*Looking for the most recent stats on how much it costs to own a 2 bedroom in NYC? Click here for updated numbers!*

Welcome back to my series “How Much Does It Cost to Own”!

Each month, we’ll be looking at different sized apartments to get a sense of what the “median” apartment in either Manhattan or Brooklyn would cost. This series should give you an idea of whether or not you’re in the “ballpark” for the kind of apartment you might want. 

Keep in mind that these figures represent the median for all building types. So coops, condos, walkups, elevators, doorman and non-doorman, amenities, low amenities, new development – they’re all looped in together. 

So let’s turn our attention this month to 2 bedrooms! 

Two bedrooms are essentially the “bread and butter” of the sales market in NYC and are the most in demand properties. But they also have some of the widest variations in pricing due to differences in bathroom counts and square footage. 

So for that reason, this edition has four rather than two infographics. But keep in mind that 2 bed/2 bath stats can be heavily skewed by luxury new developments. So don’t be too discouraged by the pricing for those! You can always contact me for more details on specific areas and property types. 

Now let’s get a visual on how median price and total monthly costs have shifted over time.

What’s Behind the Numbers? 

Manhattan

In Manhattan, the cost of owning a 2 bed/1 bath home is up compared to earlier this year, but only slightly. A lower median asking price is helping to offset higher interest rates and marginally higher monthly carrying costs.

The cost of owning a 2 bed/2 bath home in the borough is also higher compared to the prior period, but also only slightly. The median asking price is the same at $1,790,000, which is helping to moderate higher monthly charges and higher interest rates. 

Brooklyn 

The cost of owning a 2 bed/1 bath in Brooklyn has gone up more meaningfully compared to Manhattan thanks to across the board increases. The median asking price, interest rates and monthlies are all higher compared to the prior period. 

And the cost of owning a 2 bed/2 bath apartment has really jumped compared to March 2025. In addition to higher monthly charges and interest rates, the median asking price increased by $70,000. 

Rent vs Buy

If you’re doing the rent versus buy comparison for Manhattan, owning makes more sense when it comes to 2 bed/1 bath apartments. The reason? The average rent for a 2 bed in the borough was $7,134 during the month of June. This is nearly $800 more than owning. And if current trends continue, rents are going to keep going up. 

Like Manhattan, owning beats out renting when it comes to 2 bed/1 bathroom apartments. The average rent for a 2 bedroom in the borough was $5,221, so renters could save themselves more than $1000 per month by switching to home ownership. 

But for 2 bed/2 bath apartments, renting easily beats out owning. The price difference of $2600 is similar to what we saw back in March 2025. And once again, that’s far lower than the difference is in Manhattan. But it’s still pretty large. So renting makes much more sense unless you’re likely to stay in place for a long time frame (e.g. more than 5 to 7 years). 

However, keep in mind that just like Manhattan, the ownership figure includes luxury new developments, which have price points well in excess of $2 million. So take this information as a general indication of whether or not you should investigate further and not conclusive evidence as to whether or not you should or shouldn’t buy. 

Speaking of which…

If you want to see some specific listings in each area or get specific market stats, get in touch! You can contact me here.