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Wages in America Are Too Low for the 30% Rule to Work for Renters Anymore

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Re: Wages in America Are Too Low for the 30% Rule to Work for Renters Anymore

#3
Not really. Rent is too high. It's not a problem unique to America. Rents in Munich, for example, have also doubled since 2012. A three-room apartment often costs between €2,200 and €2,700 per month in this city. For reference, that's close to an entire net salary for many, even for someone in the top 20% of earners in Germany, where salaries are relatively low and taxes are high. The median net income here is around €2,200 per month.

This has been a key factor in my fiancée's and my decision to move away, as it's simply unsustainable for families with children.

Re: Wages in America Are Too Low for the 30% Rule to Work for Renters Anymore

#7

Not really. Rent is too high. It's not a problem unique to America. Rents in Munich, for example, have also doubled since 2012. A three-room apartment often costs between €2,200 and €2,700 per month in this city. For reference, that's close to an entire net salary for many, even for someone in the top 20% of earners in Germany, where salaries are relatively low and taxes are high. The median net income here is around…

Both numbers matter though. Something is unaffordable only when you can compare the price and income.

Re: Wages in America Are Too Low for the 30% Rule to Work for Renters Anymore

#8

Not really. Rent is too high. It's not a problem unique to America. Rents in Munich, for example, have also doubled since 2012. A three-room apartment often costs between €2,200 and €2,700 per month in this city. For reference, that's close to an entire net salary for many, even for someone in the top 20% of earners in Germany, where salaries are relatively low and taxes are high. The median net income here is around…

That doesn’t really make sense with the point of the article being that someone could be spending less than 30% of their income on rent and still not have enough for their other expenses. If it was just rent being too high they would be over 30%. The suggestion here seems to be every expense is too high that even if you find the most dirt cheap sharehouse to reduce rent, you still might struggle.
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