It costs thousands of dollars more a year for those living alone in the city compared to those living with a significant other, according to a Zillow study.
Valentine's Day can be bad enough for single people, this is just adding insult to injury.
A new report suggests that New York City singles living alone in a one-bedroom apartment are paying almost $20,000 more a year than someone living with their significant other.
Making matters just a little worse: That's the most in the country, meaning being anywhere else would at least be saving single folk some money.
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The study by Zillow found that single New Yorkers shelled out $19,500 more per year than couples living in the same place. Most of that money goes toward rent and food.
It's called a "singles tax" — which no, is not a real government tax from Uncle Sam. It's the price of covering rent and other expenses by yourself versus those who live with their partners.
| Regions Ranked by the Highest "Singles Tax" | One-Bedroom Price | "Singles Tax" | Couples' Savings |
| 1. New York City | $3,250 | $19,500 | $39,000 |
| 2. San Francisco | $2,352 | $14,114 | $28,227 |
| 3. San Jose | $2,067 | $12,401 | $24,801 |
| 4. San Diego | $1,962 | $11,774 | $23,549 |
| 5. Boston | $1,924 | $11,546 | $23,091 |
| 6. Washington | $1,917 | $11,501 | $23,000 |
| 7. Seattle | $1,800 | $10,779 | $21,597 |
| 8. Los Angeles | $1,652 | $9,913 | $19,825 |
| 9. Miami | $1,541 | $9,248 | $18,496 |
| 10. Honolulu | $1,540 | $9,241 | $18,481 |
| United States Average: | $1,163 | $6,976 | $13,953 |
Even being in the second-most expensive place for singles, San Francisco, would theoretically save individuals thousands of dollars every year. Nationwide, the so-called singles tax is about $7,000 — more than $12,500 less than NYC's.
It's even worse for those singles who live in Manhattan, the priciest borough, where that tax goes up to $24,000.
For those wondering what cities have the lowest singles tax, that would be Detroit and Cleveland, which respectively have a singles tax of $4,483 and $4,387.
"Living alone has its perks — you never have to share a bathroom, you have a claim to the TV at all times, and dirty dishes can stack up as long as you want, judgment free. But all that freedom comes with a cost," says Amanda Pendleton, Zillow home trends expert. "Even though rent prices are starting to cool, they are still significantly higher than they were a year ago. Renters considering going solo this year must decide how valuable living alone is to them, and if the cost is worth it."
Couples also save about $39,000 a year on average.
