In Pictures: Most Expensive Cities For Renters

[MrsAmera 41]

Ehhh this thread just makes me sad. I live in Alexandria, VA and not Old Towne (I wish) and we pay almost $1500 for a 2bdr, 2 bath apartment townhouse, WnD in building not apartment. It sucks. Good thing lease is up in June ---- hey you DC people for a family of 4 where should we go (2 small kids)??? Metro access great as I work on the Hill. Arghh I hate this place. We had a 3bdr house in WI for $600 a month.....stupid.

[LaL 418]

Here in CT it's not a pretty picture... 325 sq ft studio - $750 per month plus utilities (this is middle of nowhereville as well). Outrageous..

We moved to the "getto".. much more affordable housing....

Connecticut is crazy. $1000/month for 750sqft two bedroom, and that's probably the best deal in town. (New Haven's only got around 200,000 people, so it has big city rents with a small town economy.) Move outside of the cities and you get into nowheresville rents where nearly everyone around you owns their homes so the market is bizarre.

The thing that drives me nuts about CT is that most "landlords" require 2 months rent for security deposit! So you are looking at 5-6 grand up front to even THINK about moving in to a new apartment. It's extortion IMO and crazy that 2 months security Deposit can be actually asked up front! It's a Landlords' paradise here for sure!

Having grown up in CT, when I relocated to FL, I was wide-eyed when they told me they only required $150 security deposit. 2 months was the norm for me, and really thought I had stumbled upon a fluke. After moving to KS now I know that CT is the fluke

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Here in CT it's not a pretty picture... 325 sq ft studio - $750 per month plus utilities (this is middle of nowhereville as well). Outrageous..

We moved to the "getto".. much more affordable housing....

Connecticut is crazy. $1000/month for 750sqft two bedroom, and that's probably the best deal in town. (New Haven's only got around 200,000 people, so it has big city rents with a small town economy.) Move outside of the cities and you get into nowheresville rents where nearly everyone around you owns their homes so the market is bizarre.

The thing that drives me nuts about CT is that most "landlords" require 2 months rent for security deposit! So you are looking at 5-6 grand up front to even THINK about moving in to a new apartment. It's extortion IMO and crazy that 2 months security Deposit can be actually asked up front! It's a Landlords' paradise here for sure!

When I was on Long Island. The fee to the realtor was one months rent. Then first and last on the deposit. I rented right from an owner so I bypassed the fee but my rent was still $1335 for a 2 BR.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

There's a reason the middle class (not just the white middle class anymore) is leaving the northeastern states and LA in droves.

[~krakatoa~ 27]

I'm thanking my lucky stars right now. I have a newer 2 bedroom Townhouse with W/D, parking, and w/s/g paid for $665 a month. It's only 3 units and I love it. Of course I'm in Oregon but still it's not really expensive.

That's awesome

I envy you and the others. We used to stay in a 1-BR and 1 bath apt in SF bay area and we pay $1200. Now, it's almost the same space except for the spectacular view of GGB and Coit Tower but the rent is way higher. NY's $2k++ is even very cheap compared to what we're paying now. We hope to find a cheaper place but I'm not so sure about that in San Francisco. Buying a house is our next plan once we save more than enough and that'll be several years from now.

[athena_ny 1]

We pay $935 for a 2 bedroom, 1075 sq. ft. in Clearwater, FL. The real price of the apt is 1045, but we have a move in special for this year, after which we'll be leaving. Some friends pay 575 for a 1 bedroom - not that big but big enough for me. We're looking for a cheap place closer to Tampa. But for nice places, the rent is bad - where we live is decent but not wonderful, and where my friends live is a little worse than where we are.

But we pay more per month than my parents do in upstate NY for their 3BR/1BA house :(

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Ehhh this thread just makes me sad. I live in Alexandria, VA and not Old Towne (I wish) and we pay almost $1500 for a 2bdr, 2 bath apartment townhouse, WnD in building not apartment. It sucks. Good thing lease is up in June ---- hey you DC people for a family of 4 where should we go (2 small kids)??? Metro access great as I work on the Hill. Arghh I hate this place. We had a 3bdr house in WI for $600 a month.....stupid.

You can try the Aspen Hill area of Silver Spring (which is where I live)--where you can get a 2-BR/2-BA with in-unit W/D for about $100 less than your townhome.

The area is close to Glenmont (one end of the Red Line)

Edited January 13, 2008 by CherryXS

[bora bora 1]

Well I feel better after reading this thread.

We live in the Orlando area - right by Disney - and pay $670/month for a one bedroom. I paid almost nothing for deposit when I moved in because they give deals to teachers. They also waived the application fee for the same reason.

We're planning on moving over the summer and I'd love a two bedroom - hopefully we can get by for less than $900 (should be able to).

Edited January 13, 2008 by Bora Bora

[Don_Joy's Prince 0]

My rental house is a 930 sq. ft. 3 bedroom, one bath, ranch style house with a double carport that I rent out for $900 dollars a month. It is in the lower middle class area of SE Portland. I could rent it for more at this time. But I don't. That covers the cost of the mortgage, taxes and insurance.

In the article it says L.A. is $1452 is that an apartment or a house?

Is it actually possible to fit 3 bedrooms into 930 ft²?

I'm surprised Washington DC didn't make Steve's list.

A 1-BR apartment in NW DC can clobber you for anywhere from $1,050 (400-530 ft², NO amenities) to $2,100 (maybe 730-800 ft², with in-unit W/D).

As comparative: my own apartment in Silver Spring (Montgomery County, MD suburb), a 1-BR/1-BA with den, 850 ft² and in-unit W/D, rents for almost $1,100.

The master is 10 or 11 X 15, 2nd is 8 X 11, 3rd is 9 X 10. nice sized Living room, Small kitchen and bath. I provide them with stove, fridge, washer and dryer and a dishwasher. and a couple window AC units for summer. I pay garbage. $900 a month, First and last month plus $500 security dep. I let them have a dog and a cat. I even have a dog run I built on the side of the house 6 X 40. It has a 2 sided storage shed 8 X 20 that has a side for storage and a side for the yard and garden stuff. lot is kind of narrow for Portland it is 40 wide X 110 long. bought it for 98,500 it is now worth about 150,000 and I owe 80,000. Nice energy efficient windows and vinyl siding and a new roof.

[JenAlex 0]

Dang! If they ever move out let me know. We want to move to PDX and if you'd let me have a dog I'd love it.

[IrieCat 2]

I lIved in DC until I had a child and decided to move back "home" to Maine... My job is in Old Town VA and I telework from Maine. VA was so expensive and so is Maine! I have a small 1 bedroom I share with 5 year old daughter. Maine is just as bad as DC except not as fun - I would move back if it weren't for the HUGE difference is school systems!

I had a great 3 bedroom house in DC for $1000 a month - granted you had to be careful walking anywhere in the dark but a 1 bedroom in Maine will cost you the same thing (Portland area)!

Once my Lucian man gets here we may move to warmer climates since I can work anywhere with an internet connection! Any suggestions? Inexpensive housing (decent!!!), good school system and a great climate.... oh and a bit of "fun" as well???? What do you think????

Peace & Love

Catherine

[IrieCat 2]

I lIved in DC until I had a child and decided to move back "home" to Maine... My job is in Old Town VA and I telework from Maine. VA was so expensive and so is Maine! I have a small 1 bedroom I share with 5 year old daughter. Maine is just as bad as DC except not as fun - I would move back if it weren't for the HUGE difference is school systems!

I had a great 3 bedroom house in DC for $1000 a month - granted you had to be careful walking anywhere in the dark but a 1 bedroom in Maine will cost you the same thing (Portland area)!

Once my Lucian man gets here we may move to warmer climates since I can work anywhere with an internet connection! Any suggestions? Inexpensive housing (decent!!!), good school system and a great climate.... oh and a bit of "fun" as well???? What do you think????

Peace & Love

Catherine

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Here in CT it's not a pretty picture... 325 sq ft studio - $750 per month plus utilities (this is middle of nowhereville as well). Outrageous..

We moved to the "getto".. much more affordable housing....

Connecticut is crazy. $1000/month for 750sqft two bedroom, and that's probably the best deal in town. (New Haven's only got around 200,000 people, so it has big city rents with a small town economy.) Move outside of the cities and you get into nowheresville rents where nearly everyone around you owns their homes so the market is bizarre.

The thing that drives me nuts about CT is that most "landlords" require 2 months rent for security deposit! So you are looking at 5-6 grand up front to even THINK about moving in to a new apartment. It's extortion IMO and crazy that 2 months security Deposit can be actually asked up front! It's a Landlords' paradise here for sure!

When I was on Long Island. The fee to the realtor was one months rent. Then first and last on the deposit. I rented right from an owner so I bypassed the fee but my rent was still $1335 for a 2 BR.

Out here in south eastern WA my deposit on a house was $400 (rent $750 on 2 BR house). A friend rented an apartment and paid $200 deposit on a 2BR apt (rent $500). He just bought a house so he moved out and he's getting back $140.... $60 for carpet cleaning.

[Emancipation 2]

Here in CT it's not a pretty picture... 325 sq ft studio - $750 per month plus utilities (this is middle of nowhereville as well). Outrageous..

We moved to the "getto".. much more affordable housing....

Connecticut is crazy. $1000/month for 750sqft two bedroom, and that's probably the best deal in town. (New Haven's only got around 200,000 people, so it has big city rents with a small town economy.) Move outside of the cities and you get into nowheresville rents where nearly everyone around you owns their homes so the market is bizarre.

The thing that drives me nuts about CT is that most "landlords" require 2 months rent for security deposit! So you are looking at 5-6 grand up front to even THINK about moving in to a new apartment. It's extortion IMO and crazy that 2 months security Deposit can be actually asked up front! It's a Landlords' paradise here for sure!

Having grown up in CT, when I relocated to FL, I was wide-eyed when they told me they only required $150 security deposit. 2 months was the norm for me, and really thought I had stumbled upon a fluke. After moving to KS now I know that CT is the fluke

My husband says the motto of CT is ... Connecticut where they take a lot and you get very little....

*sigh... com'on job offer in some other state EXCEPT CT!!!

[BJZags 17]

Cost of living can be really prohibitive when it comes to job searching. I'm interviewing for a job that would be in NYC, and would likely double my salary. But even with that I don't think there would be any way I could afford to live in NYC/Jersey City area. Since it would be a work out of home, and commute to do presentations for clients a couple times a week, I'm actually considering living in Allentown, PA and commuting to NYC when I have to.