The Real Cost of Living Sex and the City Dreams in New York
Ever wondered if Carrie Bradshaw’s fabulously chaotic life could actually work in 2025? Us too. In honour of Sex and the City’s 27th anniversary (yes, we’re feeling old) and the launch of And Just Like That season three, new research is blowing the lid off just how much it would cost to live the classic “Carrie in NYC” lifestyle today. Spoiler alert: it’s pure fantasy.
Thanks to new data from Chicks Gold (the research pros behind this one), we finally have numbers to break down whether Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda could realistically afford their deliciously expensive New York lives in 2025— and trust me, it’s a far cry from the dreamy days of 1998.
Whether you’re Googling how much would Carrie Bradshaw’s lifestyle cost today, is the Sex and the City lifestyle realistic in 2025, or NYC influencer lifestyle cost 2025, here’s your answer.
Carrie Bradshaw: The Cost of a Cosmopolitan Life
Carrie’s 2025 lifestyle would set her back $81,798 a year (£61,014). Her biggest hits?
- Dining out 3x a week → $14,430 (£10,764)
- Smoking → $1,872 (£1,397)
- NYC rent (studio) → $50,988 (£38,037)
And her salary as a weekly columnist? Around $84,000 (£62,649). That leaves her with a mere $2,202 (£1,635) for groceries, utilities, taxis… oh, and Manolos. And let’s not forget — in season 4, she dropped $40,000 on shoes alone. So basically: Carrie would be broke.
If you’re asking: could Carrie Bradshaw afford her designer wardrobe today? The answer is… absolutely not. Not even close.
Miranda Hobbes: The Hustle Pays Off
Miranda fares much better. As a high-powered lawyer, she’d earn at least $171,000 (£127,559). Her social spending? Roughly $81,866 (£61,069), including:
- Coffee runs 5x a week → $1,820 (£1,357)
- Gym + marathon training → $1,959 (£1,462)
Conclusion: Miranda’s career still pays the bills in 2025 — with around $97K leftover. If anyone’s keeping that boss woman NYC life going today, it’s Miranda.
Samantha Jones: PR Queen on a Budget?
Our fave PR goddess Samantha would rake in $90,000 (£67,128), but her indulgent lifestyle still costs $81,866 (£61,069). Key costs?
- Cocktails 3x a week → $6,864 (£5,120)
- Wine at home → $2,080 (£1,551)
With only $8,134 left over after essentials, Sam would be stretching her budget tight today. And that’s before factoring in the killer designer wardrobe she’s known for.
Charlotte York: Park Avenue Princess Math
Charlotte’s elegant art-dealer lifestyle in 2025 = $79,926 (£59,610) a year. Income? $102,000 (£76,074). Regular splurges:
- Brunches 2x a week → $1,976 (£1,474)
- Daily cabs → $1,768 (£1,319)
She technically has $22K left, but let’s be honest: those Ralph Lauren and Dior fits weren’t cheap in 1998, and they’re even pricier now. She’s living beyond her means, darlings.
The 2025 Reality Check: Is the Sex and the City Lifestyle Still Possible?
In short: New York inflation has made Sex and the City’s fantasy life even more unattainable today than it was in the 90s. According to Chicks Gold:
✨ NYC’s cost of living has skyrocketed since 1998
✨ Dining out multiple times a week = a serious luxury now ($14K a year!)
✨ Even with modern salaries, the SATC girls would struggle to balance the books
Carrie’s iconic apartment, endless cocktails, and wardrobe of dreams? Fantasy. And that’s why the show still feels like escapism — not reality.
Why Sex and the City Still Reigns on TikTok & Beyond
With over 27 years of cult status, the SATC aesthetic is still everywhere on TikTok, Instagram, and Reels. Vintage Carrie moments? Viral. Shoe closet reveals? Aspirational. But the cold, hard truth is: living like Carrie in 2025 is an aesthetic, not an achievable goal— unless you’ve got serious $$$.
Sources
The characters’ 2025 salaries, Glassdoor: https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/index.htm
Average cost of rent, dining out, cocktails, smoking, brunch, coffee, and cab fees, Expatistan: https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/new-york-city#google_vignette
Average cost of gym membership and a bottle of wine, Numbeo: https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/New-York
Inflation calculator: https://www.calculator.net/
If you love these kinds of real-life TV + fashion deep-dives, stay tuned — more New York stories and retro-cool nostalgia coming soon to StephiLaReine.com 💫✨