An Indian woman living in New York City has sparked a discussion online after revealing that renting a two-bedroom apartment in Manhattan can cost upwards of $10,000 (around ₹10 lakh) a month.
In a video shared on Instagram, financial influencer Sharan Hegde asked NYC-based content creator and entrepreneur Khushi Jain about her rent while the two were inside her apartment. “$10,000 per month,” Jain told Hegde. “That’s like ₹10 lakh,” Hegde said.
Jain then explained that apartments in Manhattan could cost more than $10,000 a month, although renters could find places for around $8,000 to $9,000 in other areas. She added that she did not find anything below $10,000 when she was looking for an apartment and eventually decided to move out of Manhattan.
Jain further said that apartments in areas such as Brooklyn, Long Island City, Queens and Astoria can be available for around $5,000 to $6,000 a month.
The conversation then turned to the overall cost of living in New York City. Jain revealed that as a couple, they spend around $10,000 a month, including rent and other expenses. That works out to approximately $100,000 to $120,000 (approximately ₹95 lakh to ₹1.14 crore) a year, Hegde estimated.
{{/usCountry}}The conversation then turned to the overall cost of living in New York City. Jain revealed that as a couple, they spend around $10,000 a month, including rent and other expenses. That works out to approximately $100,000 to $120,000 (approximately ₹95 lakh to ₹1.14 crore) a year, Hegde estimated.
{{/usCountry}}In the caption of the post, Hegde said that a Manhattan apartment with a view like the one shown in the video could cost $10,000 or more per month, while moving outside Manhattan could bring rents down to around $5,000-$6,000. “NYC rent is on a completely different level,” he wrote.
In the comments section, Jain added that the figures were based on apartments she had seen while searching for “2 bed 2 baths in Manhattan in buildings with amenities”.
(Also Read: 'True cost of living in NYC': US woman breaks down $7,800 monthly expenses)
How did social media react?
The video prompted a discussion among social media users over whether $10,000 was representative of Manhattan rents.
“Nahh you can literally get nice apartments with views like that within 5-6k,” one user wrote.
“That’s completely untrue. You can get a nice 2b2b for 4-5k. With all amenities maybe 6k. 10k is overhyped. I say this as someone who has lived in NYC for 6 years. Just search Zillow and you’ll know the truth,” commented another.
“She is correct but additional context — No single person pays 10K themselves - it’s always if they live with a partner/ 1-2 roommates. If someone pays that much then their salaries are about 200K+ easily,” wrote a third user.
“It’s not fair to convert to INR. It’s not an apples to apples comparison- income in NYC is next level. Rents are aligned to the income,” said another.