The District of Columbia is the most expensive U.S. state for studio apartments, with monthly rents nearly 300 U.S. dollars higher than in Hawaii. As of February 2021, renters in District of Columbia paid on average 1,625 U.S. dollars monthly for a studio apartment. In comparison, studios in Arkansas were approximately three times more affordable.

Between 2020 and 2021, the average monthly rent in the U.S. saw an overall increase. Nevertheless, this was not the case in some states that experienced dramatic negative rental growth.

In 2024, New York, NY, was the most expensive rental market for one-bedroom apartments in the United States. The median monthly rental rate of an apartment in New York was ***** U.S. dollars, while in San Francisco, CA which ranked second highest, renters paid on average ***** U.S. dollars.

One of the main factors driving high rents across European cities is the same as any other consumer-driven business. If demand outweighs supply, prices will inflate. The drive for high paid professionals to be located centrally in prime locations, mixed with the low levels of available space, high land, and construction costs, all keep rental prices increasing. Renting in European cities In 2025, Munich was the most expensive city to rent a furnished studio among the 23 cities surveyed. At ***** euros per month, renting a studio in Munich cost nearly twice the price of a studio in Athens. For one-bedroom apartments or a furnished private room, the most expensive city was Amsterdam. Homeownership in Europe In many European countries owning your home is more commonplace than renting – for instance, in Romania, the homeownership rate is over ** percent. In the UK, affordability of housing is one of the leading housing concerns, with the majority of adults agreeing that first-time buyers getting on a property ladder is a very or somewhat serious problem.

The average monthly rent for all apartment types in the U.S. soared in 2021 and 2022, followed by a slight decline in the next two years. In April 2025, the monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment amounting to ***** U.S. dollars. That was an increase from ***** U.S. dollars in January 2021, but a decline from the peak value of ***** U.S. dollars in August 2022. Where are the most expensive apartments in the U.S.? Apartment rents vary widely from state to state. To afford a two-bedroom apartment in California, for example, a renter needed to earn an average hourly wage of nearly ** U.S. dollars, which was approximately double the average wage in North Carolina and three times as much as the average wage in Arkansas. In fact, rental costs were considerably higher than the hourly minimum wage in all U.S. states. How did rents change in different states in the U.S.? In 2024, some of the most expensive states to rent an apartment only saw a moderate increase in rental prices. Nevertheless, rents increased in most states as of April 2025. In West Virginia, the annual rental growth was the highest, at ***** percent.

VITAL SIGNS INDICATOR List Rents (EC9)

FULL MEASURE NAME List Rents

LAST UPDATED October 2016

DESCRIPTION List rent refers to the advertised rents for available rental housing and serves as a measure of housing costs for new households moving into a neighborhood, city, county or region.

DATA SOURCE real Answers (1994 – 2015) no link

Zillow Metro Median Listing Price All Homes (2010-2016) http://www.zillow.com/research/data/

CONTACT INFORMATION vitalsigns.info@mtc.ca.gov

METHODOLOGY NOTES (across all datasets for this indicator) List rents data reflects median rent prices advertised for available apartments rather than median rent payments; more information is available in the indicator definition above. Regional and local geographies rely on data collected by real Answers, a research organization and database publisher specializing in the multifamily housing market. real Answers focuses on collecting longitudinal data for individual rental properties through quarterly surveys. For the Bay Area, their database is comprised of properties with 40 to 3,000+ housing units. Median list prices most likely have an upward bias due to the exclusion of smaller properties. The bias may be most extreme in geographies where large rental properties represent a small portion of the overall rental market. A map of the individual properties surveyed is included in the Local Focus section.

Individual properties surveyed provided lower- and upper-bound ranges for the various types of housing available (studio, 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom, etc.). Median lower- and upper-bound prices are determined across all housing types for the regional and county geographies. The median list price represented in Vital Signs is the average of the median lower- and upper-bound prices for the region and counties. Median upper-bound prices are determined across all housing types for the city geographies. The median list price represented in Vital Signs is the median upper-bound price for cities. For simplicity, only the mean list rent is displayed for the individual properties. The metro areas geography rely upon Zillow data, which is the median price for rentals listed through www.zillow.com during the month. Like the real Answers data, Zillow's median list prices most likely have an upward bias since small properties are underrepresented in Zillow's listings. The metro area data for the Bay Area cannot be compared to the regional Bay Area data. Due to afore mentioned data limitations, this data is suitable for analyzing the change in list rents over time but not necessarily comparisons of absolute list rents. Metro area boundaries reflects today’s metro area definitions by county for consistency, rather than historical metro area boundaries.

Due to the limited number of rental properties surveyed, city-level data is unavailable for Atherton, Belvedere, Brisbane, Calistoga, Clayton, Cloverdale, Cotati, Fairfax, Half Moon Bay, Healdsburg, Hillsborough, Los Altos Hills, Monte Sereno, Moranga, Oakley, Orinda, Portola Valley, Rio Vista, Ross, San Anselmo, San Carlos, Saratoga, Sebastopol, Windsor, Woodside, and Yountville.

Inflation-adjusted data are presented to illustrate how rents have grown relative to overall price increases; that said, the use of the Consumer Price Index does create some challenges given the fact that housing represents a major chunk of consumer goods bundle used to calculate CPI. This reflects a methodological tradeoff between precision and accuracy and is a common concern when working with any commodity that is a major component of CPI itself. Percent change in inflation-adjusted median is calculated with respect to the median price from the fourth quarter or December of the base year.

As of October 2024, Cluj-Napoca had the highest rent for one-room apartments, on average, renting a studio apartment costs 400 euros per month. Arad was the most affordable city to live in on the given list — 220 euros per month, even reaching an average of 180 euros in January and February 2024.

The average monthly rent of apartments in California increased substantially 2021, followed by a period of stabilization. In May 2024, the average rent of a two-bedroom apartment cost over 2,200 U.S. dollars, up from 1,849 U.S. dollars in December 2020 before rents started to rise. Nevertheless, not all cities saw rents rise at the same pace.

Virginia (VA) has the 19th highest rent in the country out of 56 states and territories. The Fair Market Rent in Virginia ranges from $701 for a 2-bedroom apartment in Grayson County, VA to $1,765 for a 2-bedroom unit in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area.

For FY 2024, the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area (Arlington County) rent for a studio or efficiency is $1,772 per month and $3,015 per month to rent a house or an apartment with 4 bedrooms. The average Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom home in Virginia is $1,056 per month.

Approximately 15% of Americans qualify for some level of housing assistance. The population in Virginia is around 2,038,847 people. So, there are around 305,827 people in Virginia who could be receiving housing benefits from the HUD. For FY 2025, the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area (Arlington County) rent for a studio or efficiency is $2,012 per month and $3,413 per month to rent a house or an apartment with 4 bedrooms. The average Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom home in Virginia is $1,059 per month.

Amsterdam is set to maintain its position as Europe's most expensive city for apartment rentals in 2025, with median costs reaching 2,500 euros per month for a furnished one-bedroom unit. This figure is double the rent in Prague and significantly higher than other major European capitals like Paris, Berlin, and Madrid. The stark difference in rental costs across European cities reflects broader economic trends, housing policies, and the complex interplay between supply and demand in urban centers. Factors driving rental costs across Europe The disparity in rental prices across European cities can be attributed to various factors. In countries like Switzerland, Germany, and Austria, a higher proportion of the population lives in rental housing. This trend contributes to increased demand and potentially higher living costs in these nations. Conversely, many Eastern and Southern European countries have homeownership rates exceeding 90 percent, which may help keep rental prices lower in those regions. Housing affordability and market dynamics The relationship between housing prices and rental rates varies significantly across Europe. As of 2024, countries like Turkey, Iceland, Portugal, and Hungary had the highest house price to rent ratio indices. This indicates a widening gap between property values and rental costs since 2015. The affordability of homeownership versus renting differs greatly among European nations, with some countries experiencing rapid increases in property values that outpace rental growth. These market dynamics influence rental costs and contribute to the diverse rental landscape observed across European cities.

This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (247 items: Carbonear; Newfoundland and Labrador; Corner Brook; Newfoundland and Labrador; Grand Falls-Windsor; Newfoundland and Labrador; Gander; Newfoundland and Labrador ...), Type of structure (4 items: Apartment structures of three units and over; Apartment structures of six units and over; Row and apartment structures of three units and over; Row structures of three units and over ...), Type of unit (4 items: Two bedroom units; Three bedroom units; One bedroom units; Bachelor units ...).

RealFacts Report, Market Overview, 2Q2014, 8/25/2014. Includes average asking rent and average occupancy.Average asking rent is average for all (studio, 1 bedroom/1 bathroom, 2 bedroom/1 bathroom, etc.).

Residential rental rates by municipality, year, and type of unit (bachelor suites, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom units) in non-subsidized rental buildings that have three or more rental units.

Brazil FipeZap House Asking Price Index: Rent: Average Price: Rio de Janeiro: 1 Bedroom data was reported at 37.790 BRL/sq m in Jun 2019. This records an increase from the previous number of 37.772 BRL/sq m for May 2019. Brazil FipeZap House Asking Price Index: Rent: Average Price: Rio de Janeiro: 1 Bedroom data is updated monthly, averaging 38.309 BRL/sq m from Jan 2008 (Median) to Jun 2019, with 138 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 50.504 BRL/sq m in Aug 2014 and a record low of 16.810 BRL/sq m in Aug 2008. Brazil FipeZap House Asking Price Index: Rent: Average Price: Rio de Janeiro: 1 Bedroom data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Institute of Economic Research Foundation. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Construction and Properties Sector – Table BR.EK014: Real Estate: FipeZap House Asking Price Index: Rent: Average Price.

The median monthly apartment rental rate for a one bedroom apartment in San Francisco Bay Area was the highest in Mountain View as of May 2023, at nearly 3,500 U.S. dollars. The median monthly rent for a one bedroom apartment in Vallejo, on the other hand, was aproximately 1,600 U.S. dollars per month.

The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Tokyo, Japan, was approximately ***** U.S. dollars per month. In comparison, the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Shanghai, China, was approximately *** U.S. dollars.

Brazil FipeZap House Asking Price Index: Rent: Average Price: Campinas: 1 Bedroom data was reported at 23.095 BRL/sq m in Jun 2019. This records a decrease from the previous number of 23.222 BRL/sq m for May 2019. Brazil FipeZap House Asking Price Index: Rent: Average Price: Campinas: 1 Bedroom data is updated monthly, averaging 23.872 BRL/sq m from Jan 2014 (Median) to Jun 2019, with 66 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 26.587 BRL/sq m in Feb 2016 and a record low of 22.157 BRL/sq m in Jan 2014. Brazil FipeZap House Asking Price Index: Rent: Average Price: Campinas: 1 Bedroom data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Institute of Economic Research Foundation. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Construction and Properties Sector – Table BR.EK014: Real Estate: FipeZap House Asking Price Index: Rent: Average Price.

The monthly median asking rent for unfurnished apartments in the United States rose by about ** U.S. dollars in 2024. In the third quarter of 2024, the median rent amounted to ***** U.S. dollars, up from ***** U.S. dollars in 2023. This increase was in line with a decade of steady growth, interrupted only in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and in 2023. The U.S. rental market As rental apartment vacancy rates fall, rents are on the rise. This makes it more difficult for Americans to, first, find an apartment to rent, and second, find an apartment which they can afford. Nevertheless, renting has become much more common in recent years, with the number of renter households having substantially increased in the past two decades. In 2024, there were approximately **** million renter households in the U.S. Rents in different states Of course, rents vary from state to state. The most expensive rents are found in Hawaii, California, District of Colombia, New Jersey, and Florida. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, growth was the strongest in the Sun Belt states, and especially in states with lower costs of living, such as Texas. In Austin, TX, the average rent soared by nearly ** percent in 2021, and remained elevated, despite a slight decline in 2023.

FipeZap: House Asking Price Index: Rent: Average Price: Rio Grande do Norte: Natal: 1 Bedroom data was reported at 47.544 BRL/sq m in Jul 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 48.253 BRL/sq m for Jun 2024. FipeZap: House Asking Price Index: Rent: Average Price: Rio Grande do Norte: Natal: 1 Bedroom data is updated monthly, averaging 45.383 BRL/sq m from Jan 2022 (Median) to Jul 2024, with 31 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 49.457 BRL/sq m in May 2024 and a record low of 33.771 BRL/sq m in Jan 2022. FipeZap: House Asking Price Index: Rent: Average Price: Rio Grande do Norte: Natal: 1 Bedroom data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Institute of Economic Research Foundation. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Real Estate Sector – Table BR.RKB008: Real Estate: FipeZap House Asking Price Index: Rent: Average Price.

FipeZap: House Asking Price Index: Rent: Average Price: Pará: Belém: 1 Bedroom data was reported at 66.103 BRL/sq m in Jul 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 64.458 BRL/sq m for Jun 2024. FipeZap: House Asking Price Index: Rent: Average Price: Pará: Belém: 1 Bedroom data is updated monthly, averaging 42.673 BRL/sq m from Jan 2022 (Median) to Jul 2024, with 31 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 66.103 BRL/sq m in Jul 2024 and a record low of 23.830 BRL/sq m in Jan 2022. FipeZap: House Asking Price Index: Rent: Average Price: Pará: Belém: 1 Bedroom data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Institute of Economic Research Foundation. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Real Estate Sector – Table BR.RKB008: Real Estate: FipeZap House Asking Price Index: Rent: Average Price.

Median prices for dwellings/townhouses, and apartments by their year of settlement for the City of Melbourne by CLUE Small area.