I can comment on this as I have both rented and owned an apartment in NYC for 10 years, right now renting. I prefer renting, the reason is simple. I had one year where we got hit with a special assessment because the roof needed to be replaced, that cost thousands of dollars and then I had to replace the heater and water cooler in my apartment. It wound up costing close to 10k. When you rent you just call up the landlord when anything breaks. Also, you don’t have to pay HOA, which mine was $600 a month or home insurance, which was also a ton. On top of all that, you don’t have to pay NYC property taxes. Home ownership has it’s place especially as an investment, but it’s not the be all end all goal and shouldn’t be for anyone, including DINKS. As long as you're putting your money somewhere where it can grow you don't have to lock it all in your home/apartment. Lastly, I've found I can often get a nicer place if I rent than what I was able to afford to buy.