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

• 

  (#6) Hannah Horvath

  • Girls

  The Apartment:

  Hannah lives in a two-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn's trendy Greenpoint neighborhood. While the place isn't incredibly lavish, it's a palace by New York City standards. The living room is generous enough to fit sofas, chairs, and a television. The kitchen is well-equipped, and the bedrooms are of moderate size.

  The Income:

  A roommate (first Marnie, then Elijah) usually occupies the other bedroom in Hannah's apartment, but even with someone sharing the rent, the monthly expenses should put Hannah in the poorhouse – especially considering her erratic work history and the low-paying nature of many of her jobs. Seriously, she's a barista, public school teacher, and freelance writer. An average price for a similar apartment would be about $3,000 a month, meaning Hannah would have to make $60,000 a year to afford her half.
• 

  (#2) Carrie Bradshaw

  • Sex and the City, The Carrie Diaries, Sex and the City 2, Sex and the Matrix, Sex and the City

  The Apartment:

  Carrie lives in a one-bedroom apartment on the Upper West Side. Chic and comfortable, the space also has ample closet space. Exterior shots show the building is a classic New York City brownstone.

  The Income:

  A columnist for The New York Star, Carrie presumably earns a median writer's salary of about $38,000 a year, while an Upper West Side one-bedroom costs about $3,000 a month. To be fair, Carrie mentions her unit is rent-controlled; she only pays $750 a month in rent. But figure in the cost of everything else – utilities, cable, cab rides, endless cosmos, and that famous designer wardrobe – and there's no way the main character can afford her life.
• 

  (#3) Max Black

  • 2 Broke Girls

  The Apartment:

  Max and Caroline's Williamsburg apartment is meant to look cheap, but it's clearly not. It's huge by New York City standards, even though Caroline sleeps in the living room. The place is always in a state of disarray, but even the clutter is strangely unrealistic. And there's a yard, which is incredibly rare and fiscally impossible. 

  The Income:

  The girls are supposed to be broke; they waitress at a local diner. However, a one-bedroom Williamsburg apartment is around $3,500 a month. Waitresses living on tips would struggle to afford that sort of rate.
• 

  (#1) Monica Geller

  • Friends

  The Apartment:

  Monica's massive apartment on Friends is gorgeous. There are high ceilings, exposed brick, floor-to-ceiling windows, a balcony, a large kitchen and dining area, and two sizable bedrooms. The apartment is especially impressive when compared to Joey and Chandler's place across the hall. It's much more modest but still too expensive for an often-unemployed actor and a mid-level finance guy.

  The Income:

  Apartments like Monica's are virtually impossible to find in the real New York City, NY. A super-conservative estimate prices a two-bedroom in her neighborhood at about $5,000. A more realistic price for an apartment that size is around $14,000 per month. Monica holds various chef positions, but a sous chef's salary in the Big Apple is only about $56,000 a year.
• 

  (#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.
• 

  (#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.

New Random Display    Display All By Rank