New York City is the most expensive place to be single

February 15, 2023

If Valentine’s Day yesterday wasn’t enough of a blow, it’s going to cost you a pretty penny to be by your lonesome in the Big Apple.

New York City has been marked as the most expensive place to live as a single person, according to a new study by the real estate firm Zillow.

The heartbreaking truth, the study says, is that singles pay on average $19,500 more across all boroughs a year for a one-bedroom, compared to someone living with a partner in the same area.

In Manhattan, this figure rises even higher, to $24,000 — making it the priciest borough.

San Francisco, which has also long been known as a high-price city, comes in second with a $14,000 “singles tax” for a one-bedroom apartment.

Meanwhile, partners who live together in New York City will save an average $39,000 per year.

Across all US cities, Detroit and Cleveland are labeled as having the lowest singles tax at $4,483 and $4,387.

Regions Ranked by the Highest ‘Singles Tax’	One-Bedroom Price	‘Singles 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	$1,163	$6,976	$13,953

Zillow

What's worse than being single in New York? Having to pay extra because you're single in New York. — What’s worse than being single in New York? Having to pay extra because you’re single in New York.

“Living alone has its perks — you never have to share a bathroom, you have a claim to the TV at all times, and dirty dishes can stack up as long as you want, judgment free. But all that freedom comes with a cost,” Amanda Pendleton, Zillow home trends expert, says in the report.

“Even though rent prices are starting to cool, they are still significantly higher than they were a year ago. Renters considering going solo this year must decide how valuable living alone is to them, and if the cost is worth it.”

Nationally, singles pay nearly $7,000 extra per year for a median one-bedroom apartment.