How to Find Cheap Apartments in NYC (Even in Pricey Neighborhoods)

Here at StreetEasy, we are constantly calculating the median sale and rental prices for individual NYC neighborhoods. The more affordable areas have low median rents, and the pricier areas have higher ones, but even in the city’s top echelon of expensive, high-rent ‘hoods, the median price is still just that – the median — meaning half of all rentals in that area are actually below that price. So how can you find those (relatively) affordable bargains in a neighborhood full of sky-high prices? In other words, how do you find cheap apartments in NYC? Enter StreetEasy’s new Rent Score tool.

In a recent analysis, we ranked every rental building in Manhattan from least to most expensive, using a score of 0 to 10. (Here’s a specific explanation of our methodology.) This StreetEasy Rent Score shows the expensiveness — or cheapness! — of individual buildings, relative to other buildings in the city. Use the tool below to check the Rent Score of your building, see how it compares to other buildings in the neighborhood and in the borough, and easily find the outliers that indicate buildings renting for below a neighborhood’s median price.

Ready to find an affordable unicorn in the middle of a sea of luxury? Use the StreetEasy Rent Score Tool below to make all your Manhattan rental dreams come true.

Check a Specific Building’s Rent Score

Say you find an apartment you love but suspect the rent might be overpriced. To find out, select your neighborhood, then select your specific street, and the addresses, scores, and median rents of each rental building on that street will appear. Or, use the map to navigate to your block (double click to zoom in!). Each color-coded dot represents a building with rental units; hover over the building’s dot to see its median rental price. Once you find your building, you can easily see how it compares to other buildings in the neighborhood. (If you’re looking on a mobile device, zoom in to see individual blocks and buildings’ median rents and Rent Scores.)

Look for Rental Bargains in a Specific Neighborhood

Now let’s say you’re dying to live in Tribeca, but the area’s usual rents are beyond your means. That doesn’t mean you can’t still find a bargain (or a relative bargain, anyway)! Use the tool to find a cheap apartment in a pricey neighborhood by navigating to the area as directed above and using the color coding to search for low Rent Score (dark and light blue) gems hidden among all the High Score (orange and red) buildings.

Search for Affordable NYC Neighborhoods

What if you want to be as close as you possibly can to outdoor green space, for example, but aren’t quite making Fifth Avenue or Central Park West kind of money? Use the Rent Score tool’s color coding to search the map for affordable blocks near parks — you might be surprised what you can find.

Find Comparable Listings and Neighborhoods

There are a lot of opportunities for comparison here. For what you’re paying now for a studio in SoHo, how much more could you get in Hamilton Heights? Or, you’re currently in a 2-bedroom in Inwood but long to move to the West Village. What could you afford there for the same amount? Or even, you’re willing to pay $2,500 a month and not a penny more. Which neighborhoods will give you the most selection in your price range? Let the Rent Score tool tell you — and then, happy apartment hunting!

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Inspired to find your next place in New York? Whether you’re looking to rent or to buy, search NYC apartments on StreetEasy.