Rental Costs

Where A Roof Over Your Head Costs The Most

Renting property in major cities around the world can prove extremely expensive. A new study from Nested shows the level of annual income a single person would require to rent in 72 prime cities worldwide. It found that many of the very worst cities for renters are American with San Francisco standing out in particular.

The study found that rental costs per square foot in San Francisco come to $4.96 per month with a single tenant needing an annual income of $86,000 to cover his or her rental costs. In New York city, the situation for rentals is also difficult with a single person requiring an income of $82,597 every year to pay the rent. Other U.S. cities high up in the ranking include Washington D.C., Los Angeles and Miami. Hong Kong came third overall with rental costs in the city requiring a healthy annual paycheck of $66,713.

Description

This chart shows the annual income needed for a single person renting in global cities in 2017.

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Average rent per square foot in apartments in the United States in 2018, by state (in U.S. dollars)
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Cities with the highest rents worldwide in 2025, by index score
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Annual rent per square foot of premium office space in selected cities worldwide as of April 2017 (in U.S. dollars)
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Average rent for one bedroom apartments in the United States as of January 2026, by city (in U.S. dollars)
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Median monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the largest cities in the United States in March 2026, by city (in U.S. dollars)
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Rent per square foot to income ratio in selected markets in the United States in 2017

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