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

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  (#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.
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  (#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.
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  (#12) Tom Haverford

  • Parks and Recreation

  The Apartment:

  Tom always seems to have tastes far beyond his means. His Pawnee, IN, apartment is no exception. More than likely a one-bedroom unit, it's almost too hip with luxury decor and furnishings.

  The Income:

  Employed in a mid-level position for small-town government, Tom should not be able to afford his apartment or lifestyle. He probably makes between $20,000 and $30,000 a year. In Indianapolis, IN, a one-bedroom costs around $800 a month. While that major city is surely larger and more cosmopolitan than fictional Pawnee, it's easy to assume Tom would pay around that much for his very chic apartment.
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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.
• 

  (#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.
• 

  (#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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