We have all watched a sit-com where we have dreamed about how nice it would be to live in the main character’s shoes, have their job, their friends, and above all, their apartment.
However, by instigating this desire in viewers, TV shows have also set unrealistic expectations when it comes to rent and life in big cities such as New York.
To disprove these expectations, interior design studio Hovia made a list of popular sitcom apartments and calculated how much the characters living in them would have to pay for rent in 2022.
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Monica’s apartment in ‘Friends’
Probably one the most popular homes in TV history, the purple-walled apartment has had at least two generations dream for the perfect New York condo.
As we know from the series, Monica and Rachel pay a ridiculous low rent for it, as Monica’s grandmother left her a rent-controlled lease which allowed them to pay only $200 (R3 614) a month. However, a two-bedroom apartment in West Village, Manhattan just like theirs can today be found for an average of $6 554 (R118 454) a month.
Ted and Marshall’s apartment in ‘How I Met Your Mother’
The Upper West Side apartment shared by Ted and Marshall has also become a statement of TV apartments, being the setting for unforgettable scenarios such as the infamous “interventions”, the group’s holiday celebrations, and so much more.
A real two-bedroom in the neighbourhood would today be up for rent for an average of $7 100 (R128 322) a month, a number that Marshall and Ted would probably be able to afford with their salaries as a lawyer and an architect.
Sheldon and Leonard’s place in ‘The Big Bang Theory’
Sheldon and Leonard’s Pasadena apartment, as well as Penny’s, are explained to be in the ‘Los Robles Apartment Building’, an apartment complex one block away from the City Hall and adjacent to a lamp store. The building, with its infamous out of order elevator, has at least five floors and sixteen apartments.
The main character’s apartment is on the fourth floor, and it is a spacious two-bedroom which in 2022 would be up for rent for an average of $2 894 (R52 304), the least expensive of the list. Penny’s apartment 4B, as it seems to be smaller than Sheldon and Leonard’s, might even be cheaper.
Nick, Jess, Schmidt, and Winston’s loft in ‘New Girl’
Primary filming location for almost all ‘New Girl’ episodes, the Loft almost serves as a fifth main character, as the story begins with Jess moving in with the three guys, and then the story unfolds. Located in the Arts District, Los Angeles, the loft is a three-bedroom that the characters converted into a four-bedroom to split the rent even further.
A similar loft in the neighbourhood would today be worth an average of $4 800 (R86 753) a month, which the characters might just be able to afford.
Meredith’s house in ‘Grey’s Anatomy’
Inherited from her mother and therefore owned by Meredith, the large house on Queen Ann Hill, Seattle, has basically seen almost every character live in it, from Meredith’s fellow interns to the next generations of doctors of Grey Sloane Memorial Hospital once she moved out to live with Derek in the woods.
The house has three bedrooms, and to rent a similar place in 2022, the monthly costs would be of an average of $4 200 (R75 909) a month.
Carrie’s apartment in ‘Sex and the City”
Yet another legendary apartment in TV history, 64 Perry Street is, and always will be, Carrie Bradshaw apartment, as it has been recently used once again for the series’ revival last year on HBO Max.
A one-bedroom apartment similar to Carrie’s infamous one on the Upper East Side would cost an average of $4 072 (R73 595) a month, meaning that the girl would most likely not be able to afford it with her writer salary.
Richard Castle’s apartment in ‘Castle’
Speaking of writer salaries, Richard Castle’s was an entirely different story. Castle is in fact a best-selling author who follows Detective Kate Beckett as a consultant on cases to overcome his writer’s block and get back to write thriller novels.
His apartment in SoHo, New York, is a two-bedroom to accommodate his teen daughter, and in real life it would cost a whopping $10 450 (R188 868) a month, as SoHo is among the most expensive neighbourhoods of the city. However, it is possible to believe that thanks to his successful career, Castle would easily be able to afford it.
From fiction to reality
A spokesperson for Hovia commented on the findings:
“When writing a TV show, showing a realistic depiction of what life would be for the characters based on their salaries might not be a priority, however when watching any sitcom or similar, viewers will probably catch up on whether their favourite character could be able to afford their apartments.
“The reality is that most of those apartments are often more expensive than they might look, as they're located in popular neighbourhoods of big cities which, combined with today’s average prices, will prove just how unrealistic expectations are when watching TV.
“In fact, ‘Friends’ seems to be the only show that attempts to explain just how Monica and Rachel are able to afford such a luxurious space, which goes in stark contrast to Carrie Bradshaw’s living arrangements, which is among the most unrealistic of all.”
* The study and article courtesy of Hovia.
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