s era walkup apartment in Honolulu, HI. 560 sq ft, 1BR (sort of), 1BA, lanai, dry wood termites, no AC. Ultra expensive electricity not included. But I can walk to the beach, and I hold out hope that someday I can convince my landlord to remove all the termite-infested cabinets.
Living overseas brings all kinds of variables, too . . . Korea, where I live, has two different rental systems. One method is to put down an extremely substantial deposit, ranging from about 50,000~100,000USD for a studio or one bedroom in Seoul. Friends of mine have a deposit of 800,000USD on their high-rise two bedroom in a satellite city about an hour from downtown Seoul. The upside is no monthly rent, and the entirety of the deposit gets refunded to you at the end of your lease. Bad side is that unless you've already got the cash, you have to get a loan from the bank - which is virtually impossible if you're not a Korean citizen.
The second method is to put down a not-quite-so-large but still substantial deposit, and pay monthly rent. For a studio apartment of about 350sq ft figure a deposit of 10,000-50,000USD and monthly rent of 350-1000USD, varying by neighborhood, size of apartment, size of your deposit, and the newness of the building. My apartment of 650 sq feet (shared with a roomate) is a little shy of 800USD with a deposit of about 20,000USD, located in a very quiet neighborhood just minutes from downtown.
I live in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Most rental apartments and houses in the Netherlands are rent controlled to keep them affordable. I am lucky to rent such an apartment in a 1920's building block with views of the Amstel river. The apartment is on the second floor and 65 sq mt (about 700 sq ft) and costs 230 euros per month (about 290 USD). The only problem with the rent control system is that people generally don't move out for a long, long time once they got their hands on a good apartment. And renters are well protected by law in the Netherlands (in other words: impossible to kick them out). By law you also are allowed to do work on your rental ' if it is an improvement to the rented space'. So painting, wallpapering, installing new kitchens or bathroom, changing or installing new floors amongst other things are all allowed.
The current waiting time for a rent controlled apartment is more than 8 years!
I get the feeling I should move to Arizona, or better yet--Amsterdam!
Still, my rent is pretty great. I pay $1,350/mo for a 500 sq ft 1BR + den on the border of Windsor Terrace and Park Slope. And living with my boyfriend, we split it down the middle, so it's really nothing. I wouldn't leave this neighborhood for anything.
My husband and I live in Malden, MA (5 mi north of Boston, 1 mi walk to subway)
We have: a 1600 sq.ft. single family home, 3 bed, 1.5 baths with yard, built in 1920s with original woodwork and door hardware, and pay $2500 a month including taxes/insurance. That will go down to like $2100 a month in about 10 years (25 years left until it's totally paid off)
It would be less if we did have the bad luck of buying at the *top* of the housing bubble. Go us.
Tempe, Arizona
Rent: $788 (tax, water included)
Sq Ft: 800
Two level, two bedroom townhome with a small private yard, near ASU. Yes, I'm among the college kids, but it's a steal.
$1275 for a large ~1100 sq ft 2 bedroom in Midtown Toronto, shared with a roommate
Now: $1050 mortgage payment for a 1 bedroom plus den condo, around 650 sq ft, in Mississauga, just outside of Toronto.
Toronto might be out of reach right now but in a few years when we sell this place we'll make enough and have saved enough to be able to buy something decent closer to the subway. All this time commuting will have been worth it!
$567 for 1 bedroom 760 sq ft in Greenville, SC, within walking distance from restaurants and mall, in a brand new apartment building. seems about average for the area.
when i lived in the UK, i had £290 on a 500 sq ft 20 mins walk from Leicester city center in a great restaurant and shop area. was a 1 bedroom victorian terrace conversion on the ground floor.
I live in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. i have an 880 sq ft, 2 bed 1 bath TOWNHOME for only $580 a month :) including central air and my own washer and dryer. there may not be a lot to do here, but it sure doesnt break the bank for space!
Richmond, VA - Historic Fan District
$695/1 bedroom 1 bath roughly 600 sq ft
includes: heat, water, gas, trash pickup
Walking distance to many local bars, restaurants, markets, coffee shops, parks, etc!
$925. 1-BR, 500 sq ft, garden apt. Chicago, in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. About 5 blocks from the lake. Everything within walking distance.
$595. 1-BR, 700 sq ft, 2nd floor walk up. SW Portland, OR. Nothing within walking distance, but we have a washer/dryer now.
$500/mo. 2-BR, 1-BA, ~700sf house with backyard, detached garage 2 mi from downtown in Wichita, KS
Savannah, Ga-
750 2bedroom, I would guess around 750-800 square feet. Tiny bedrooms, big kitchen and living, charm charm charm. On Jones st. in a great neighborhood. Best deal ever.
1100 3 bedroom, maybe 1500 square feet, yard, porch, homeless "friends," kfc next door.
Philadelphia, Pa
1200 2 bedroom in northern liberties. Great neighborhood, but still close to not so great neighborhoods. Pretty big with huge bedrooms, but carpet. (ugh) no porch or yard, but awesome landlord.
Richmond, Va
870 for a beautiful 2 bedroom with a small back porch. Big. In the fan district, close to everything. Worst landlords ever. lawsuit upon move out.
720 for my current 1 bed that is the nicest, most functional place I've lived in. It's small (550 sq. ft) but has a front porch and back patio. New granite & S/S kitchen, lots of light, cheap utils. The neighborhood is decent, and convenient. My parents would consider it ghetto, but they can't get past the 90's image of richmond, which is when they moved outside the city. Only downside is loud students and parties.
indianapolis here also
currently live in the meridian kessler neighborhood for those in the know. 3BR/1BA duplex, around 1400 sqft spread over 2 floors, shotgun style $800/month and we pay all utilities (water, gas, electric)
before that 3rd floor walk-up at 34th and meridian roughly for $650/month and paid only electric. horrible management company and neighbors ran us out of there after only a year
i feel like the rents in the area are a bit inflated considering the price we'd pay if we bought but we don't want to be owners because of the hassle. i suppose we're lucky with what we pay for our neighborhood. something similar should be around $1000/month.
San Francisco
$1800 for a 1BR/1BA with hardwood floors, dining room and lots of charming period details in the Mission District. Large for a 1 bedroom (about 900 sq feet) and in excellent shape, this apartment is in a 4-unit 1920's building with a shared yard and has lots of charming details. After looking at so many terrible apartments in this area, I know we got a great deal. I love this apartment!
Nob Hill/Russian Hill border in SF - 2BR, around 950 square feet + 100 sq ft storage bin, garage parking, trash, water and cable TV: $2950. No view, balcony or otherwise private space; just a shared courtyard (probably the thing I miss most).
520 sq ft studio apartment overlooking Bay Bridge in SF, no parking; water & garbage included $1884
1500 sq ft 3 bdroom, 2 bath house on 6000 sq ft lot in Fresno, paid for. Could probably sell it for $115,000.
Just outside Ann Arbor, MI (Pittsfield Township) $535 + $135 in HOA fees. 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath 1300 square feet.
I love it here. Just far enough away from the city to be quiet (and not packed) and close enough to go into the city (10 minute drive).
$600 a month for a renovated 450sf MCM studio in the Westmoreland Historic District in the Montrose neighborhood of Houston. It's exactly what I wanted in a space in size and character. This city being what it is though, within a few miles, similar square footage could cost you half as much or $2000 a month. It's one of the few major metropolitan areas where you can live comfortably spending what you want and not the max that you can afford.
We pay 800 all bills paid for 800 sq ft, a small yard, and back porch. It is my bf, our beautiful baby boy, myself, and our little doggie...we love it here in Dallas, TX :D
$1200 mortgage, 2100 square foot house Central Phoenix AZ (nice neighborhood)
soon to be ex husband pays $1300 for rent on a loft dowtown (sketchier neighborhood but artsy) for around 1300 square feet
$1250/mo. (utils included) 400 sq. ft. studio in Santa Monica, 7 blocks from the beach and half a mile from a ton of shops and restaurants.
I live in Hampton, VA and pay $610/mo for a 1 bedroom apartment (which is around 560 sq. ft.). The rent includes utilities, so that was a MAJOR factor in deciding to rent the place.
The apartment isn't bad (except for the bugs that are getting on my last nerve). Management is currently fixing up all the courtyards, so that's good. There are re-stuccoing the buildings, putting down grass, fixing the broken water fountains. I have access to a pool and laundry rooms, but never use them. Another great thing is the view. Although my apartment looks out into the parking lot and courtyard, I just have to walk one minute for a LOVELY view of the river.
I am glad I was able to paint the place!
Berkeley, CA $1980/monthly
900 sq ft 2 bedroom apt with 300 sq ft backyard/porch area (includes a storage shed)
Newport, Virginia $1650/monthly
260 acres, 2200 sq ft 4 bedroom, 2 bath +full basement studio apartment and two car garage
One of these is a better value...
Marietta, GA (East Cobb area): $499/mo + utilities, 1 bed/1 bath, fireplace, balcony
currently paying $1800 a month mortgage on a 2 bed/1 bath house is Ojai, California but we selling it due to a divorce.
My soon to be ex just rented a 2 bed/2 bath apartment in Ventura, CA for $1395 plus he will have to pay for electric and gas.
I can't afford to live here anymore and will be moving back to the Springfield, Missouri area where I can get a 1 bed/1 bath for under $500 a month.
San Mateo, California. My rent is currently at $750 for 330sqft studio.
I pay $1100 plus utilities in San Diego, CA for around 800 square feet. We are under planes and my neighbors have zero taste. I'm always looking to move.
My college apartment in downtown Ann Arbor: 900 sq ft, 7 minute walk to class, 2 bedrooms: $1800 among 3 people.
Now, living in a neighborhood of Ann Arbor: 900 sq ft house with 2 bedrooms and an unfinished basement and a garage: $800. Love it but I miss living so close to downtown!
Chicago, Hyde Park, 545 sq ft, $815 including water and heating.
Real estate is all about location, location, location!
Rural northern Indiana:
$500/mo. mortgage for a 5,000 SF Victorian duplex, two car garage, lot and a half, and beautiful trees as old as the house. All utilities, taxes, insurance push it to about $1000/mo. to maintain two households. Not bad, but we give up a lot of culture to do it!
$1650/mo. for a two bedroom apartment in beautiful downtown Santa Barbara, California
~$950/mo including taxes and insurance (when we refinance at 4% it'll be a lot lower)
2300 sq ft,
built in 1978
great school district
3 bedrooms, fireplace, two car garage, nice yard, comes with dog.
Lexington, Kentucky.
House is kinda ugly, though, if you don't like mid-century.
1187$ for a three bedroom townhouse in Toronto! It's a great find! The rooms are cozy, 1 bathroom, large living room, decent kitchen, and small backyard.
I want to post pictures up when I've worked on it some more.
$525/month for duplex. 2 br, 1 bath, decent sized eat-in kitchen, shared front porch, our own back deck, partial utilities and two parking spaces. just northwest of Little Rock, AR. We love it.
my boyfriend and i live in a duplex in Southern Illinois, about 7 minutes from the SIU campus. We have a huge yard, a patio, veggie garden, 2 bedrooms, and a garden tub. we pay $575 and think it's a pretty good deal!
It's all about location for me, as a child I dreamed of Manhattan... Now I am gratefully living it.
Columbus Circle/Hell's Kitchen, I just bought it in June.
Pre-war doorman elevator co-op, 296 Sq Ft
Mortgage $950
Maintenance $680 (40% tax deductible)
Total $1,630
Two blocks from Columbus Circle and Central Park, two blocks from the Hudson, right next to one of the best restaurant rows in the city, Ninth Avenue in the upper 40s and 50s.
I was paying $1,645 for a 274 sq ft fifth floor tenement walk up in the West Village. Quaint but riddled with problems, leaks, drafts, and critters.
Austin, TX:
I pay $1545/month for an older 2-bedroom, 1-bath house on a city lot with no garage. The condition is somewhat dilapidated. We had to cover peeling paint and the bathtub needs to be reglazed. We had to do a major cleanup of the yard upon moving in as well.
The premium rent is why we've just bought a nicer and larger house here. We'll pay less to own, simply because we are moving a few miles from the high-dollar area. It was becoming far too irritating to pay so much every month and not even be able to have a non-rusty, non-leaky bathtub. It was especially irritating because this was the first time we had rented in many years and we weren't used to the drawbacks of renting. We own a house in another state but weren't able to sell it at the time of our move to Austin.
Montrose/Museum District in Houston TX. 600SF 1BR hardwoods in 1920'S building. Rent is $825 plus electric ( very high bill for at least 4-5 mo. a year due to our summers)
I could double the space for the same rent if I were willing to live in a cookie cutter complex in the burbs. Nope, not going to happen.
Is apartment therapy gonna make a "heat" map or graph of all these answers?
$1395/mo. for 850sf 1BR in Chicago highrise- 2 blocks from Navy Pier, 3 blocks from Michigan Ave., right on the river. Heat and hot water included. It's a pretty good deal for this part of town, but we miss the "neighborhood" feel of other areas like Lakeview/Wicker Park/Uptown.
HOWEVER- 4 block walk to work and free parking at work to leave our "once a week car" sure beats any other commute and savings on transportation.
$1300 2br loft outside Providence RI
We pay $2100 in Washington, DC for a 3000 sq ft 3 bedroom duplex (1000 sq ft foot print, 3 floors). It's a 4000 sq ft lot about a 10 minute walk from a Metro station in a pretty stable neighborhood of the city.
Before Chicago-
West Hartford, CT- $1200/mo for 2BR/1BA second floor of 2-family house. Probably about 1100sf. TONS of storage and character. Also drove about 45 min. to work all for all other life's necessities.
Statesboro, GA - $400/mo for 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom 1100sq. ft.
its bizarrely cheap, even for around here.
I pay $1,100 a month, moved in 5 years ago and because my college roomie at the time knew people who knew the landlord they knocked a few hundred off the original price. It's a 1 bedroom apartment in San Francisco with 650 sq. ft. in the thicket of Cole Valley. The same apartment was just rented out for $1800 a few months ago.
I'm paying just under $1000 with utilities for an ~500 square foot 1 bedroom with off-street parking in the Silverlake area of Los Angeles. For where I live, this place is a steal.
One of my good friends pays $800 a month including utilities for a really nice huge 2 bedroom with patio, yard, walk-in closet, a bonus room, free laundry, and off street parking in the Cedar-Lee area of Cleveland, OH.
The midwest rocks. Just sayin'.
athens, oh - near both a large city & a national forest
$400 a month
600 or so sq ft
wood floors
remote control fireplace
claw foot tub
HUGE HUGE yard on top of a mountain where we are allowed to pick freely from the garden
free cable & utilities
washer drier
landlords that PAID me to design & renovate my own bathroom (refer to clawfoot tub above)
allowing us to save up & move to asia. :)
We own a 3 bedroom (1,500 sq ft) home for $1095 a month (including taxes) in Saint Augustine, Florida. It's close to down town in a desirable neighborhood, so we pay a little more. And the older homes like ours are a little smaller. Still -- we feel like it's a steal compared to where we moved here from: Cole Valley in San Francisco, where our 1 bedroom was $2050/month. We miss the city but the slower pace here suits us :) and Saint Augustine has a lot of charm and some quirky culture to offer.
@ Nashville, TN: $850/mo for approx. 900 sq ft (2 bed, 1 ba) + an unfinished basement that we use for laundry and storage, hardwood floors, awesome neighborhood near everything we love, and a great yard. No pet fees.
@ Birmingham, AL: $525/mo for approx. 600 sq ft studio, hardwood floors, front and center downtown, no pet fees.
$1050 (split three ways) for a 3 bedroom/3 bath house with large living room, sun room, dining room, garage (with laundry), huge yard
not to mention it was a beautifully restored house built in the 20s
Not sure on square footage. Probably in the 2000 range.
Valdosta, a college town in south GA
Champaign, Illinos
About 600 SF rented duplex w/600 SF mostly dry basement
Beautifull wood floors
Big front yard
Small side yard
$600.00/month
Just moved in... landlady is O.K. with updates so I am doing some cosmetic work in the kitchen/bathroom.
Round Rock, TX [Austin burb]
2 bed / 2.5 bath 1400 sq ft townhome with small patio and yard on a greenbelt
Bought in 2005; 30 yr fixed mortgage 4.85%; 900 w/ tax & insurance, plus 200.00 HOA.
redstripe78 , my old family home is at 40th and N. College. It was a gorgeous big old early 1920's red brick Georgian that my grandmother sold in the mid 60's when the area got rough. So happy to read that the area nearby has become so desirable again.
Pittsburgh, South Side Flats, on E. Carson St.
$500/mo 1-bedroom, <500 sq ft, 2nd floor, heat and elec. not included. No laundry. It's actually cheap rent for this area....1-beds are about $650+.
Lived my first 20 years in Chicago, the 2nd 20 in Central Illinois, the last year in Pittsburgh.
I LOVE Pittsburgh! Truly amazing city. Vibrant neighborhood....bar fights and rock bands out front and the farmer's market out my back door.
Paul McCartney has been in town since Wednesday, in a hotel across from my job. I was hoping to bump into him, lol
Several busses take me and my BF to work downtown, 20-minute ride, 2.25 miles.
Close enough to trudge home in a blizzard, 18 inches of snow, when the city was crippled last February. Not that I want to do THAT, again.
Pittsburgh is awesome. Although I'm always queazy, not used to these HILLS.
sunshine1301 where in Nashville are you at those prices? I have somebody looking for something along those lines.
In bustling Huntsville, AL I'm paying $500 for a 2 bedroom, one bath apartment in downtown. No idea of square footage- but we have a huge pantry, separate dining room and plenty of closets.
Its a small building with a nice courtyard and no pet fees. Also, water and heat are included.
Ughhh I am so getting screwed! $895 for a 200 sq. foot studio in downtown Santa Cruz, California
Atlanta, Midtown:
$850 water/heat included (i pay electric & gas for stove) probably have around 1,000 sqf (not sure never measured)
Basically I have a bedroom, sunroom (my studio), trunk room (storage), mini long room (some kind of hybrid of closet and pantry), PLUS a less insulated room in the back (work room). It was advertised as a one bedroom, but it feels more like 2 1/2 bc of all the extra places. Weird room layout due to it being built in the 1920s. (also has original bathroom fixtures and a 50s gas stove!!)
fantastic location, next to Marta (train) and shops/dining. Not the normal price for the space. Usually this price gets you a studio or roommate situation. Or, an actual one bedroom, not some funky hybrid.
Berkeley, CA; 2 bedroom 1 bath flat; 1300 sq. ft. - $1800/mo rent. Yes, it's a terrific deal, I know.
Springfield, Ohio (in between Columbus and Dayton):
...for a town home at $759 (includes the pet rent) for about 1,300 square feet. 3 beds, 2.5 baths, washer dryer hook-ups, a large patio, extra storage, all kitchen appliances, and trash/water (I pay electric). This is in a great complex with a pool and is in a great school district close to shopping and parks.
$1490 mortgage for a 2500 sq foot 3/2.5 on a .6 acre in a safe yet dull immediate suburb of Raleigh NC. What's better than the COL is how freakin' nice people are here.
Did pay $1450 for a 1.5 bedroom apt in 70's building + 1 parking space in Rockridge, Oakland, CA previous to relocating to the south.
$325 for 900 sq. foot in the small town in Northwest Ohio called Wapakoneta (home of Neil Armstrong)
when I first moved to Denver 10 years ago I rented a studio apartment uptown for $1100/mo. now, we own a 5 bed/4ba 2600 sq ft house with huge yard with views of the front range for $1500/mo, 15 minutes from downtown.
Washington DC Rhode Island Avenue NE studio in crappy, roach infested building for $800 a month w/ utilities included (so last year)
Washington DC Takoma NW studio w/ dining room in great neighborhood for $850 amonth w/utilities included (so this year)
DC (last year): 2 br basement apartment with cockroaches and flooding in "up and coming NW neighborhood": $1600 (w/ utilities) split among 2 people
Philly (currently): 2 br apartment in crappy apartment building on lovely tree-lined street in Univ. City: $1150 (w/o utilities) split among 2 people
To be honest, I think I've come out about even...
Santa Rosa, CA (60 miles north of SF) Sonoma County wine country
3/2 975 sq. ft. rented house for $1550.00 big back yard, one car garage in a pretty good neighborhood. No dining room. Short walk to great outdoor shopping center including grocery stores.
...plus 350.00 month utilities.
Crystal MN- 1,100 sq. ft. apartment for 844, including heat and pet rent. Very spacious master bedroom and living room, but small kitchen and bathroom. 250 off first months rent, free pet rent for one year, and a 100 dollar Visa gift card were included. Not too shabby for my boyfriend's and my first place together. :)
In Tempe, AZ
$2000/month for a 1300 sf condo, 2 beds 2.5 bath, 2 car garage, on the lake (which recently popped--but that's another story). Walk to ASU/lightrail/downtown. Mortgage + HOA
In Tucson AZ
$1050/month for 1300 sf house with 3 beds 2 bath, gated car port, and good sized back yard. In a great historic neighborhood, walk to U of A. Rental
1150 a month for a small soho studio. a great deal but 3rd floor walkup in an OLD building. I dont mind it though n=because my 250 sq feet is on probably one of the best blocks in the world!
My rent is $748: for a one bedroom apartment on the 33rd floor with an excellent view located in Co-op City, NYC. Lots of closet space, eat-kitchen, utilities included in rent
The problem with posting San Francisco rents is that due to rent control, some pay next to nothing while others are being wrung for every penny they have.
I'm one of the latter =(.
$2350 rent for a small Victorian in the Soma neighborhood. Its a lower level 2 bed, 1 bath unit. Nice character, but so small. I'd guess 600 - 700 sqft?
I also own a place I rent out in Oakland for $2250 mortgage + ridiculous property taxes...another thing you save a bundle on if you have been in CA for a while and didnt buy anytime after year 2000.
$1250 a month plus $25 a month for water in a large and only slightly moldy one-bedroom on the shore of Lake Washington in Seattle. Plus electricity.
Denver, Colorado
Condo Owner
$825 Mortgage and HOA dues combined
740 sq ft
One bedroom, one bath. Galley kitchen, living room and dining room combined.
1949 building with old world plaster work, cove ceilings and original hardwood floors throughout.
for an apartment just north of downtown austin, texas, about $960 a month for a two bedroom, 1 1/2 bathroom, about 865 sq. ft.
not bad for the area, took a lot of searching to find it, have to save as much money as possible as a student.
I live in Sacramento and I was renting a 3 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath, 1450 sq. ft. home for $1900. It was a lovely, well-maintained remodeled Craftsman with a huge, park-like backyard. We left this place to purchase a 2 bedroom, 1 bath, 1326 sq. ft. Tudor for $1900 a month. But it's a fixer so we're using our savings to do the renovations. When we're done it will be a 3-4 bedroom, 2 bath, two story home.
Peoria, Arizona NW of Phoenix, AZ
2 bed, 2 bath townhome in gated community with garage: $1252 plus HOA of $75.
Have been in a pre-war, rent-stabilized 2 bdr 1 bath apt on lower Madison Avenue (few blocks north of Mad Sq Pk) since 1984. 24-hour doorman, 13 ft ceilings, fireplace. The kitchen is from the 70s (ick) but the bathroom from the 40s (retro/nice) and total apt is 950 sq ft.. We pay $2000/mo + gas/elect. PS: Updated apts in my bldg fetch $3500+/mo these days.
Seattle, WAS $990 a month 900sqft 2bdrm .75bath "mother in law" unit, the upper unit is also a rental. The layout is a bit funky, but this is one of the nicest, quietest neighborhoods in the city.
My previous rent was 1200 for a two bedroom two bath in a crappy part of the city right on the border of the line. The unit itself was vaguely better just because of how it used its space and the number of windows, but the building and area where just horrible.
Both of those places though are steals and well below their market values. My current place could easily go for a few hundred more as could my last place.
Also agree with the cost of living statement. Sure, certain jobs pay a bit more around here, but not nearly enough to make up the cost of living difference from surrounding areas. The only people I know of that make drastically more than the median thanks to cost of living adjustments live in NY and the bay area. Everyone else just kind of gets to watch their living costs wreak their budgets.
West Chester PA: $675 for a 1br .75 bath with about 600 sq. ft. The rent hasn't gone up in three years and it's finally going up to $700. Heat is separate.
West Philadelphia, PA: 500 sq ft, mouse infested 1br right near the trolley portal started at $675 but they raised the rent repeatedly over the two and a half years I lived there so it was more like $750. Heat was included.
Portland, Maine USA - Moving into a nice new 366 square foot studio apartment downtown for $650/month. Includes h/hw, internet. It's a good deal in these parts.
Muskego, WI (20 min. SW of Milwaukee)
2 bdrm/1 bath, private one car garage, private entrance, ensuite stackable w/d, in wall a/c, old/ugly cabs & counters (laminate front w/oak trim), apt grade carpeting and vinyl in kitchen and bath........no utilities included.
$715/mo GREAT schools though!
2055 for a 3-bedroom right in Davis Sq. Somerville (just outside Cambridge, MA). Huge kitchen and livingroom - free laundry in the basement. It's an absolute steal around here. We've been renting here for 7 years and rent hasn't gone up once.
Saint Louis, MO (central west end):
pretty nice 1B with breakfast nook, $525 all utilities included!
Brooklyn, NY (cobble hill):
Nice but smaller 1B tiny bedroom and bathroom, $1525 last year and $1575 this year.
You could get almost anything for this much in Saint Louis.
Madrid- $950 USD month (30-yr mortgage) One bedroom, 538 Square Feet apartment in the city centre.
Too small, too expensive, wages too low!
After reading most of these posts, I am floored at how cheap most rents are in the US. Obviously, excluding NY, DC, Chicago and California the rents seem very reasonable. If I could, I'd rent cheaply and save up a big downpayment on a home or condo.
Toronto- 2 bedroom apt. in high rise - $1360
San Francisco- 1 bedroom apt. in Russian Hill area $1300 (super good deal).
Now I'm back on the east coast (NYC area) and crying about potential rent.
Within city limits in Pittsburgh, PA(South Side) - $595 for a one bedroom apartment with a combined living room/kitchenette.
Just outside of Pittsburgh city limits in Carnegie, PA - $600 for a seven room, three bedroom apartment.
I'm in Charlotte NC and am renting a ~500' studio for $409 (I got in under a special and am getting $110 off my rent for the next year). It's a decent-ish neighborhood and I'm within a 1/2 mile of the big flea market here.
Downside is that there's only one window but that's fine because it is too damn hot out to open the blinds to the heat!
Columbus, Ohio:
$300 a month, no additional utilities for one bedroom in a 4-bedroom house with 4 other roommates.
Columbus, Ohio:
My boyfriend pays $420 a month plus utilities for a one-bedroom.
My Miami quiet garden 1954 1,324 sq. ft. 3/2 with detached workshop on 1/3 acre principle and interest total $1,255/mo.. True, this information isn't useful for seriously evaluating areas unless it's accompanied by a lot of other information. It's fun to compare, though!
Louisville, KY: $575 a month for a 1br/1bath nearly 400 sq. ft. in an awesome area.
I recently relocated to Edinburgh (consistently rated the best place to live in the UK) from the bay area... and my rent here is $900/m for a beautiful 1-br flat, across the street from a big park in the centre of town with a mountain view. My rent in Berkeley was $810 for a shared room in a large and run down student flat, in a dodgy part of town. Ridiculously cheaper here, even with the exchange rate.
$995 for a short term lease - one bedroom plus den in Philadelphia suburb. $525 mortgage when I settle in my 1000 square foot house in October!
How do people renting save for a down payment!!
Brooklyn:
Large 1 bedroom apartment on the top floor of a brownstone in Stuyvesant Heights. $1175.
$950-$1000 chicago, il. 3 bedroom, 950 sq. ft. fireplace, built-ins, humboldt park, 10 ft. ceilings, crown molding, spacious closets and pantry. water included.
$1000 jersey city, nj. queen ann variant house, 1st fl. 1000 sq. ft. dark wood pillars & molding, stainless steel appliances, huge backyard, free parking space, small side deck. all utilities included except internet.
$850 a month including water for a 2br/2ba 1050 sq. ft. apartment in Nashville in a nice area. Too bad the bad isn't very well maintained. Apartments are ridiculous here. You either have to live in an outer suburb to get an affordable new place, pay more than in Atlanta to live near the city, or live in an older not so great place. There are WAY more condos than apartments here, and property owners know Vandy students will pay anything.
In ATL:
$500 for a basement sublet
$475 for 1 BR in a luxury 3 bedroom split with 2 roommates
$835 for a 2 BR/1 BA house next to Emory w/ not central AC
Best deal: cat sitting for a summer in a condo built in the 40s for free
on Long Island:
1 bedroom, 1 bath 630 sq ft condo, top floor: mortgage $1500/month (20% down)
Austin, TX:
$5100/month for 2600 sq. ft. home (not including utilities). 7 bedroom home is near the University of Texas and is the reason realty companies can jack up the prices for everything because they know students have to live somewhere.
omaha nebraska, 1100 sq feet, huge yard, vegetable garden, quiet neighborhood, bikeable to most things.
mortgage is 650 a month
see pictures here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/creaturegods/sets/72157622645161631/
$580/month for a 700 sq. ft, 1 bed/1 bath in downtown Salt Lake City, UT. DARLING apartment in a historic building.
St. Louis, MO (city - not county)
610 square foot apt. in a 4-family, $575/month.
previously, also in the city:
450 square foot apt. n a 6-family, $450/month.
CHEAP, and I LOVE IT.
Santa Monica, CA--$2200/mo for a 2 bedroom + den and about 1400 sq ft. Super modern NEW condo with 10 ft ceilings, awesome cabinets/tile/hardwood floors, gas fireplace, dupioni silk drapes, and came semi furnished. Plus 2 car secured parking. It's a smokin' deal! We love it here!!!
West Palmdale, CA (about 60 mi. north of LA). $1235 for a 1400 sq. ft., 3 bd. 2 ba., manufactured home in a gated community. Gym, game room, library, tennis court, B ball court, pool and cuzzi. Price includes mortgage, space rent, taxes and insurance.
In Campbell, California I lived in a 2 bed/2bath 1000 sf for $1595/mo. I think the balcony was another 100 sf. Campbell is in the South Bay--a little town surrounded by San Jose.
Now in North Park, San Diego, CA we rent a 2 bed/1 bath 750 sf apartment for 1095/mo. We have 3 narrow balconies, the largest of which is probably 3.5'x15'.
Ottawa, Canada - Byward Market Area
$1300 small two bedroom, no closets, no parking laundry on site, hookers out front, crackheads out back, includes hydro and 40 pigeons on the roof
$1100 for a 500 square foot 1br on the 4th floor in Gowanus, Brooklyn, NY in 2007 (lived there alone).
$1000 for a 1400 square foot three bedroom 100 year-old farmhouse on an acre in Bethesda, Durham, NC in 2010 (shared with husband).
I think I love them equally, both have been wonderful homes.
$655 for a janky studio around 200 sq. ft. in downtown San Jose.
It's right in the middle of everything though.
DC suburbs, about a block outside of the city in Maryland, walking distance to Metro and shopping. I have a huge and sunny 2 bedroom apt with utilities paid and free parking. I pay phone and cable. My rent is $1382 per month.
$790 mortgage, fully remodeled 1100 sq. ft. 2 bedroom on a double lot in Denver between Lowry and Stapleton. I rent a room out for $450 a month.
Houston in the Old Sixth Ward. $1300 mortgage for an 1100 sq. ft. 2 bdr./2 bath 100 + year old cottage with transom windows, hardwood floors & a big, lush yard. Initially, we had to sink a lot of money in the house because it was in a state of decay (floors, windows, roof collapsing)--but it's pretty nice now. High electric bills 6 months of the year (between $250-400) & in this city, you have to own a car. 2 minutes from downtown. 5 minutes from Montrose & the amazing Menil Collection. Sometimes the neighborhood gets an overflow of drunks + noise from some nearby festival or event. But that gives us a good excuse to leave town....
Flint, Michigan will run you $300 for an entire 3 bedroom, two story house. You might be murdered, but hey! You sure save alot on rent.
Ann Arbor (where I live now) is $800 for a one bedroom close to downtown. Midwest prices!
Currently about $800 (€625) a month rent including heating for a 2BR, 850sq. ft. apartment in a desirable neighborhood in central Berlin. Hardwood floors, high ceilings, pretty 19th century building.
Previously about the same rent for a single bedroom in a rundown apartment shared with three roommates in Somerville, Mass.
SF Peninsula: $1780 for a two-bedroom flat; hardwood floors, good natural light, huge kitchen, '40s built-ins (bookcases in living room, phone nook in front hall, fold-down ironing board in kitchen), safe & friendly neighborhood close to everything, views of the Bay, huge garage and basement laundry room, pocket garden and patio
$950 in the Chicago suburbs for a new 1800 sf two-story house with 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths with a garage and large yard. We got a great deal on it, most houses go for nearly twice that for rent in the area.
West Hartford, CT: 1375 plus electric, trash, and water for 1000 sf right off West Hartford Center. It was worth it until the owners changed and the maintenance went downhill.
We are moving to a non-walkable neighborhood to a high rise with covered parking, a fitness room, a clean onsite laundry, and 975 sf with two toilets, for 1100 with all utilities included, on the 10th floor. Total savings: $460 a month. Giving your property manager notice: priceless.
Boston, MA (Back Bay area):
570 sq/ft, 1br, top floor with skylight, old hardwood floors, tons of natural light, outdated appliances, and no real sound proofing.
$1370 with h&w.
Cincinnati, Oh - I've paid $400 for a 1br; $500-$600 for a 2br
Davis Square (Tufts), Boston, MA - $1650 for a 2br and $2000 for a 4br
Vancouver BC -$1450 3 bed/2ba downtown, hertigage house above shops. Rent controlled now probably rents for 1900?
Now $2100 3 bed/2ba duplex, heritage house with backyard, deck. One block from beach. Old house, needs work. To buy in this area is around 1.2 -2 million (or more). Sigh.
Houston, TX - I'm moving to a house in West University area next month it'll be $600/month. 1200 sq ft, 2 bdrms & less then 5 miles from the museum distract. It's an older house that needs some work done but anything that needs repair & we fix gets taken off our rent.
$589.00 for 642sq.ft one bedroom here in Las Vegas, NV. Great well managed gated community with nice amenities. It's south-east of the strip, so it's a great central location.
At the high of the economy, my apartment was being rented for $785.00. I was glad the management company was willing to match any price from another commnunity near this area. The market here is full of empty luxurious brandnew apartments with rent mark down really low. It's a renter's market. Many places will negotiate!
This is why I love Montreal, still the cheapest rents. I have a three bedroom in a beautiful historical building in the most desirable neigbourhood, all for 1000$, heat and hot water included.
Royal Oak, MI (10 minutes from downtown Detroit): $850/mo. mortgage, 1200 sq ft. 3bed, 2bath home, garage. Walking distance to groceries, shopping, nightlife, nice central metro-area location.
$2,300 for a 600 sq ft. 1 bedroom apartment on the 2nd floor of a brownstone on the Upper West Side of NYC.
Austin, TX while in college:
2br, 2 bath townhouse in the ghetttttooooo = $900/month
300 sqft studio in North Campus (near University of Texas campus) = $700/month
Houston, TX otherwise known as Hell:
850 sqft "luxury midrise" in the Historic Heights = $1200/month
Old Town, Alexandria (outside D.C.):
$3000 (mortgage, taxes, and insurance) for a 2 br, 1.5 ba, 1250 sq foot detached townhouse
Bloomington, IN (college town in the middle of nowhere):
$420/month for ~700 sq. ft. 1 bedroom in a bad neigborhood
$520/month for ~750 sq. ft. 2 bedroom townhouse
$800/month for ~1000 sq. ft. 2 bedroom "luxury apartment" 2 miles farther from school
$900/month for ~1000 sq. ft. 1 bedroom with garage, fairly nice neighborhood
Durham, NC: $776 mortgage for 1160 sq. ft. 2 bedroom condo in a friendly neighborhood :)
$950 for a huge upper duplex with a large yard in the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis. Unfortunately, we also have to pay for heat, which has us searching for a cheaper (and probably smaller) place, so that we can save money towards buying a home.
Here's a smattering of rents I know of (some mine, some friends):
Austin, TX (all near UT):
- 2/2 $1500/mo
- Studios for $525 and $550
- 1/1 (tiny) for $870/mo
Rural East Texas:
- 2/2 (1100 sqft "luxury") $900/mo
Brookline, MA (Boston 'burb)
- 2/2 for $2000/mo
- 4/1 for about $3800 (w/ 2 parking spaces) VERY run-down.
Jamaica Plain, MA (Boston 'burb)
- 2/1 (w/ a closed-off dining room) $1650/mo (again, not in the greatest shape).
There's definitely cheaper/nicer in both cities, but I tend to sacrifice comfort and price for location. I'm not flexible with neighborhoods or commute time, and I consider the higher rent as the cost of freeing up a few hours for myself each week.
You guys should also consider COST OF LIVING with these rent prices. While Austin and Boston rent prices are pretty close, Boston jobs tend to pay double the salary (but Austin cost of living outside of housing is waaaaaaaaaaay lower).
$2300 mortgage (inc. common charges) on a 600 sf duplex coop in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Right now I pay $2,400 for a 2 double bedroom in Kensington, London. Water, gas, and electricity are included. In Duboce Triangle, San Francisco my mortgage for a 1,500 square foot, 3 bedroom + formal dining room and living room was $3,700 (NOT including utilities, HOA dues, and property tax).
Continued... On the flip side of things, I grew up in a 2-bedroom (plus formal dining room, living room, etc) 1,200 sf apartment in a beautiful section of North Beach, San Francisco, that is rent-controlled. It's currently at $800 and because of SF rent control laws, I will inherit it at the same rent control when my parents pass (which will hopefully be in a long, long time!).
$1300 for a one bed/one bath, extra-large family room and eat-in dining room, in the NJ suburbs of NYC.
Late to the party here - but reading all these comments makes me so dismayed about my apartment search in San Francisco!
Previously paid in Los Angeles...
$2400 for a 2bed 2bath (in South Central)
$1600 for a 1bed 1bath (also South Central)
$1760 for a 2bed 2bath (in Downtown)
The last place was the BEST deal I'll probably ever find. It was brand new, had a w&d in unit, 2 gated parking spots, was in a private townhouse right next to a shared pool and gym. Only moved since I was leaving the city!
$5400 for a 1200 sf 2 bed/2 bath doorman apartment near Central Park on the Upper West Side. It's a lot to pay, but we love the apartment building and location.
I consider rent in the USA to be cheaper than some parts of Asia. In Singapore and Hong Kong, the rentals are so expensive, if my husband's company had not paid for the rent, there was no way we would have been able to afford living there. Our rent for a house just under 3,350 sq feet in Singapore was SG$14,000 per month (US $10,300). We lived in a detatched house, which meant we had "half"of a house. We lived in the outskirts of Singapore, which meant the rentals for houses were lower.
My husband I and our three daughters live in a 2 BR apartment with a galley kitchen, living room and a tiny laundry room/office on Main Street in beautiful Northport, NY on Long Island. We pay $1500 per month plus utilities. The space tradeoff is worth it because we love living on Main Street near the stores, parks and harbor.
Omaha, Nebraska:
Downtown: $745 + Utilities +parking($75) for a 740 sq ft 2b, 1 ba apartment with a great view. (Still don't know why parking in downtown O is so expensive!)
Dundee area: Cute Victorian home turned into apartments
$300 all Utilities paid 400sqft studio with free parking. You just can't beat that!
Sadly, I'll be moving to Texas and don't think I'll find a deal as good as this one in San Antonio.
Pearland (suburb of Houston, TX), about 20 min. from downtown.
Just under 700 sq. ft. 1 bedroom apartment, nice complex, vaulted ceilings, built ins and washer/dryer- $730/mo. (rented)
Just under 1000 sq. ft. 2 bedroom postwar bungalow, big kitchen, huge yard, in very nice shape at time of purchase- $950/mo. (30 yr. fixed mortgage)
I live in Downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is quickly becoming an artistic city with its second ArtPrize contest happening mid September! It is home to Herman Miller, Charles Eames design firm, and George Nelson. I
love living here. I previously lived in "Heritage Hill" with two roomates in a three bedroom apartment-it had a large living room, formal dining room, a huge bathroom and a parking lot- for $700 a month!
Recently I have moved to Downtown Grand Rapids and pay $630 for a two bedroom. GR is filled with diverse neighborhoods, all have many things to offer.
My boyfriend and I live in a small college town north of Houston. Most of the student housing is overpriced, crowded and just plain gross. Fortunately, when I moved to town, I found a 70's style town home for rent for $775 a month! For where we live, that's an amazing deal. My college friends who rented apartments were paying about $500 a month for just their room and common space. We pay $775 for 3br/2bth, a courtyard, a patio, a yard, two car garage. Awesome. PLUS, there is SO much storage! I have to laugh when I see how much my friends pay. We are super lucky to live here. I know I'm spoiled for space here, though. The next place I live is probably going to feel like living in a closet!
Seoul, Korea (Cheongdam area)
$1000 a month plus $10,000 deposit for a small two-bedroom.
Toronto, Canada (Corso Italia)
$1350 for 900 sf, 2 bedroom, with w&d, and rooftop patio.
In Pittsburgh: My mortgage payment on my 3 bedroom 1903 coop in a beautiful listed building, in a up and coming neighborhood, walking distance of shops, restaurants, etc. is $750. My coop dues are $645 per month, covering maintenance, all utilities, and real estate taxes.
Previously, I lived in a rental apartment of similar size, in a less interesting but also nice area for $1000, paying my own utilities.
Here in Brisbane I now pay 1758.00/month for my mortgage on a 2 bedroom cottage from the 1930s . . . but that includes a refinace that allows me to contribute to my sister's uni education. I know people have gotten in trouble in the US from using their homes as 'cash machines', but I think it is well worth it!!!
1400sf (with unfinished, full basement) and 2-car garage--$1240/month. Only 20 minutes out of St. Louis and we can see the stars at night!
$700 a month for a 2 bedroom in St. Louis. I have a fenced in backyard that i share with my landlords who live upstairs (definite bonus). They updated everything right before I moved in, so it's basically a brand new apartment. We're getting new windows in October. It's in a great area in the city, close to groceries and Target. 15 minutes from work ... I couldn't ask for a better place!
Providence, RI west end industrial factory loft: 1 bedroom, fully updated, original hardwoods, exposed brick walls, w/d, 1 parking space (that my car was stolen from) - 1,200sf for $1,450 +utilities
Charlotte, NC cotswald area: cookie-cutter 2 floor house w/garage, 1/4 acre lot, fireplace, 3bed/2.5bath - 1,600sf for $1,150
I miss my family and friends from the north, but not the constant traffic, terrible drivers, and uber crime levels (my sister just had her face bashed in for telling a guy she wasn't interested in him). Here in Charlotte, the homeless people sing to you!
Lopatcong, NJ - $1200/month, including taxes and insurance, for a 1400 sq ft, 3 bedroom ranch home on a just under a quarter acre. It's fairly cheap for this area... My house was a short sale, got it for $160,000, but homes in my neighborhood typically don't sell for less than $200,000.
I feel like I have the best of both worlds here. I live in a nice little suburban area with lots of farms nearby, but I'm only about an hour away from New York and Philly. :-)
$1100/mo for a 550 sq ft 1BR in Brooklyn, NY (Kensington/Ditmas Park neighborhoods).
Montreal, Qc - $995 + utilities for 2BR+1bath+parking space across from a huge park
$1075 for a 2br/2ba ~750 sq. ft renovated condo I share with a roommate in Baltimore proper on the top floor with no neighbor noise
I'm in the process of buying a 3bd/2ba ~1500 sq. ft. (not incl' fin basement) 1951 single family detached brick home with parking pad for ~$960 (PITI with 20% down - mortgage is only $570) also in Baltimore proper. Would have been less if the taxes weren't so high.
$1600/month rent. Toronto. 3 bedroom 2 bath house Toronto.
Currently, we pay $1675 for a 2 BR/1 BA 950 SF in Alexandria (right outside DC), for an adorable townhome in a great community of older homes full of young families.
We just moved out of DC (upper NW) where we paid $1650 (incl utilities) for a 1 BR/1 BA, 800 SF, - it was a 2nd floor unit in a building on Conn Ave (can you smell the bus exhaust?).
Before that, we lived in Brookline, MA, in a 1 BR / 1 BA for $1450 (incl utilities).
Just bought a 1,056 sq ft. townhouse in Phoenix and my mortgage is about $400/month. It was a foreclosure and the complex needed updating but with a little elbow grease and the HOA recently repainting everything, it's pretty darn awesome. That plus I can walk 100 feet to a bowling alley.
don't crow too loudly, dear. bedbugs are taking over ohio and will soon move on to the rest of the midwest...
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/?p=67299
and, dc, 465 studio -- $850
NYC, Queens on the border of Sunnyside and Woodside: 475 sq. feet studio with heat and hot water for $1375/month
Note to apartment hunters: Sunnyside is getting more expensive by the week.
I currently rent in Roseville, MN. For those not familiar, this is a northern suburb of St. Paul/Minneapolis. $899 for a two bedroom/one bath.
In about a week and a half, I am moving to St. Paul, MN. This apartment is one block off of Grand Ave, a very trendy neighborhood with restaurants, bars, and shops. $740 for a one bedroom/one bath.
up until 2007, $700 for a cutie 3br row home in downtown Lancaster, PA (my share $236!), with backyard, porch, laundry..*sigh*
Now in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, large nice 1BR $1600. It's a give and take.
WOW! lots of responses...I live Manhattan, way uptown and I pay 1750 for 1200sqft.
And no bedbugs in the midwest? well, thats what they would like you to think...check out bedbugger.com for more info on that!
Napa CA
2 bdrm/1 bath house in country 7 acres, $925/month.
Alexandria, VA
$1635 - Mortgage including taxes and condo fees for a 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath, 1,000 sq ft, foreclosure. I put down 20% and had to put in appliances b/c the previous owners took them all. The place is not close to a metro, but the bus is a convenient option for commuters into DC b/c the condo is right off the highway and buses goes directly from my place to a metro station. But they only run during rush hour, so I usually drive.
Other owners have been renting units similar to mine for between $1650 - $1850. My condo association allows dogs of all sizes, which is hard to find at other apts and condos.
I used to live with roommates in places that were easily metro acessible, but I wanted to own a place of my own. I do miss the convenience of being able to walk to bookstores, cafes, and restaurants though. I've been seriously thinking of moving to a city that's more affordable, so this list is helpful :)
West Philadelphia (University City area) 15-20 minutes by bus to Center City. I rent a 1 bedroom in an 1870's Victorian. It has hardwood floors, original woodwork, fireplace (not safe to use). Pets are allowed and there is a utility area off the bedroom with a full size washer and dryer. $800.00 plus utilities.
$1,400 for Railroad apartment with dining space in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Ohhhh, let's see from years 1989-2010:
Manhattan: 500 sf $725 (w/unpleasant slumlord)
London, UK: 400 sf $1000 (w/glorious double-ht ceiling and garden with lovely landlords)
Wash DC: 650 sf $1250
Phila PA: 600 sf $650
I'd move back to London in a heartbeat if I could!
In Cincinnati, on the clean (Kentucky) side of the river, the mortgage including insurance and taxes on my 3 bedroom 2 full-bath house 5-10 minutes from downtown in a quiet established neighborhood (70-100 years old) is $650/mo. It needs a little updating in the kitchen and bath, but it has hardwood floors throughout, a garage with a full workshop and a finished basement.
current- $1600 + Utillities, Bushwick, Brooklyn, 650sq ft. 2 good sized bedrooms, kitchen/livingroom, new building, hardwood floors, large windows, with balcony, laundry and gym in the basment.
2007-2010- $1400 Utilities Included, Bedford Styvesant, Brooklyn, 1,000 sq ft. 1 bedroom, plus dining room, living room and eat in kitchen (entire parlor level of a renovated brownstone with original details intact) deck and backyard access.
2005-2007 $1200 + Utilities, Concord Ma 1,500 sq ft. 1 bedroom in a loft style apt. converted dance hall and day camp overlooking a private pond, access to canoe ice skating, hiking, fishing ect. amazing & beautiful but not the right neighborhood for 20-30 something artists.
Portland, Oregon -- have lived in this 2BR 1BA apartment with patio and fenced back yard for 7 years now, rent is $650, never been raised. Nicely landscaped, landlord on-site.
I pay about $875, including mortgage, strata fees, taxes,utilities and insurance. 911 sq ft, two bed,one bath and office, insuite laundry and dishwasher, nice private patio.
I live in the "downtown" area of Cloverdale B.C.,close to shops, restaraunts, pubs and we have a cute little theatre.Transit is below average though and it takes quite awhile to get anywhere on the bus from here.
chicago (east lakeview) 1BR 1000 sf: $1280
chicago (east lakeview) 1BR 700 sf: $800
brooklyn (fort greene) 450 sf: $1200
brooklyn (clinton hill) 700 sf: $1650
Milwaukee, WI (eastside):
1,600 sqft
2 Bedrooms
HUGE closets
a dining room
2 screened in porches
a small canning room
walk in pantry
$900/ month
Chicago, IL (Old Town/Goldcoast):
High rise
stainless stell appliances
junior one bedroom
parking
$1500
New York, NY (Manhattan, UES):
SMALL 2 bedroom
Too much storage (I know.)
crazy small kitchen
New York address
$2050
Waverly, IA- one bedroom loft condo (595 sq. ft.) $395/mo mortgage, $453 with taxes. It's cheaper than rent!
Current:
West Suburbs of Chicago
3000 sq ft Custom built Townhouse
3br/4ba
mortgage $825
Previous:
Chicago (Andersonville)
600 sq ft Vintage Condo
1br/1ba
mortgage $1100
My boyfriend and I pay 1595 monthly mortgage for a 3000sqft house. We moved here from a 725sqft apartment that cost 800 a month rent.
$1100/mo for a 2-bedroom loft in a trendy neighborhood
~1500 square feet + 200 sq. foot rooftop deck
Pittsburgh, PA
In a cute little neighborhood just north of downtown Seattle, 2 blocks from the main shopping street (restaurants, movie theater, grocery store, etc), library, park - $1285 + electricity for 2-bedrooms, 2-bath, 1000 sf, nice deck, secure building, dedicated space in parking garage - building is about 15 years old. We love it and don't want to move but with two small boys, are getting the itch for a backyard. Renting is still cheaper than owning here in the city of Seattle, though.
Philadelphia, PA - Queen Village
$650 for a 350 sq ft studio in a rowhome with a separate kitchen, ~$40 a month for utilities.
This is a great roundup. We (hubby) and I are considering a move to DC from SC and have not found anything like these apts or floors in rowhouses for these rents. To all you DCers out there - how did you find your place? Word of mouth, walking the neighborhoods, rental services, craigslist, etc? Please share some advice on how to find great rentals.
$1450 for a studio in San Francisco. Third floor, spacious kitchen, hardwood floors, great view, just off Hayes St in Hayes Valley. Only four blocks to underground MUNI.
I know it's pricey... but sadly, it's still a pretty good deal by SF standards.
$1400 mortgage in Racine, WI for 3,000 sf ranch and 1/2 acre lot.
Now...$2400 for 1300sf townhouse in downtown San Francisco (5 blocks from Powell St BART)
Worth every penny!
$1000 mortgage & HOA on my 650 sq ft 1 bdrm condo in North San Jose, CA. Lived there for just over 5 years, now have it rented out for about the same amount.
Moved to San Francisco this past spring, $1600 for 700 sq ft 1 bedroom apartment on the north side of Telegraph Hill.
Seattle, two blocks south of Capitol Hill hood: $645/mo, includes utilities, for a small one bdrm, 3/4 bath, maybe 400-475sq ft(?) including a long hall and lots of passing through space, almost like a tiny shotgun apt. It's a steal no matter what, even though the largest room is just over 7' x 9'.
Weird layout, small rooms, but can't beat the price with the great location, and even a little deck. Have been here six+ years. That being said, a creepy nutter has moved into the house next to our building(six months ago), which my apt faces, and it now looks like I may end up giving up and moving out.
I live in Mount Dora, FL (45 min N/NW of Orlando) in a cookie cutter type apt complex. I'm paying $645/mo for a 1/1 at 684 sq ft with a tiny screened-in porch but only because the last apt I had at the place reeked of smoke. They were changing mgmt and I was trying to see if they would cut me a deal to move me to another apt in the same complex. Otherwise they were asking between $680 and $695. This doesn't include water or electricity (no gas). The place has a weird layout with the bedroom being as large as the living room and I don't have a washer/dryer (or hookups) in the apt.
My boyfriend in Gainesville bought a house at the height of the housing bubble and his mortgage plus insurance is less than my rent. It was really amazing to me that there weren't any houses for rent in the area for any cheaper than this apt that didn't look/smell like they should be condemned considering how bad the housing market in Florida is and how far away from ANYTHING this town is. The only plus side to living here is I am 7 minutes from work and can go home for lunch.
Wow, biggest thread EVER.
I'm in Jacksonville, FL. The Riverside area (historic district--i.e. no cookie-cutter apartment developments).
My rent is $800 for a 2 bedroom. Good square footage, building was built in the late 1920's. High ceilings, plenty of windows, good floor plan. It's tough to keep cool, though--the electric bill is high and the a/c has to run constantly.
Prior to this, I was in a 1 bedroom in the same area for $750, but it was a 3rd floor walk-up.
Katy, Tx (about 25 miles west of Houston, TX)
$1,300 - 1200 square feet, 2 bedroom/2 bath, HUGE walk in closet (could fit a twin bed with room to spare) Comes with washed and dryer, and a garage with storage space.
metro Detroit
$649 + $25 cat fee for an 1100 square foot, two bed/2 bath in a medium-sized apartment complex with pool. Laundry room downstairs, small storage closet for each tenant. We also have a small balcony which overlooks a lake. No garage, but two assigned parking spaces. We pay our own utilities.
We've lived here since May after giving up a house rental which cost twice as much. It's a pretty sweet deal, actually.
$940 monthly mortgage (including property tax and insurance) for a 900 sq. ft. 2 bed/1 bath cottage-style house in Uptown/Riverbend, New Orleans, LA. Required about $25k of renovations, however.
Chicago, East Lakeview: $1100 for about 1000 sq. ft. (includes heat).
Only 1 bed and 1 bath, but also separate living and dining rooms, sun room, den, huge kitchen, and deck. Tons of built-ins, French doors between the living room and the dining room, plenty of storage, oodles of vintage charm. We're pretty happy.
I currently have the option of renting half a house for $450 including water, hydro, internet, cable, parking and laundry. That's super cheap compared to what all you guys are paying.
Chicago, East Village, $1065 for 850 sq ft . I pay too much. I have no dishwasher & no central air. But it's cute, hardwood, lots of nice moulding, responsive management company. And the thought of moving makes me cringe.
Northeast Minneapolis, on Central - $950 for a 1000 ft 2 br 1 bath, with central air, balcony, dishwasher and garbage disposal. Parking is free. No rent hike in 24 months of staying here.
Vancouver, BC, $1150, 650 sq. ft, South Main (Artist District)
Milwaukee, WI
Brand new, 2 bed/2 bath, 1000 sq. ft. for $1200/mo. Rent is a little more expensive than some other areas of the city, but the neighborhood is one of the safest in the city.
elizm - when I moved here and had just a couple weeks to find a place before starting work, I used both Craiglist and one of the commercial (apartments.com maybe?) sites to find units and looked pretty much all over town, getting a feel for where I wanted (and could afford) to live. One neat thing to keep in mind about DC, the city (the MD and VA suburbs have different rules) is that, I think the rule of thumb is that all buildings over a certain number of units built between 1945 and 1975 have rent control.
I recently moved to Chicago from North Carolina, where I was paying $800 for a 1300 sq. feet, 2 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath townhouse with a back deck and wood-burning fireplace (I had a roommate so rent was half). Now that I'm Chicago, I am paying $1200 for 700 sq feet, 2 bedrooms and 1 bath...and the view of a commercial a/c unit from the business on the first floor. Welcome to a major city, indeed!
Montreal
1,030 mortgage
+200 condo fees
+300 property taxes
for a 1,230 sf 1900 home, loft-style on 2 floors, with 2 terrasses, 1 1/2 baths with skylight, fireplace, very central, very private, very quiet.
San Francisco Bay Area -- mid-peninsula
(Menlo Park 94025)
$1335/mo. rent
1-bd / 1 ba.
680 sf
2003-present (not much longer)
1940s somewhat decrepit (landlord's fault) 6-unit bldg., patio & 12'x12' patch of ground I adopted for gardening. No laundrey; carport; close to train (convenient but loud).
Building: not worth it.
Town/area: definitely NOT worth it.
----------
Amsterdam, Netherlands 2001-2003
$1200
2-bd, 1-ba,
fairly spacious (relative to other A'dam apts)
2nd floor, no balcony.
Close or w/i Centraal area (Westerfabriek)
---------
San Francisco 1998-2001
$900-1100 - 1 bedroom apt,
2nd floor, no balcony.
Hayes Valley area.
In San Antonio, TX: $490 for 550 sq ft, not including utilities or cable.
i was paying (4 months ago) $395 for a large 1 bedroom apt., maybe 800 sf. now my mortgage is $605 for 1200 sf. In toledo, oh.
We pay only $565/mo for a 1.5 bedroom in NE DC. This is a STEAL for the space (avg is probably double that) and the only reason I'm still here, because we have constant leak problems and the neighborhood sucks.
Vancouver, BC - ~800 sq. ft. 1 bedroom, $980. West End near English Bay.
Montreal- We pay $620 for a smallish two room apartment. (Not sure of the actual size.) There's a small room when you first walk in, which is our bedroom, connected by a long hall to the large main room. No doors on the bedroom. Two huge closets for storage though.
Oklahoma City - 2200 square foot 3 bedroom 3 car garage and home theater for 1300/month
You must have a car and culture is not lacking but it's not nearly as easy to find as it is in a more populated city. Flat as a board - you can see downtown from pretty much anywhere, and there's red dirt everywhere.
San Francisco, CA - Inner Sunset
$1357.53 for 540-550 SF, Top Floor Studio apt.
It has a 6'x9' old murphy bed closet that has two separate entrances with a window that is used as my "bedroom". It has a 13'x15' living room, separate dining room 8'x10' and 8'x10' kitchen. The layout works well.
The building is from early 1920's, so the apt. has the 10ft ceilings, the rounded archways, crown molding, hardwood floors, windows in every room.
I am 3 blocks from Golden Gate Park. The N-Judah line is literally outside my doorstep. I have a car, but, I seldom need to use it; I don't spend more than $20 for gas a month; I spend around $40 for public transportation. It is so worth living in the City.
$700/mo 2br Logan Square, Chicago - 5 min walk to the blue line, small yard, large kitchen. the deals are there, you just have to find then. first year in a city lots of people live in the trendy places and get screwed rent-wise, many soon learn the less popular 'hoods are still safe and cost much less (not just in rent, but bars and restaurants as well). unless you've got cash to burn, you can totally be comfortable in this city for $700/mo or less, *especially* if you have roommates.
Currently living in Kathmandu, Nepal. Four story house with a compound. Seperate flat (one bed one bath) on the bottom floor. Three bedroom two bath. $275 a month +water+power.
(2006) Aptos, CA Rio Del Mar Blvd. Two bed/two bath walking distance to the beach, small front yard. $1350 a month +water+power+trash
(2003) Inner Richmond, SF One bed one bed flat first floor. $1195 a month +water+power
Winston-Salem, NC, southern city of the arts, home of UNC School of the Arts, opera, symphony, theater.
$500 for a 1 BR townhouse, all utilities & pool
$525 for 700 sq ft 2 BR 1 BA house, no utilities included, onstreet parking
$750 for 900 sq ft 1 BR loft downtown, water included, garage parking
Public transit is erratic, it's too hilly for casual biking, and the nearest grocery is 5 miles from me :( Car is required.
$1495/month for 800 sq ft in Lakeview, Chicago. Beautiful tree-lined street, balcony, washer dryer in unit, gut rehab. Great location for restaurants, 2 blocks from the lake.
Edited to add: it's a 2 bed 1 bath.
Chicago, Rogers Park
$1390 (mortage, insurance, taxes, condo fees) for 1bd/1ba garden-level condo, 1,000 sf, gut rehab purchased new in late 2005. Lots of character, gorgeous finishes, creature comforts (A/C, dishwasher, full-size in-unit W/D, fireplace) but no outdoor space. One block from lots of public transit (CTA & Pace), two blocks from grocery store, so I've been carless for the last two years. Sketchy neighborhood bordering the suburbs, at least 45 minutes by train/bus from family and friends.
Daydreaming about former life (before my albatross of a mortgage) in ...
Chicago, East Humboldt Park
$650 (rent) for 2bd/1ba apt on top floor, 700 sf, with dishwasher, full-size W/D, back deck. A little tired-looking overall, especially kitchen and bath, and super-small bedrooms. About 10-15 minute walk from reliable public transportation, so car wasn't a necessity but definitely made life a lot easier. Sketchy neighborhood but close to lots of restaurants, bars, activities. And five minutes from family and friends.
Goodness, such high rents. I paid 950 for two (originally three) bedrooms, formal dining room, pantry, sunroom, huge fully applianced kitchen and shared patio/garden in Edgewater w/ heat included (hot water, not steam) as well as storage and laundry (and easy street parking). Far better than the 750 for one bedroom I paid before.
Now I pay about the same in assessments for a bigger place with even more charm and character that I own.
Montrealers--what neighborhood are you in? I feel like I'm paying so much more than everyone else! I have a moderately-sized two bedroom upper level duplex. The rent is $1,100 a month PLUS utilities, which are huge in the winter--gas alone was like $330 in January last year. I have a parking spot in the driveway (I know--that's rare), a balcony, and in the basement I have a small storage closet and a washer/dryer. Do I just live in an expensive borough?
Oh, and PS--I meant to say I live in NDG.
In Hull, QC, $835/month plus utilities for a 2 bedrooms, 1200 SQ flat, 3rd/top floor, corner unit which also includes a reserved parking space and the plugs/space for a washer, a dryer and a dishwasher.
I think I might be the winner here...
$360/month for a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house with a small backyard and small front patio. Family neighborhood with a park on every corner.
Located in downtown Cancun :)
East Bay, San Francisco Bay Area, California
RENT 2007-2010: El Cerrito, CA $1500, 950 sqft cottage + view + yard
MORTGAGE 2010: Crockett, CA $1500, 1300 sqft cottage + view + yard
^_^
$1900/mo mortgage for a 2 bd/2 ba 1200 sq ft home in Torrance, CA.
$1600 for 1800 sq. ft.3 bedroom/ 2 bath/ 2 car garage with huge yard- custom built house in south texas.
we have an older rental that is leased for $1000/mo. 3 bedroom, 3 bath- 1100 sq. ft.
University & MLK, Berkeley, CA: $590 for private room, about 9 ft x 11 ft, in a 7 bedroom house with 6 roommates. No common area except kitchen and bathrooms. Circa 2008.
Boulevard Park, midtown Sacramento, CA: $815 for 1930 900 sqft one bedroom with hardwood floors, formal dining room, shared backyard, washer and dryer in the unit. Everything is original, and that includes the plumbing, wiring, and single-pane windows. It's below market as it's a little run-down. The landlord could get around $1050-$1100 if he put some work into it.
My husband and I pay $850 a month for a 1-bedroom 650-square-foot apartment just 5 minutes outside of downtown Portland, Oregon.
Previously we were paying $795 a month for a 300-square-foot studio apartment in the same neighborhood, so I think we got a good deal with the 1-bedroom!
We pay $625 for a semidetached 2/1 with a fireplace that's roughly 800 sq ft. But we're also in a small town that's 30 minutes from any large stores or even a hospital. It's small town life in an apartment and I love it!
Downtown, Los Angeles (Gallery Row)
620 sq ft (1-bedroom)
$1116 inc. water/trash (+$150 for assigned parking)=$1266
Gut rehab, tons of natural light, brand new appliances, bit of a view
I think I'm pretty lucky. 1200 sq. ft. on the NW side of Chicago. 3 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath in a 2 flat with a big back porch and plenty of street parking. Have lived here over 10 years, was paying $980, think I was paying $875 when I moved in. I just got an increase and will be paying $1000 starting 1/1/11.
Just bought a house -- $615 month mortgage for a home built in 1946--2 br 1 bath, 1100 square feet with bonus room, original 40s kitchen, in a good neighborhood in northeastern Sacramento, CA. As much as I'd love to buy and live downtown or midtown, I've been seriously priced out..
$3300 Isla Vista, CA (Santa Barbara) 3 bd/2 ba house 1 block from the beach
$1450 for a tiny Culver City, CA 2 bd/1 ba apartment (and the 2nd room was a small office closed off from the living room with double doors - ick)
$1300 for an adorable 1940s North Hollywood, CA 2 bd/1 ba apartment (I've been converted into a San Fernando Valley fan - or at least the East Valley!)
I love the current place, but I'm looking at finding my own place sans roommates.
For comparison's sake: Mortgage on 2 bedroom flat in Melbourne, Australia $1600 + body corporate fees and council rates totaling $2,400 per year. I live alone... yikes!
My husband and I live in a 1250 sq ft apartment with 2 bedrooms, 2 full baths and 2 very adequate walk-in closets. We've been married a little over a year and this is the first place we've lived together... it's almost too big! We pay $800/mo in rent. Not bad, eh? We are in Nashville, TN.
$569 a month mortgage for a 2 bedroom, 1007 square foot house, Waterloo, IA.
$975 for 1200sq ft 2 bed/2bath north of Cincinnati. $1200 for lower level of Brownstone in downtown Cincinnati, Mt. Adams.
Currently, $900 for 800sq ft 1 bed/1 bath downtown Greenville, SC. Most beautiful place we have lived!
$1350 375 sq studio in upper east side manhattan.
Saint Louis (city) - $400/1 bath 850 sq ft pre-war 4 family flat, hardwood floors, updated appliances, nice neighborhood, no pet rent. Utilities are pretty cheap. W/D included. Excellent landlord.
<--- 1 bed/ 1 bath
$1600 for a 400 sf studio in UES Manhattan. 2nd floor walk up, well maintained building and the super's name is Mario :)
Just bought our first home in October!
$1440/mo mortgage (includes property taxes) for approximately 1150 sf 3 bedroom, 1 bath house in western suburbs of Chicago. Charming older home (about 80 yrs old) with a HUGE backyard. Great neighborhood, parks, school system, location, etc.
Prior to buying our home, we were renting a similarly-sized home for $1050/mo, not including utilities. Same neighborhood.
Just bought first home this year in Hong Kong (400 sq ft, 40 year old high rise building in very *ahem* 'local' area on Hong Kong island):
Mortgage: USD1300 per month (95% mortgage at 0.8% interest rate)
Management: USD90 per month
No tax for now due to government rebates
Prior to buying:
540sq ft new build high rise out in the sticks (40 mins from Central) - $1,300.
$575 for a 6 bedroom in freeport il we rent
We're paying $1650/mo mortgage (includes property taxes) for approximately 1250 sf 3 bedroom, 1 bath house in Denver. I work from home and I'm considering a commercial office space lease to save money.