If yesterday’s Valentine’s Day wasn’t enough of a shock, being alone in the Big Apple will cost you a pretty penny.
New York City has been marked as the most expensive place to live as an individual, according to a new study by real estate firm Zillow.
The heartbreaking truth is that singles pay an average of $19,500 more in a year for a one bedroom across all cities than someone living with a partner in the same area, the study says.
In Manhattan, that figure rises even higher to $24,000—making it the costliest borough.
San Francisco, long known as a high-priced city, comes in a distant second with a $14,000 “single tax” for a one-bedroom apartment.
Meanwhile, partners living together in New York City will save an average of $39,000 per year.
Among all US cities, Detroit and Cleveland are labeled as having the lowest single taxes at $4,483 and $4,387.
| Regions ranked highest by ‘single tax’ | one-bedroom price | ‘single tax’ | couple savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. New York City | $3,250 | $19,500 | $39,000 |
| 2. San Francisco | $2,352 | $14,114 | $28,227 |
| 3. San Jose | $2,067 | $12,401 | $24,801 |
| 4. San Diego | $1,962 | $11,774 | $23,549 |
| 5. Boston | $1,924 | $11,546 | $23,091 |
| 6. Washington | $1,917 | $11,501 | $23,000 |
| 7. Seattle | $1,800 | $10,799 | $21,597 |
| 8. Los Angeles | $1,652 | $9,913 | $19,825 |
| 9. Miami | $1,541 | $9,248 | $18,496 |
| 10. Honolulu | $1,540 | $9,241 | $18,481 |
| United States of america | $1,163 | $6,976 | $13,953 |
“Living alone has its perks—you never have to share a bathroom, you have TV to claim at all times, and you can pile dirty dishes as long as you want, judgment-free. But all that freedom comes at a cost. comes along,” Amanda Pendleton, Zillow Home Trends expert, says in the report.
“Even though rent prices are starting to come down, they are still significantly higher than they were a year ago. Renters considering going solo this year will have to decide how much living alone is worth to them, and whether the cost it is worth.
Nationally, singles pay about $7,000 more per year for the average one-bedroom apartment.