# Housing - How Much Do You Pay? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 3, 2003, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housing-how-much-do-you-pay/179447 "2003-06-03T21:02:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Niggle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Niggle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Niggle)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housing-how-much-do-you-pay/179447/21 "2003-06-04T04:51:27Z")
City Hall area in Vancouver (vurry Shwanky) 750 square foot loft Rent: $900 Utilities: Included! Insurance: $25/mo Highspeed Internet: $35/mo No land line… I’ll say my cel doesn’t count. 😉 Total cost: $960 The apartment is one of five in a house worth well in excess of a $1million. Similar strata’d apartments in the 'hood are going for over $350k. My rent is cheap! -n I can’t belive some of the condo fees you folks are paying. Here in vancouver the highest I’ve ever seen is CA$220 for a _big_ place. ---
**Author:** ![fizgig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@fizgig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizgig)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housing-how-much-do-you-pay/179447/22 "2003-06-04T04:51:38Z")
2 BR apartment in central Bakersfield, CA - $650 Utilities - Haven’t received a bill yet - yay! it’s free! Cable internet - $40 Cell (no land line) - $40 Say… $830 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Calculus\_of\_Logic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@The\_Calculus\_of\_Logic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Calculus_of_Logic)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housing-how-much-do-you-pay/179447/23 "2003-06-04T07:40:28Z")
IN bloomington, indiana and i rent a 2 bedroom that i share with my brother. roughly 800 sq. feet. rent: 460 gas: 30 cable & internet: 80 electric: 45 ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housing-how-much-do-you-pay/179447/24 "2003-06-04T09:38:30Z")
2 bedroom, 600 sq. feet (65 sq. m, 2LDK for the Japan dopers) in downtown Tokyo 5 minutes by train outside the Yamanote Loop. Rent 165,000 yen/month = $1375. My wife and I split this. I pay for gas, electricity and phone = about $110 She pays for water = $15 (the only thing in Japan that’s cheaper than the US) I pay for Internet and Satellite TV = $100 ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housing-how-much-do-you-pay/179447/25 "2003-06-04T11:37:25Z")
I have a 3-story, 4-bedroom townhouse in Gaithersburg MD. I’m 2 1/2 years into a 30-year mortgage. House payment: $680 (includes taxes and insurance) Association fee: $63 Utilities: fluctuate. Since the house is heated electrically, that can make a huge difference in the bill. At this time of year, when I don’t have the heat or a/c on, the electric bill is usually around $30-40; in the middle of winter, it can be up around $100. Cable/phone/internet service: ~$80 ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housing-how-much-do-you-pay/179447/26 "2003-06-04T11:43:32Z")
1718 sq ft just outside Jacksonville FL - the house is 3 years old. Mortgage/insurance/taxes - $1041/mo (7.75%, 30-year VA loan) Utilities/garbage - maybe $200/mo Association dues - $50/year Cable TV/internet/phone - $150/mo (1 HBO only) ---
**Author:** ![Gravity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gravity/32/14322_2.png) [@Gravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gravity)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housing-how-much-do-you-pay/179447/27 "2003-06-04T12:17:40Z")
Montpelier, VT Small 3 room apartment with adequate-sized kitchen, very small living room and a large bedroom. 150 year-old 3 floor Victorian with narrow switchback stairs on the outside. We live on the 3rd floor, and had to get rid of our couch - there was no way to get it upstairs. When we moved in, we had to put in our own smoke alarms - you can imagine what the rest of the place is like from that, I think. About a 2 or 3 minute walk to downtown. Rent - $550 (VERY cheap for right here in the city) Utilities - $50 for electric, $60 for phone and dial-up …but when we moved, in February, we had to pay first, last and deposit, plus utility switching fees… it came to about $2500 to move from one crummy apartment to another. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housing-how-much-do-you-pay/179447/28 "2003-06-04T12:27:14Z")
1,250 sq ft townhouse in Royal Oak, MI. A true pimpin’ bachelor pad, if ever one existed. Rent - $850.00/mo Heat/Water - Included Electric - ~$20.00/mo winter, ~$70.00/mo summer. (AC) Cable/Cable Modem - $70.00/mo. Phone - None, I use my cell phone(s). All in all, not bad. The family cottage in Charlevoix is now in my name, so I am getting the taxes and bills from that now. No big deal, but for a place I see a few weeks a year… ---
**Author:** ![AnnaLucretia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e95f7d/32.png) [@AnnaLucretia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnnaLucretia)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housing-how-much-do-you-pay/179447/29 "2003-06-04T12:32:34Z")
**Gravity** - oh my goodness, that sounds like the apartment I lived in in Montpelier in 1991 - third floor, horrible twisty stairs, way down State Street. Wouldn’t that be weird?? As for me: 2500 sq foot 2 br + sunroom basement apartment on Capitol Hill in Washington DC - $1100 (insanely low for where I am) Electric: $75 (everything is electric) Phone: $65 No internet, no cable, so that’s about it. And I still have no money!!! Anna ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housing-how-much-do-you-pay/179447/30 "2003-06-04T12:38:23Z")
I live in a 19 year old 2463 sf house w/2 car attached garge, half finished basement (not sure if this is included in the SF number) in a nice suburban neighborhood in Blue Ash, Ohio (inside the Cincinnati beltway), complete with a pool and rec center. We have very good schools and well paid teachers, almost no crime, and lots of community sponsored events. My payment is: Mortgage $1590/month (30 year loan/6.1%/20% down) Insurance $60/month Taxes $372/month (including association fees) Utilities $160/month (avg gas+elec+water+sewer+trash) Total $2182/month ---
**Author:** ![Gravity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gravity/32/14322_2.png) [@Gravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gravity)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housing-how-much-do-you-pay/179447/31 "2003-06-04T12:44:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AnnaLucretia \* > \*\ ***Gravity** - oh my goodness, that sounds like the apartment I lived in in Montpelier in 1991 - third floor, horrible twisty stairs, way down State Street. Wouldn’t that be weird?? > \*\* There sure are a lot of buildings that would fit that description around here, aren’t there? This one is right on Court Street. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housing-how-much-do-you-pay/179447/32 "2003-06-04T13:49:24Z")
1BR 605 sq. ft. apartment outside Atlanta Rent=$592/month. It was $602, but they knocked some off when we renewed our lease. The apartment normally leases for about $650, but the manager the day we toured liked us. Phone=$30-35/month, even though we don’t have long distance, it varies. Power=$30-50/month, it varies depending on season, usually around $35 Water/Sewage/Trash=$45/month Cable=$55, we could only get digital cable, and got a pack of movie channels. DSL=$50/Month ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housing-how-much-do-you-pay/179447/33 "2003-06-04T14:05:14Z")
Knoxville, TN, inside the city limits, about 5 miles from campus Rent (~700 sq. ft. 1 bedroom): $440 Electricity…varies, but between $28-$40/month Water is paid by the management, as are any sewage/trash fees. Cable: $8.50/month for the most basic Phone: Dropped significantly since I changed LD carriers, but the basic line before LD is $39.50 - this includes voice mail and caller ID. ---
**Author:** ![Lizochka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bc79bd/32.png) [@Lizochka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizochka)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housing-how-much-do-you-pay/179447/34 "2003-06-04T14:09:54Z")
2 BR apartment in Astoria, Queens – right over the Queensboro Bridge from midtown Manhattan. Rent = $1440 Utilities = $50 in winter, $100 in summer My roommate and I used to live in a railroad apartment in the worst part of Bushwick, Brooklyn. That was only $950 per month, but I’m willing to pay the extra $500 to live in a safer neighborhood. ---
**Author:** ![tanookie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/48db29/32.png) [@tanookie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanookie)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housing-how-much-do-you-pay/179447/35 "2003-06-04T14:22:01Z")
Haverhill, MA 3 bedroom, one bath, one car garage, not sure on the square footage but we have a livingroom, kitchen, dining room and TV room. Mortgage payment (includes P&I, taxes and insurance) $1425/month Utilities… If electric is under 100/month I’m happy gas varies… winter 150/month summer 20/month no cable TV but cable internet is 50/month water/sewer/trash is quarterly ~100/quarter Maintenance costs are unknown right now… we’ve lived here just over a year and are doing a lot of remodeling… Housing prices in massachusetts are insane! But so is rent. Ugh. If it weren’t for family tying us here we would live somewhere else! ---
**Author:** ![El\_Marko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@El\_Marko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Marko)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housing-how-much-do-you-pay/179447/36 "2003-06-04T14:33:41Z")
Rural So. MD ~ 60 miles south of D.C. 2 BR, 1.25BA apartment (has a separate sink in the master BR) Rent: $785/mo Elec: ~$60 all utilities together: ~$175/mo will soon be moving in w/ 2 other guys in a 3 BR, 2.5BA townhouse in the same area. Not sure how big, but would estimate ~2000+ sq.ft. I think the rent is in the neighborhood of $1300/mo before utilities. Personally I think we get the royal shaft down here. Real estate and rental prices are artificially inflated due to proximity to D.C., and the Chesapeake Bay as well as the current shortage of housing in the area, esp. rentals. 2 or 3 BR townhouses go for $120K and up. Most single family homes start int he $180-200K range. As a single engineerd, it’ll be awhile before I’m able to buy a house around here. Okay, I think I’m done whining now. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Miabella](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ccd318/32.png) [@Miabella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miabella)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housing-how-much-do-you-pay/179447/37 "2003-06-04T14:43:37Z")
We have an 1800 sq. ft., 3 BR/2BA rowhouse with a garage on Capitol Hill in DC. We bought it last year as a fixer-upper, and the fixing-up is still taking place. :rolleyes: Monthly: Mortgage/insurance/taxes: $2,132 Electricity: $50-$100 (higher in summer due to AC) Nat. Gas: $75-$125 (higher in winter due to heating) Phone: $30-$40 But we are refinancing this month, so our monthly mortgage payment should drop by several hundred dollars. Woohoo! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![tanookie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/48db29/32.png) [@tanookie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanookie)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housing-how-much-do-you-pay/179447/38 "2003-06-04T14:49:31Z")
Elmarko… they just built a whole slew of townhouses here… 2 and three bedrooms… they start at 300,000. For a townhouse! Our house is 50 years old and needs some updating… and that still cost us 240,000 … If I tried to go 100 feet down the road and looked at houses over the bridge in the next town… you add between 50,000 and 100,000 just for the privelege of living in that town. ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housing-how-much-do-you-pay/179447/39 "2003-06-04T14:51:34Z")
In town - Montgomery AL - 35 year old, 1300 sq.ft. 3 br 2 ba Brick home Mortgage + insurance: $500 / month (30 yr VA loan) Electric: $110 / month (levelized billing - 200 summer 100 winter) Gas: $30-60 / month Water & Garbage $20 / month Broadband/cable: $90 / month Property tax: $25/month – 300 / year ---
**Author:** ![jellen92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@jellen92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jellen92)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housing-how-much-do-you-pay/179447/40 "2003-06-04T15:29:56Z")
Chicago, Il, right near the lake. I live in a studio of ~400 sq. feet. Rent - $745/month Elec. - $20 (winter) to $80 (summer) Water and heat - “free” Cable - $45/month [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housing-how-much-do-you-pay/179447.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housing-how-much-do-you-pay/179447.md?page=3)