It seems that all the nice neighborhoods are stacked up with high-end apartment buildings on every block. They look expensive, with their shimmering pools, 24-hour fitness and wellness centers, and on-site theatre rooms and cafés. Could you possibly afford to live there? With many amenities included in the price of rent, like the use of the fitness center, sports courts, yoga classes, the pool, movies, dinner parties and even free coffee, you might just decide to reassess your monthly rental budget.
The national average rent in a high-end building is around $1,640 per month, about $490 more than an apartment in a low-end building. However, these broad-based averages do not mean much, as prices can vary by thousands of dollars from one city to another. Here’s how much it costs to rent a high-end apartment in the 30 largest cities:
Besides location, the apartment size is another important variable. For the same price as a luxury studio in San Francisco, you can rent a luxury 3-bedroom apartment in San Diego. In 12 cities you can rent a luxury studio for under $1,200 per month, and in 11 cities $1,500 gets you a high-end two-bedroom.
Take a look at what it costs to rent a high-end apartment from El Paso, Texas to New York City or jump to the city table below to check prices by apartment size:
1. El Paso, TX
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $976
- Price range: $852 (1-bed) to $1,194 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: -1.3%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $291
2. Oklahoma City, OK
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $1,024
- Price range: $872 (studio) to $1,295 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: -0.9%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $368
3. Las Vegas, NV
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $1,102
- Price range: $838 (studio) to $1,322 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +18.4%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $284
4. Louisville, KY
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $1,123
- Price range: $832 (studio) to $1,500 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +4.9%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $312
5. Memphis, TN
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $1,134
- Price range: $988 (studio) to $1,476 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +8.8%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $486
6. Phoenix, AZ
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $1,154
- Price range: $999 (studio) to $1,378 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +16.3%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $351
7. Jacksonville, FL
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $1,173
- Price range: $1,010 (studio) to $1,434 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +12.9%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $347
8. San Antonio, TX
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $1,176
- Price range: $1,029 (studio) to $1,537 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +5.4%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $351
9. Indianapolis, IN
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $1,191
- Price range: $1,137 (studio) to $1,394 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +11.3%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $453
10. Charlotte, NC
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $1,247
- Price range: $1,157 (studio) to $1,455 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +11.0%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $347
11. Columbus, OH
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $1,319
- Price range: $992 (studio) to $2,047 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +10.0%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $528
12. Dallas, TX
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $1,428
- Price range: $1,165 (studio) to $2,049 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +7.4%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $524
13. Austin, TX
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $1,432
- Price range: $1,247 (studio) to $1,891 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +6.7%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $371
14. Houston, TX
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $1,448
- Price range: $1,229 (studio) to $1,848 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +1.8%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $608
15. Nashville, TN
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $1,513
- Price range: $1,410 (studio) to $1,745 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +14.1%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $502
16. Detroit, MI
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $1,652
- Price range: $1,061 (studio) to $1,878 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +21.7%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $769
17. Portland, OR
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $1,691
- Price range: $1,378 (studio) to $1,950 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +9.0%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $484
18. Baltimore, MD
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $1,742
- Price range: $1,384 (studio) to $2,123 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +0.4%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $680
19. Denver, CO
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $1,756
- Price range: $1,399 (studio) to $2,439 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +8.4%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $499
20. Philadelphia, PA
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $2,197
- Price range: $1,623 (studio) to $3,677 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +8.2%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $925
21. Seattle, WA
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $2,261
- Price range: $1,723 (studio) to $3,595 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +13.2%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $644
22. San Diego, CA
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $2,376
- Price range: $1,847 (studio) to $3,105 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +14.8%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $704
23. Chicago, IL
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $2,465
- Price range: $1,747 (studio) to $4,905 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +4.8%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $1,078
24. Washington, DC
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $2,591
- Price range: $1,952 (studio) to $4,670 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +1.8%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $841
25. San Jose, CA
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $2,849
- Price range: $2,262 (studio) to $3,716 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +8.7%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $637
26. Los Angeles, CA
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $3,028
- Price range: $2,181 (studio) to $5,201 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +9.7%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $1,093
27. Brooklyn, NYC
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $3,285
- Price range: $2,630 (studio) to $5,728 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: N/A
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $1,352
28. Boston, MA
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $3,526
- Price range: $2,579 (studio) to $5,630 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +5.3%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $1,048
29. San Francisco, CA
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $4,132
- Price range: $3,157 (studio) to $6,812 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: +4.2%
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $1,125
30. Manhattan, NYC
- Average rent in a high-end apartment: $4,416
- Price range: $3,179 (studio) to $8,163 (3-bed)
- Change in high-end rents in the last 3 years: N/A
- Price difference compared to a low-end apartment: $1,035
Check the average rent in high-end apts by size in 30 cities
Use the drop-down boxes to select the number of bedrooms and the city you want to see. Add and delete bedrooms and cities to compare multiple selections at once.| Bedrooms | City | Average Rent | 3-yr Price Change | Rent Diff High-End vs Low-End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Austin, TX | $1,247 | 4.4% | $379 |
| 1 | Austin, TX | $1,242 | 8.4% | $309 |
| 2 | Austin, TX | $1,585 | 6.6% | $403 |
| 3 | Austin, TX | $1,891 | 7.8% | $251 |
| ALL | Austin, TX | $1,432 | 6.7% | $371 |
| 0 | Baltimore, MD | $1,384 | -5.6% | $513 |
| 1 | Baltimore, MD | $1,616 | -1.9% | $661 |
| 2 | Baltimore, MD | $1,870 | 0.5% | $776 |
| 3 | Baltimore, MD | $2,123 | 9.9% | $825 |
| ALL | Baltimore, MD | $1,742 | 0.4% | $680 |
| 0 | Boston, MA | $2,579 | 5.0% | $634 |
| 1 | Boston, MA | $3,245 | 5.4% | $936 |
| 2 | Boston, MA | $4,197 | 7.0% | $1,589 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $5,630 | 13.5% | $1,817 |
| ALL | Boston, MA | $3,526 | 5.3% | $1,048 |
| 0 | Brooklyn, NYC | $2,630 | - | $1,110 |
| 1 | Brooklyn, NYC | $3,165 | - | $1,322 |
| 2 | Brooklyn, NYC | $3,868 | - | $1,500 |
| 3 | Brooklyn, NYC | $5,728 | - | $2,196 |
| ALL | Brooklyn, NYC | $3,285 | - | $1,352 |
| 0 | Charlotte, NC | $1,157 | 8.6% | $401 |
| 1 | Charlotte, NC | $1,116 | 12.8% | $338 |
| 2 | Charlotte, NC | $1,305 | 12.4% | $380 |
| 3 | Charlotte, NC | $1,455 | 10.4% | $389 |
| ALL | Charlotte, NC | $1,247 | 11.0% | $347 |
| 0 | Chicago, IL | $1,747 | 4.9% | $657 |
| 1 | Chicago, IL | $2,259 | 4.2% | $895 |
| 2 | Chicago, IL | $3,170 | 5.6% | $1,432 |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | $4,905 | 12.2% | $2,932 |
| ALL | Chicago, IL | $2,465 | 4.8% | $1,078 |
| 0 | Columbus, OH | $992 | 2.5% | $423 |
| 1 | Columbus, OH | $1,147 | 10.5% | $459 |
| 2 | Columbus, OH | $1,412 | 5.9% | $585 |
| 3 | Columbus, OH | $2,047 | 9.5% | $1,043 |
| ALL | Columbus, OH | $1,319 | 10.0% | $528 |
| 0 | Dallas, TX | $1,165 | 6.5% | $423 |
| 1 | Dallas, TX | $1,265 | 9.3% | $442 |
| 2 | Dallas, TX | $1,695 | 7.5% | $682 |
| 3 | Dallas, TX | $2,049 | 5.6% | $932 |
| ALL | Dallas, TX | $1,428 | 7.4% | $524 |
| 0 | Denver, CO | $1,399 | 6.0% | $368 |
| 1 | Denver, CO | $1,599 | 10.3% | $478 |
| 2 | Denver, CO | $2,024 | 10.0% | $626 |
| 3 | Denver, CO | $2,439 | 14.2% | $794 |
| ALL | Denver, CO | $1,756 | 8.4% | $499 |
| 0 | Detroit, MI | $1,061 | 17.1% | $330 |
| 1 | Detroit, MI | $1,454 | 28.6% | $660 |
| 2 | Detroit, MI | $1,950 | 17.2% | $943 |
| 3 | Detroit, MI | $1,878 | 41.6% | $360 |
| ALL | Detroit, MI | $1,652 | 21.7% | $769 |
| 1 | El Paso, TX | $852 | 2.2% | $227 |
| 2 | El Paso, TX | $1,021 | -2.6% | $299 |
| 3 | El Paso, TX | $1,194 | -3.8% | $321 |
| ALL | El Paso, TX | $976 | -1.3% | $291 |
| 0 | Houston, TX | $1,229 | -6.0% | $593 |
| 1 | Houston, TX | $1,278 | 1.3% | $536 |
| 2 | Houston, TX | $1,647 | 2.6% | $708 |
| 3 | Houston, TX | $1,848 | 4.3% | $698 |
| ALL | Houston, TX | $1,448 | 1.8% | $608 |
| 0 | Indianapolis, IN | $1,137 | 13.2% | $565 |
| 1 | Indianapolis, IN | $1,056 | 9.8% | $397 |
| 2 | Indianapolis, IN | $1,233 | 11.3% | $458 |
| 3 | Indianapolis, IN | $1,394 | 8.1% | $476 |
| ALL | Indianapolis, IN | $1,191 | 11.3% | $453 |
| 0 | Jacksonville, FL | $1,010 | 9.9% | $430 |
| 1 | Jacksonville, FL | $1,029 | 14.8% | $301 |
| 2 | Jacksonville, FL | $1,230 | 12.2% | $366 |
| 3 | Jacksonville, FL | $1,434 | 12.5% | $414 |
| ALL | Jacksonville, FL | $1,173 | 12.9% | $347 |
| 0 | Las Vegas, NV | $838 | 19.9% | $218 |
| 1 | Las Vegas, NV | $970 | 19.9% | $216 |
| 2 | Las Vegas, NV | $1,145 | 18.8% | $260 |
| 3 | Las Vegas, NV | $1,322 | 18.2% | $315 |
| ALL | Las Vegas, NV | $1,102 | 18.4% | $284 |
| 0 | Los Angeles, CA | $2,181 | 7.4% | $700 |
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA | $2,602 | 8.4% | $761 |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | $3,773 | 15.0% | $1,307 |
| 3 | Los Angeles, CA | $5,201 | 7.3% | $1,932 |
| ALL | Los Angeles, CA | $3,028 | 9.7% | $1,093 |
| 0 | Louisville, KY | $832 | 2.1% | $188 |
| 1 | Louisville, KY | $947 | 9.6% | $223 |
| 2 | Louisville, KY | $1,127 | 4.1% | $308 |
| 3 | Louisville, KY | $1,500 | 4.0% | $398 |
| ALL | Louisville, KY | $1,123 | 4.9% | $312 |
| 0 | Manhattan, NYC | $3,179 | - | $595 |
| 1 | Manhattan, NYC | $4,000 | - | $732 |
| 2 | Manhattan, NYC | $5,911 | - | $1,429 |
| 3 | Manhattan, NYC | $8,163 | - | $2,077 |
| ALL | Manhattan, NYC | $4,416 | - | $1,035 |
| 0 | Memphis, TN | $988 | - | $409 |
| 1 | Memphis, TN | $977 | 9.3% | $377 |
| 2 | Memphis, TN | $1,202 | 11.8% | $548 |
| 3 | Memphis, TN | $1,476 | 6.6% | $718 |
| ALL | Memphis, TN | $1,134 | 8.8% | $486 |
| 0 | Nashville, TN | $1,410 | 13.3% | $630 |
| 1 | Nashville, TN | $1,390 | 13.4% | $488 |
| 2 | Nashville, TN | $1,678 | 17.5% | $614 |
| 3 | Nashville, TN | $1,745 | 17.9% | $468 |
| ALL | Nashville, TN | $1,513 | 14.1% | $502 |
| 0 | Oklahoma City, OK | $872 | - | $321 |
| 1 | Oklahoma City, OK | $926 | 1.6% | $334 |
| 2 | Oklahoma City, OK | $1,102 | -2.7% | $395 |
| 3 | Oklahoma City, OK | $1,295 | -1.1% | $450 |
| ALL | Oklahoma City, OK | $1,024 | -0.9% | $368 |
| 0 | Philadelphia, PA | $1,623 | 16.8% | $587 |
| 1 | Philadelphia, PA | $1,956 | 7.3% | $835 |
| 2 | Philadelphia, PA | $2,582 | 11.1% | $1,213 |
| 3 | Philadelphia, PA | $3,677 | 10.5% | $1,448 |
| ALL | Philadelphia, PA | $2,197 | 8.2% | $925 |
| 0 | Phoenix, AZ | $999 | 21.2% | $347 |
| 1 | Phoenix, AZ | $1,053 | 18.6% | $294 |
| 2 | Phoenix, AZ | $1,212 | 17.1% | $328 |
| 3 | Phoenix, AZ | $1,378 | 16.7% | $268 |
| ALL | Phoenix, AZ | $1,154 | 16.3% | $351 |
| 0 | Portland, OR | $1,378 | 2.2% | $381 |
| 1 | Portland, OR | $1,583 | 8.0% | $445 |
| 2 | Portland, OR | $1,921 | 16.5% | $632 |
| 3 | Portland, OR | $1,950 | 18.5% | $494 |
| ALL | Portland, OR | $1,691 | 9.0% | $484 |
| 0 | San Antonio, TX | $1,029 | 11.2% | $410 |
| 1 | San Antonio, TX | $1,007 | 7.0% | $289 |
| 2 | San Antonio, TX | $1,275 | 5.8% | $351 |
| 3 | San Antonio, TX | $1,537 | 2.1% | $410 |
| ALL | San Antonio, TX | $1,176 | 5.4% | $351 |
| 0 | San Diego, CA | $1,847 | 13.0% | $534 |
| 1 | San Diego, CA | $2,081 | 15.8% | $566 |
| 2 | San Diego, CA | $2,500 | 14.7% | $647 |
| 3 | San Diego, CA | $3,105 | 20.3% | $964 |
| ALL | San Diego, CA | $2,376 | 14.8% | $704 |
| 0 | San Francisco, CA | $3,157 | 5.2% | $908 |
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $3,709 | 4.1% | $767 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $4,899 | 5.0% | $1,069 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $6,812 | -2.9% | $2,639 |
| ALL | San Francisco, CA | $4,132 | 4.2% | $1,125 |
| 0 | San Jose, CA | $2,262 | 9.8% | $567 |
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $2,536 | 8.5% | $511 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $3,090 | 11.1% | $660 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $3,716 | 8.4% | $830 |
| ALL | San Jose, CA | $2,849 | 8.7% | $637 |
| 0 | Seattle, WA | $1,723 | 12.4% | $440 |
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $2,146 | 14.3% | $516 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $2,884 | 15.0% | $937 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $3,595 | 21.6% | $1,211 |
| ALL | Seattle, WA | $2,261 | 13.2% | $644 |
| 0 | Washington, DC | $1,952 | 1.7% | $393 |
| 1 | Washington, DC | $2,337 | 1.1% | $629 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $3,307 | 3.0% | $1,294 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $4,670 | 9.8% | $2,736 |
| ALL | Washington, DC | $2,591 | 1.8% | $841 |
Methodology:
This report was prepared by RENTCafé, a nationwide apartment search website that enables renters to easily find apartments and houses for rent throughout the United States. By working with the top property management companies in the country, RENTCafé’s search tool delivers a comprehensive list of available rental properties and detailed information on prices, amenities, and availability.
The rent data used in this report was provided by Yardi Matrix, a business development and asset management tool for brokers, sponsors, banks and equity sources underwriting investments in the multifamily, office, industrial and self-storage sectors. Rental rate coverage is for Market Rate large-scale multi-family properties of 50 units or more. Fully-Affordable properties are not included in the Yardi Matrix rental surveys and are not reported in rental rate averages. Rent rates are current as of March 2018.
Property ratings are based on Yardi Matrix’s definition and classification of the apartment market by rental household segments. High-end or luxury rental properties are those that fall into the discretionary (Class A+/A) and high mid-range (Class A-/B+) class categories. Low-end properties are those properties rated Class B and below.
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Yardi Matrix must be behind the times… Looking at what they consider to be high-end i’m not sure most would agree. I priced out 6 high-end locations in Seattle last month (traveled there to view each unit in person) for a “middle of the road” 2br unit and the prices stayed roughly around 2900-3800, and the $3800 unit was only priced that low because of a 2 month rent-free concession that when spread across 12 months reduced the rent to 3800 (The real price was around $4100). When looking in Austin the prices were much better, but much higher than what Yardi reported. It was from $2300-3200 for a 2br.
The difference is likely that I was looking at high-rise complexes
The average prices in this article include studios to 3-bedroom apartments in large buildings of 50 or more units which have a rating of B+ or above. Prices are current as of March 2018.
Statistics can serve useful comparisons. Sometimes the can be misleading or not represent the final price.
Currently looking for a place in Boston. Rate as you want but consider this:
Some places require and list using brokers (one months rent fee).
Parking spot is extra (if it is available).
Rents vary based on availability (large number of universities). Low availability in July and August tons available in September.
50 unit complex is common in Houston, not in Boston. Distance from central business and population density is dramatically different.
When looking for a place, the final price is much higher than the list price, it is a teaser in Boston.
Nadia, I don’t see Miami on this list – is that an omission?