That calculation is for a single person with a child. When rent is ~$2500 bare minimum for a place that can fit 2 people (and that would be a shitty, shitty apa

That calculation is for a single person with a child. When rent is ~$2500 bare minimum for a place that can fit 2 people (and that would be a shitty, shitty apartment), you can see how pretty damn quickly $80k / yr doesn't cut it. I've lived comfortably in Manhattan for well under $80k (as low as $60k) but I didn't have a child, and that was several years ago when rents were lower.