3 ms·

I don't think $1500 is what it now costs to live in the middle of some cool city, but basically that's what it costs to live deep in suburbia in any city with a

I don't think $1500 is what it now costs to live in the middle of some cool city, but basically that's what it costs to live deep in suburbia in any city with a lot of jobs. It's not just SF or NYC, but pretty much all major metros in the top 20 or so. In DC, I might pay $2500 to live in a decent 1BR in a hip part of the downtown area. Or I could pay $1500 to live 40 miles away with a 90 minute commute and $5 in tolls, each way, in some new developer community. There is no $1k 1BR apartment anywhere in the metro, unless I'm sharing a room off Craigslist or living with illegals or college kids in a house share. For a late 30s, single professional with a decent salary in the US, not only is it kind of depressing that buying a home is nearly impossible nowadays in the same cities where a our parents easily afforded it with similar jobs but also a few kids, but it's becoming increasingly difficult to even assume my own private tiny apartment.

jogjayr 7y ago
> I don't think $1500 is what it now costs to live in the middle of some cool city, but basically that's what it costs to live deep in suburbia in any city with a lot of jobs. It's not just SF or NYC, but pretty much all major metros in the top 20 or so. $1260 will get you a 1br in downtown Atlanta.[1] In Midtown, which is much nicer, a 1br will run you $1400-1600.[2] From personal experience, there are also some not-so-nice parts of Midtown where you can rent a whole 2br house for that much. If you're willing to drive a bit you can get a 1br for around $900.[3] It takes 12-28 minutes to get from here to downtown in rush hour traffic. 1. https://www.apartments.com/post-centennial-park-atlanta-ga/cd80n3f/ https://www.apartments.com/post-centennial-park-atlanta-ga/c... 2. https://www.apartments.com/broadstone-midtown-atlanta-ga/7mt3cpz/ https://www.apartments.com/broadstone-midtown-atlanta-ga/7mt... 3. https://www.apartments.com/ashford-druid-hills-atlanta-ga/m1ftqhh/ https://www.apartments.com/ashford-druid-hills-atlanta-ga/m1...
- hiram112 7y ago
  I just looked at those links - none of them were even close to $900. They had crazy ranges like $1400-$2000 / month, so even at the cheapest, with fees, you're looking at $1500 to live in a general suburban area where you'd definitely need a car. And this is Atlanta, which for the last 10 years has been one of those 'cheaper' cities that millennials have been told to move to because the coasts are too expensive. I make over 6 figures and could easily afford a 1 BR, but like I said, it's kind of depressing that a professional in his late 30's who supposedly makes in the top 90% of salaries is now considering a $1500 tiny apartment in a 'cheap city' to be obtainable. What about those making the average of $50K?
woobar 7y ago
>In DC, I might pay $2500 to live in a decent 1BR in a hip part of the downtown area. Suddenly, we are talking about hip part of the downtown for people earning close to minimal wage? What is wrong with this apartment for $925[0] 975? [1] [0] https://www.apartments.com/park-southern-apartments-washington-dc/0pr0dy1/ https://www.apartments.com/park-southern-apartments-washingt... [1] https://www.apartments.com/delwin-apartments-washington-dc/snbhp34/ https://www.apartments.com/delwin-apartments-washington-dc/s...
- hiram112 7y ago
  Not sure if you're being humorous or probably just not familiar with DC. Both of those cozy apartments are in SE DC. I'm being a 100% serious when I say that if I moved to those apartments, as a white guy, I'd almost certainly be a victim of violent crime within a few months. I wouldn't even get off the metro in those neighborhoods. It is literally the worst area of DC.
greggyb 7y ago
Or a one bedroom that is 45 minutes by public transit from the heart of DC all for less than $1200/month? Seems you're exaggerating your extremes. Now, I haven't checked all 567 listings, personally, but I have to assume at least one of them isn't a listing for a room with "illegals or college kids", or any other group you find objectionable as roommates. https://www.apartments.com/min-1-bedrooms-under-1200/?sk=dc6c3baa7e886325b2a7663c74ed51a1&bb=owv-42h42H9jx41mO https://www.apartments.com/min-1-bedrooms-under-1200/?sk=dc6...

jogjayr 7y ago

> I don't think $1500 is what it now costs to live in the middle of some cool city, but basically that's what it costs to live deep in suburbia in any city with a lot of jobs. It's not just SF or NYC, but pretty much all major metros in the top 20 or so. $1260 will get you a 1br in downtown Atlanta.[1] In Midtown, which is much nicer, a 1br will run you $1400-1600.[2] From personal experience, there are also some not-so-nice parts of Midtown where you can rent a whole 2br house for that much. If you're willing to drive a bit you can get a 1br for around $900.[3] It takes 12-28 minutes to get from here to downtown in rush hour traffic. 1. https://www.apartments.com/post-centennial-park-atlanta-ga/cd80n3f/ https://www.apartments.com/post-centennial-park-atlanta-ga/c... 2. https://www.apartments.com/broadstone-midtown-atlanta-ga/7mt3cpz/ https://www.apartments.com/broadstone-midtown-atlanta-ga/7mt... 3. https://www.apartments.com/ashford-druid-hills-atlanta-ga/m1ftqhh/ https://www.apartments.com/ashford-druid-hills-atlanta-ga/m1...

hiram112 7y ago
I just looked at those links - none of them were even close to $900. They had crazy ranges like $1400-$2000 / month, so even at the cheapest, with fees, you're looking at $1500 to live in a general suburban area where you'd definitely need a car. And this is Atlanta, which for the last 10 years has been one of those 'cheaper' cities that millennials have been told to move to because the coasts are too expensive. I make over 6 figures and could easily afford a 1 BR, but like I said, it's kind of depressing that a professional in his late 30's who supposedly makes in the top 90% of salaries is now considering a $1500 tiny apartment in a 'cheap city' to be obtainable. What about those making the average of $50K?

woobar 7y ago

>In DC, I might pay $2500 to live in a decent 1BR in a hip part of the downtown area. Suddenly, we are talking about hip part of the downtown for people earning close to minimal wage? What is wrong with this apartment for $925[0] 975? [1] [0] https://www.apartments.com/park-southern-apartments-washington-dc/0pr0dy1/ https://www.apartments.com/park-southern-apartments-washingt... [1] https://www.apartments.com/delwin-apartments-washington-dc/snbhp34/ https://www.apartments.com/delwin-apartments-washington-dc/s...

hiram112 7y ago
Not sure if you're being humorous or probably just not familiar with DC. Both of those cozy apartments are in SE DC. I'm being a 100% serious when I say that if I moved to those apartments, as a white guy, I'd almost certainly be a victim of violent crime within a few months. I wouldn't even get off the metro in those neighborhoods. It is literally the worst area of DC.

greggyb 7y ago

Or a one bedroom that is 45 minutes by public transit from the heart of DC all for less than $1200/month? Seems you're exaggerating your extremes. Now, I haven't checked all 567 listings, personally, but I have to assume at least one of them isn't a listing for a room with "illegals or college kids", or any other group you find objectionable as roommates. https://www.apartments.com/min-1-bedrooms-under-1200/?sk=dc6c3baa7e886325b2a7663c74ed51a1&bb=owv-42h42H9jx41mO https://www.apartments.com/min-1-bedrooms-under-1200/?sk=dc6...