According to data from Zillow, via NerdWallet, the average rent in the US was $1,958 in January 2024, making rent 29.4% more expensive than before the pandemic.
Of course, in some cities, rents are even higher. San Jose topped the list with an average rent of $3,177.
Recently, 31-year-old Ben Keenan (@ivebentraveling) did a bit of math and discovered that spending a month at an all-inclusive resort or living on a cruise ship just might come out to be a bit less expensive than the cost of living in his Seattle apartment, and it's giving people lots to think about.
Keenan showed his work in a TikTok video that's since been viewed over 5.5 million times. In it he says, "Have we ever considered that it's actually cheaper to live in an all-inclusive resort than it is to live in the apartments that we currently occupy?" Then, for full transparency, he breaks down his monthly spending on rent, groceries, utilities, going out, and more.
Next, Keenan scrolls through some all-inclusive resorts in Mexico, noting one that's priced at $4,500 for the month of April. "Yes, that's $500 more than what I normally spend on rent, but bear in mind, I'm not paying the most expensive rent out there compared to, like, what other people in Seattle might be paying, for example. Also, is that $500 worth me never having to do a single ounce of laundry or any of my cleaning or whatever?"
He also looks into a resort that costs $3,100 a month in the Dominican Republic and notes that a double room in a higher-end resort would absolutely be cheaper than his current expenses if he split it with a roommate.
He concludes the video by saying, "I just thought it was really interesting that there's a chance I could truly go live an all-inclusive lifestyle somewhere for approximately the same cost as all of my monthly expenses."
In the comments, many pointed out the recent trend of retirees opting to live on cruise ships as a more affordable option. So in a follow-up video, Keenan looked into whether a monthlong cruise would be cheaper than his typical month in Seattle.
Other commenters shared tips about booking long-term travel, like this former hotel employee who suggested negotiating a better rate on a monthlong stay.
And others pointed out that thanks to remote work, something like this could be totally doable for them.
I found this whole discussion really fascinating — and also pretty dystopian. We all know that it's expensive to live in the city, but I wouldn't have expected the costs to be so comparable to a luxurious resort. Like, you mean to tell me I could have a buffet and housekeeping for what I'm currently paying to make my own meals and do my own chores?? It's a lot to process.
Keenan told BuzzFeed that he was struck by how many commenters assumed that his spending must be outpacing his income. "People assumed that expenses like $2,300 for rent a month or $600 on dinner and drinks per month was 'living outside my means,'" he said. "The reality is that this is living in a city — rent is expensive and so are food and drink. A beer in Seattle will run you $8 alone, and a dinner out is easily approaching $100 per meal."
And he shared that his videos really came from a place of curiosity. "This all started as I was sitting at a brewery with my friends Jess and Geordan, and we were talking about how expensive just existing was getting nowadays. We started a bit of what we call 'what if–ing.' The question was, 'WHAT IF we had the money to just live somewhere where we didn't have to worry about any responsibilities but could just exist, 'like an all-inclusive resort on the beach'?"
"That quickly turned into, 'Wait, I wonder how much living at an all-inclusive would actually cost?' The sad reality then hit that a month abroad with the resort lifestyle is actually pretty comparable to the costs we're currently paying."
Finally, he said that comparing these costs made him think differently about his future. "Bluntly, many Gen Z and millennials don't see a future where they're able to afford the luxuries of our parents (2.5 kids, house with a white picket fence, etc.), so we need to be realistic about the hard truth that either a) that won't happen for us or b) that won't happen for us WITHIN the United States. International travel and becoming a true 'global citizen' has never been more of a retirement plan than it is right now."
