Bang For Your Buck
Dallas slays other top 10 cities on cheap rent for tiny apartments
You may be torn on whether to rent or buy in Dallas, but one thing's for sure: If you rent, you're getting more for your money here than pretty much any other big city in the country.
According to Zillow, the average monthly cost of a 500-square-foot rental apartment in Dallas is $480. That's an absolute steal compared to New York City, where the same tiny dimensions will run you a whopping $2,250, or San Francisco, which comes in at $1,640. In fact, of the top 10 rental markets in the nation, Dallas has the lowest rental cost per square foot (only 96 cents).
We barely edge out Houston and its average rental cost of $483 (97 cents per square foot). The next lowest market is Chicago, but even then the numbers jump up about $150. Denver, Seattle, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Boston round out the most popular rental cities, but their costs aren't nearly as low as those from the Lone Star State.
All that extra dough might come in handy for your next vacation. If you're looking for an affordable summer rental, try Myrtle Beach, South Carolina ($460), and Wilmington, North Carolina ($406), for a good deal.
Otherwise, be prepared to shell out big bucks for a 500-square-foot-rental in Laguna Beach, California ($1,712), or Lahaina, Hawaii ($1,350). And if you only have $500 to spend, forget about Malibu. That rate will only get you 144 square feet.