Two friends are paying nearly $4,000 (£3,000) a month to share an apartment the size of a cubicle.
Emily Betz admits she doesn’t mind shelling out the eyewatering sum, with the dancer and fitness instructor hoping it leads to better things.
She posted a video tour of the property, which has been viewed over five million times.
READ MORE: ‘I paid over £1m to live next to bin bags full of rubbish but I have zero regrets’
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It showed the pokey property with a kitchen just wide enough to fit one person at a time.
It had a slightly wider bathroom.
But it doesn’t have a washing machine, meaning she has to do her laundry outside in the basement.
Despite that, Emily, 24, of Manhattan, New York City, was happy.
“I would not be able to afford a one-bedroom apartment on my own,” she told What’s The Jam.
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“I’m definitely forced to share.
“I currently live in a two-bedroom with my girlfriend who is my roommate.
“Our rooms are small and the storage space is small.
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“So a two-bedroom rather than a one-bedroom made the most sense for our current needs.
“The rent is definitely a struggle but New York City is a huge hot spot for dancers and performers.
“So, right now, living in New York makes the most sense for my personal goals.
“I do not plan to live here permanently.
“But I am soaking it all in while I am chasing my dreams as a professional dancer.”
She added she did keep an eye on other locations too.
Emily said: “I am constantly browsing other cities for fun and imagining where I could live within the same financial means.
“But nothing beats New York City.
“I love this city so much.
“I am so happy to be here and so lucky to be here as well.
“I think it is one of those things where you’re only young once and getting to live in the heart of New York City is a gift that many people dream of.”
But Emily did have doubts about whether the rent was worth it.
She added: “Because my career path makes the most sense in this city, it feels worth it for me at this time.
“But long term, probably not.
“As I am still training and auditioning as a performer right now, I think it is important for me to follow my dreams regardless of rent price.
“What I love about our apartment is not only that we live in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, a historically sought-after neighborhood that many people dream of, but we are also very close to Central Park.
“The location is amazing.
“Despite rent being extremely high, we do not have laundry in our unit, or an elevator in our building.
“The building has six floors, so you can imagine how it is to live on the top floor.
“Luckily, we do not.”
She added: “The laundry is in the basement of the building through an outdoor entrance, so doing laundry in the rain is not very fun.”
Some viewers were stunned.
One said: “That’s insane.
“I live in a three-bed house, front and back garden, driveway and pay £650 per month.”
Another added: “I’ll never understand why people pay insane amounts for rent on tiny little stupid apartments.
“My mortgage and new car payment are less in Colorado.
“4 bed 2 bath, huge fenced-in grassy yard with water system.
“Garage and 2 sheds.
“Renovated.
“Beautiful sunroom and patio.
“Like I truly don’t understand.”
And another said: “The no counter space would drive me insane.”
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