Should DC be #10 on List of Most Expensive Cities? (Arlington: apartments, condominium) - Northern Virginia - Virginia (VA) - City-Data Forum

normie · 10-23-2009, 12:23 PM

America's Most Expensive Cities - Forbes.com

OK, Nova is not DC. But, we're right next door and lots of us spend a lot of time in DC. So what do you think of this list?

DC is listed as #10, with the following notes:

World rank 2009: 66
World rank 2008: 107
Two-bedroom unfurnished luxury apartment rental: $1,700
One cup of coffee, including service: $3.50
Fast-food hamburger meal: $5.19

Is this accurate? Does a cup of coffee really cost $3.50 these days? And how interesting that our world rank has gone down so much in just a year. Is it really that less expensive to live here, or has it just gotten so much more expensive to live somewhere else?

Stephen 81 · 10-23-2009, 01:05 PM

I think Forbes is crazy if they think they can find a luxury two-bedroom apartment in DC for $1700 (or Arlington, or Bethesda, or Alexandria...). That's what a nice one-bedroom apartment would cost in most desirable neighborhoods.

Given all the posts in this forum and the DC forum about how expensive housing is here compared to Chicago and Texas, I find it hard to believe we are only the tenth most expensive city in the country. We can do better than that...at least number seven!

athousandlogins · 10-23-2009, 01:09 PM

A "luxury" 2 bed apartment in DC is $1700/month? No way. I'm sure there are plenty of apartments in that price range in the District, but not "luxury" ones.

Unless I'm reading this wrong, the world rank going down means that it has gotten more expensive here, not less. Right? I mean, if #1 is most expensive, then 66 is more expensive than 107. Though I'm known to get all topsy-turvy when people bring out numbers, LOL.

normie · 10-23-2009, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by athousandlogins

A "luxury" 2 bed apartment in DC is $1700/month? No way. I'm sure there are plenty of apartments in that price range in the District, but not "luxury" ones.

Unless I'm reading this wrong, the world rank going down means that it has gotten more expensive here, not less. Right? I mean, if #1 is most expensive, then 66 is more expensive than 107. Though I'm known to get all topsy-turvy when people bring out numbers, LOL.

Oh, I think you're right. My bad!

So in the eyes of the world we're getting more expensive all the time? Yikes!

South Jersey Styx · 10-23-2009, 01:24 PM

I find it hard to believe that Houston is more expensive than D.C. I have a friend who owns a mini-McMansion right outside of Houston and costs 1/2 of what I've seen in the DC-area. The food was much more affordable there and I do believe their gas was cheaper too.

And $1700 for a 2-BR luxury apt? Hah! Sounds more like a 1-BR in DC.

I've vacationed in Miami and the hotels there may have been costly but not as expensive as DC. What's up with White Plains, NY? Lots of wealthy families or celebrities there?

If I had to guess top 5 most expensive, my list would have been (no particular order):

* NYC
* Honolulu
* DC
* San Francisco
* LA

akorosdc · 10-23-2009, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by normie

Two-bedroom unfurnished luxury apartment rental: $1,700

Try replacing the "1" with a "2". And a large cup of coffee (as in drip coffee, not a venti vanilla carmel spiced machiatto with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles) is usually about $2.10 for most places I've been in the city.

jaunespinoza · 10-23-2009, 01:53 PM

I heard a 3 br in Manhattan averages 5500+- per month. It is 9500 in Hong Kong. DC is more expensive than Bangkok, Beijing, or Singapore, but less expensive than Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, London, and a long list of European Cities--especially now that the government printing presses are weakening the Dollar, by the day. I've been looking to buy a condominium in Thailand or Mexico, but I just bought one in Phoenix because it offered the most value.

ajzjmsmom · 10-23-2009, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen 81

I think Forbes is crazy if they think they can find a luxury two-bedroom apartment in DC for $1700 (or Arlington, or Bethesda, or Alexandria...). That's what a nice one-bedroom apartment would cost in most desirable neighborhoods.

Given all the posts in this forum and the DC forum about how expensive housing is here compared to Chicago and Texas, I find it hard to believe we are only the tenth most expensive city in the country. We can do better than that...at least number seven!

the cheapest apartment in Arlington is $1800 for 1 bd and it is not luxury plus whatever they charge for the privilege of parking, so I would think that $1700 is off quite a bit and Arlington isn't even DC

Ebck120 · 10-23-2009, 02:43 PM

DC is more expensive then Chicago

DiderotsGhost · 10-23-2009, 02:50 PM

DC is definitely in the top 10 of most expensive American metros. It's probably behind LA, the Bay Area, and possibly Hawai'i and South Florida.

Yes, I left NYC out of there intentionally --- it's debatable between NYC and DC at this point. Manhattan is without a doubt more expensive than DC proper, but the DC 'burbs tend to be more expensive than the Manhattan 'burbs. For instance, you could probably live in Jersey City cheaper than you could live in Arlington or Alexandria.