Woman Opens Manhattan Apartment Window—No One Ready for the ‘View’
4 hours ago
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A video showing a woman squeezing her phone through a narrow gap in her Manhattan apartment window has shocked viewers on TikTok, offering a glimpse into the realities of small-space living in New York City.
The clip, posted by user aliceandthecity1 and viewed more than 19 million times in a week, begins with on-screen text reading: “POV, you have a studio flat in Manhattan.”
The 26-year-old creator struggles to maneuver around a bulky air-conditioning unit before finally pushing open a gap of just a few inches.
She then extends her phone outward to capture a partial street view below, captioning the video: “No further questions.”
A follow-up video reveals more about the apartment, which the creator describes as a compact, all-in-one living space.
“This is the window situation. I don’t think it opens—that’s why I open it from the side,” she says, adding that the unit includes a small kitchen, workspace and bathroom.
She notes that her rent has risen to $3,000 per month, but maintains the location makes it worthwhile compared to apartments in areas like Brooklyn, which are cheaper but outside of Manhattan.
Financial Pressure
The video has resonated with viewers familiar with New York’s notoriously tight living conditions and high rents.
According to reporting by The Times, “Median rent for a New York apartment is $3,599 a month,” highlighting the financial pressure many residents face for limited space.
The same report adds that, “for such hefty sums, apartments are notoriously small,” reflecting a common trade-off between size and location in Manhattan.
Data also underscores how compact these spaces can be.
A report cited by Fox 5 New York found that “Manhattan, where the average new apartment measures 737 square feet,” ranks among cities with smaller average apartment sizes, reinforcing the constraints faced by renters in the borough.
‘Harry Potter had more room’
Online reactions to the TikTok video captured both humor and disbelief.
“Yes girl, let that NYC fresh air in,” a viewer remarked sarcastically amid more than 3,400 comments.
Another person chipped in: “GIRL I THOUGHT THAT WAS A DOLLHOUSE DOOR.”
A fellow pundit referenced a literary wizard famous for his cramped living quarters, noting, “Harry Potter had more room under the staircase.”
Despite the reactions, the creator appears content with her choice, emphasizing the value of living in central Manhattan over having more space elsewhere.
In her follow-up, she acknowledges she could find a larger apartment in another borough, but prefers to stay in the city’s core, calling her studio, “super worth it.”
The footage highlights a broader reality for many New Yorkers: limited space paired with high demand and rising costs.
As housing availability remains tight and prices continue to climb, small apartments like this one remain a common entry point for those determined to live in the city.
Newsweek has reached out to aliceandthecity1 for comment via TikTok. We could not verify the details of the case.
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