Random TV And Movie Characters Who Can't Afford Their Homes (12 items)

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  (#5) Mia Dolan From 'La La Land'

  The Apartment:

  La La Land is meant to be at least somewhat unrealistic; the characters are dreamers and everyone spontaneously bursts into song. But the poshness of Mia's apartment exceeds the bounds of believability. The place appears to be a refurbished Old Hollywood flat with multiple bedrooms. The unit is impeccably decorated in bold colors, expensive furnishings, and wall murals.

  The Income:

  For most of the movie, Mia is a barista and struggling actress. Roughly estimating, she takes home about $16,000 a year. The rent for a stylish four-bedroom unit in Los Angeles, CA, would be around $6,000, though. Split four ways, that's $1,500 each. And Mia only makes $1,333 a month.
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  (#11) Mindy Lahiri

  • The Mindy Project

  The Apartment:

  Mindy's one-bedroom apartment is a New York City gem with ample space and a lush boudoir. Mindy's place is decorated in a trendy and modern style, but is also feels lived-in and homey.

  The Income:

  The title character is a doctor, so her income (which would be around $200K a year) is substantial. But it'd be a struggle to stretch a doctor's paycheck to cover Mindy's shopping habits and abode. Her apartment would cost around $2.5 million to purchase.
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  (#9) Ted Mosby

  • How I Met Your Mother

  The Apartment:

  This New York City, NY, apartment is far beyond Ted's means. His unit is a two-bedroom with generous windows and a fireplace. Located on the Upper West Side, the flat also has exposed brick walls, a piano, and a separate workspace area.

  The Income:

  Ted is an architect, so it stands to reason he isn't bringing home chump change. Still, an apartment that size might be a financial burden. A similarly-sized Upper West Side apartment may cost about $3,500. With Ted's paycheck, which is probably around $4,900 a month, he would have to scrimp and save to afford the bare necessities.
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  (#10) Kimmy Schmidt

  • Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

  The Apartment:

  Kimmy and Titus share a one-bedroom basement apartment in Brooklyn, NY. Titus has the bedroom, and the title character sleeps in a closet. In the unit, there's a small kitchen, living area, and bathroom. Landlady Lillian calls the unit a "garden-level maisonette."

  The Income:

  The space is small and a bit dank, but still, it would demand a small fortune in New York City. A one-bedroom in that neighborhood usually calls for around $3,200 a month. Neither of those characters are consistently employed, and when they are, they don't rake in the dough. At one point, Kimmy works as an Uber driver; a median salary for a NYC Uber driver is around $3,700 a month. Assuming she's covering the rent (because Titus's full-time job is being Titus), that doesn't leave much left over.
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  (#7) Danny Tanner

  • Full House

  The House:

  Danny Tanner houses his entire immediate family, some of his extended family, and a friend in an enormous home in San Francisco, CA. The space has three bedrooms upstairs, a huge finished basement and attic, and a small living room alcove that also serves as Joey's bedroom. Oh, and the kitchen is massive, and there is a yard big enough for Comet, the Tanners' pooch, to run and play.

  The Income:

  Even with all the adults living in the house and, presumably, contributing to the mortgage, it would still be expensive. A similar home in the same Western Addition neighborhood sold a few years ago for nearly $2.9 million, creating a $14,000 mortgage. Danny hosts a morning talk show, Jesse is a musician, and Joey is a stand-up comic. Plus, they're raising three kids who come with expenses of their own.
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  (#8) Dana Barrett

  • Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters II, Ghostbusters III

  The Apartment:

  A penthouse unit on Central Park West, Dana's apartment is colossal, especially because she doesn't have roommates. There's a living room with views of the city, a large bedroom, and an absolutely massive kitchen.

  The Income:

  Dana is a symphony musician, so it's hard to imagine how she affords her spot, even in the 1980s. A one-bedroom in the same building sold for nearly $1.3 million in 2014. Symphony musician salaries can vary, ranging from a few thousand dollars a year to upwards of $150K. Still, though, if Dana wanted that apartment today, she'd have to be incredibly creative to make rent.

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