[judge2020]

It also matters where and how far you are from things. Walkability is a big draw, so if you're within a mile of a major district with tons of food, entertainment, and culture, chances are any well-kept apartment building will raise their prices to account for that (and account for you not having a monthly car payment or auto insurance payment), and if this chef is within a few blocks of their work, it's not hard to believe their rent could be over 3,000 a month or 50%+ of their income (although, typically, management companies want to see your gross income be 3x or more of the rent).

[RHSeeger]

> if you're within a mile of a major district with tons of food, entertainment, and culture

If you're within a mile of _that_, it seems reasonable to define the housing in that area as "prime" and expect it to cost a lot more than further away. The fact that rents for that housing has a cost that is prohibitive for the vast majority of people doesn't seem odd to me.

[judge2020]

This is why I'm replying to a comment stating "I'm curious about the details". Without someone explaining their debts or where they live, we're guessing and arguing about what could drive someone to live in a 400 sqft studio where they make 3x the rent but still live paycheck to paycheck. You pay to live in that area. Even if we vastly increase the supply, these areas will always have an order of magnitude more demand than some apartment complex outside the city's beltway because living in these complexes allows you to drop your car dependency.