I defy you to find a 2 bedroom apartment in a non-crappy neighborhood in any major American city for less than $1k. Even smaller cities won’t make that cut - it’s tough to find that in Columbus, let alone Denver or Dallas.
You can always trade off commute time or access to jobs and culture for lower rent. It’s pointless to complain about more desirable cities being more expensive; if you want to live in a popular area it’s going to cost you more.
Goalposts are moving quickly. $1500 in 2011 is closer to $1800-2000 in 2018. And where did under $1k come from?
I own a newer construction 2Br condo in midtown Atlanta with a 24-hour doorman, pool, dedicated parking, and skyline views and my monthly payment including HOA is about $1300. Brand new 2Br apartments in the building next door start around $1700. Just some more anecdata.
No they aren’t. I’m putting a baseline on hyperbole: at $1000 today, you’d be close to the bottom of the market for a 2 bedroom apartment in any desirable market in the US. The OP paid (in 2018 dollars) only twice the minimum, in a fairly desirable part of one of the economic, cultural and business capitals of the world.
Basically, you have ridiculous standards if you think Prospect Park is crappy, and your price expectations are irrational. Even you admit that your next-door neighbors will be getting roughly the same deal...but they’ll be in Atlanta, not NYC. It’s fine if you don’t like NYC, but you seem to have trouble accepting that a great many people do like it enough to pay more for it.
Also, let’s talk about moving the goalposts: you’re comparing ownership and renting as if they’re the same thing.
You can always trade off commute time or access to jobs and culture for lower rent. It’s pointless to complain about more desirable cities being more expensive; if you want to live in a popular area it’s going to cost you more.