Inside NYC Apartments Renting For Up To $5K A Month
With New York City rents at a record high, ever curious what you can actually get for $5K a month? Make It Marathon looks inside three New York City apartments renting for $1,300 to $5,150 per month.
Courtesy of CNBC Make It
Elena Taber, 23, lives with two roommates in a 3-bedroom apartment in New York City's East Village. Together they pay $5,150 a month in rent. Elena works as a full-time YouTuber and pays $1,850 for her room. She moved into the apartment in February 2019.
Nikki Lee, 26, lives with her husband Dyllan in a 1-bedroom apartment in New York City's Gramercy Park. Together they pay $3,800 a month in rent. Nikki works as a data scientist at Spotify and Dyllan is a lawyer. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Nikki was used to her two architect parents pointing out design details in homes and buildings in their neighborhood. That appreciation for design was a blessing and curse when it was time for Lee to look for her own place in New York City with Dyllan. She wanted a one-bedroom apartment on the second floor of a building, a preference she admits is "weirdly specific."
Hattie Kolp, 29, lives in a 2-bedroom rent-stabilized apartment in New York City's Upper West Side. Hattie has been living in this apartment since age 10. She is a special education teacher and part-time interior designer and Instagram blogger.
2026 Update: What $5K a Month Gets You Now
Rents have kept climbing since these tours were filmed. In September 2026, Manhattan’s median rent hit a record $5,395 a month, up 9% from a year earlier, and the average one-bedroom rented for $5,436, according to Corcoran data reported by 6sqft. In other words, $5,000 is now below the typical Manhattan rent. Brooklyn still offers more room in the budget, with a median of $4,300 and an average one-bedroom rent of $4,218. For a closer look at the smallest units, see our breakdown of Manhattan studio rents in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median rent in Manhattan in 2026?
Manhattan’s median rent reached a record $5,395 a month in September 2026, up 9% year over year, according to Corcoran.
How much does a one-bedroom apartment cost in Manhattan?
The average Manhattan one-bedroom rented for $5,436 a month in September 2026.
Is it cheaper to rent in Brooklyn than Manhattan?
Yes. Brooklyn’s median rent was $4,300 in September 2026, and the average one-bedroom rented for $4,218, both well below Manhattan.
What is a rent-stabilized apartment in NYC?
Rent-stabilized apartments have annual rent increases capped by the city’s Rent Guidelines Board, which is why long-term tenants like Hattie in the video can pay far below market rate.
Have a listing you think should be featured contact us or submit here to tell us more! Follow Off The MRKT on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.
