Indian woman spends over ₹1 cr living in Manhattan, pays ₹10 lakh monthly rent; internet calls NYC life ‘overhyped’

Indian woman's video has gone viral as she talked about paying ₹10 lakh rent a month for a 2bhk apartment in NYC. She said that she is sharing the apartment with her partner.

Everyone wants a New York life, but how affordable is NYC really? An Indian-origin woman living in Manhattan has opened up about her monthly rent and living expenses as a couple. She sparked a conversation on the internet after revealing that she pays around $10,000 (around ₹10 lakh) monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment.

Rent in Manhattan

Popular finance influencer Sharan Hegde posted a video on Instagram. In the video, he visited the Manhattan apartment of a content creator, entrepreneur, Khushi Jain, who revealed her rental details. Jain said that she is paying "$10,000 per month." To this, Hegde quipped, “That’s like ₹10 lakh.”

The woman shared that rental apartments in Manhattan could possibly be more expensive, exceeding what she was paying. However, she said that cheaper options for around $8,000 to $9,000 are available in other boroughs.

Jain added that she couldn't find anything below $10,000 while searching for an apartment in NYC and eventually decided to move out of Manhattan.

Cheaper alternatives in New York

According to her, rental apartments in areas such as Brooklyn, Long Island City, Queens and Astoria might be possible for around $5,000 to $6,000 per month.

The two also discussed the cost of living in New York City. Hedge asked her how much one may need to live a comfortable life in NYC. Jain replied with what she pays as a couple.

Living expenses in NYC

Jain and her partner pay around $10,000 a month, including rent and other expenses, according to her. This brings her overall annual living expenses in NYC to $100,000 to $120,000, which is approximately ₹95 lakh to ₹1.14 crore a year.

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Netizens react

The video has left many divided on the internet. While some argued that the dollar-to-INR conversion isn't fair, a few simply called it overhyped.

Reacting to the video, a user wrote, "It’s not fair to convert to INR. It’s not an apples to apples comparison- income in NYC is next level. Rents are aligned to the income."

"Nahh you can literally get nice apartments with views like that within 5-6k," argued one.

Another said, "That’s completely untrue. You can get a nice 2b2b for 4-5k. With all amenities maybe 6k. 10k is overhyped. I say this as someone who has lived in NYC for 6 years. Just search Zillow and you’ll know the truth."

Someone else commented, "We should be converting it to ₹in first place as the salary is equally competitive and on higher end when compared to India (sic)."

A different user said, "New York is not for beginners."

Disclaimer: This article is based on social media generated content and is intended only for informational and educational purposes. Live Mint couldn't independently verify its claim and doesn't endorse them.

About the Author

Sneha Biswas specialises in covering entertainment and pop culture, with a specialisation on Bollywood, Hollywood, OTT platforms, K-pop, K-dramas, and major developments in the US entertainment industry. She believes in telling stories that balance speed with substance, and in making entertainment journalism contextual, culturally aware, and reader-first rather than purely reactive.<br><br> With over six years of experience in digital media, Sneha currently serves as a Deputy Chief Content Producer at Live Mint. She has spent more than three and a half years with the HT Group and returned to the organisation in February 2025, joining Live Mint to uplift the entertainment section. Over the past year, she has been closely involved in entertainment coverage including breaking news, explainers, trend reporting, box office reports and analysis for the audience.<br><br> Sneha is Google News certified, having completed training focused on newsroom best practices, digital reporting, and SEO-driven content strategies. Her work reflects a strong understanding of audience behaviour, search trends, and the evolving consumption patterns of entertainment news across formats.<br><br> Prior to her current role, Sneha has worked across multiple content and editorial functions within digital newsrooms, building expertise in content planning, editing, and real-time coverage. Her professional interests lie at the intersection of entertainment, internet culture, and global pop trends.<br><br> Working for the National city team, Biswas closely follows global entertainment movements while maintaining a strong pulse on what is happening in India.

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