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What Does $1,500 In Rent Get You Around The Country?

As I miserably dish out over $1,500/month for rent in Manhattan (WITH roommates), I can’t help but jealously check out the other places in the country to see the kind of life I could possibly have if I lived there.

By Jess Hyman

Updated 12 years ago, October 10, 2013

I’m a real estate junkie and as I miserably dish out over $1,500/month for rent in Manhattan (WITH roommates), I can’t help but jealously check out the other places in the country to see the kind of life I could possibly have if I lived there. Yes, I know, I probably wouldn’t make enough money to afford $1,500/month rent if I didn’t live in NYC, and I know that different neighborhoods offer different conveniences and amenities that can’t always be compared in rental price (aka $1,500 on the Upper East Side will get you a whole lot more than in SoHo), but here are the basic differences in what you’ll get across the country.

The search criteria:

As close to $1,500/month as possible (the only 2 cities where this posed difficult –as I’m sure is to be expected– were New York and San Francisco.)
Comparably nice neighborhoods within the actual city (no suburbs)
Photos as legit as possible (ie. tried to steer clear of model apartments, professional photography – some fall closer than others but overall I think the photos are pretty accurate depictions)
Apartments/condos only

Even though as a New Yorker I’ve always known I’m being assaulted by my rent, actually putting pen to paper with this exercise left me heartbroken and full of self-loathing. Enjoy.