Near the Subway on a Budget: What a 1-Bedroom Costs
A short walk to the train is near the top of most NYC buyers' wish lists. Here's what a new one-bedroom close to the subway actually sold for at three budgets, which buildings and neighborhoods to look at, and how much space to expect.
Being close to the train is one of the things NYC buyers ask for most, and for good reason. A five-minute walk on a January morning is a very different commute from fifteen. If you're shopping for a new-construction one-bedroom and the subway is a must, here's what your budget can get you, and where.
The Short Version
- Around $700K: a typical one-bedroom of about 592 sq ft. Look in Long Island City, Bushwick, East Harlem, Williamsburg.
- Around $1M: about 640 sq ft. Look in Long Island City, Williamsburg, Upper West Side, Clinton Hill.
- Around $1.5M: about 761 sq ft, and 85% of these sales were in Manhattan.
- Being close to the train is common. 54% of recent one-bedroom sales in new buildings were within a 5-minute walk of a subway entrance.
- Walking farther doesn't buy much more space. At the same budget, one-bedrooms farther from the train were only slightly bigger.
How We Found These Buildings
We looked at 1,585 one-bedroom sales recorded since Jan 1, 2024 in new condo buildings, meaning buildings whose first sale from the developer closed in 2021 or later. These are real closing prices from city deed records, not asking prices. Only first sales from the developer count, not resales.
"Close to the subway" means a walk of 5 minutes or less to the nearest entrance you can actually enter. We measured it along real streets, not as the crow flies, at an easy 3-miles-an-hour pace.
Good to know: these are past sales, not listings. A building with homes that haven't closed may still have one-bedrooms for sale, or those homes may be in contract or rented out. Use the lists to start your search, then check what's on the market now.
What Can You Get for Around $700K?
Between $600K and $800K, we found 131 one-bedroom sales in 44 new buildings close to the subway. The median sale was $703,000 for 592 square feet, or $1,173 per square foot.
These buildings had the most one-bedroom sales in this range (at least 2 each):
| Building | Walk to the subway | 1BR sales | Median price | Median size | Homes closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucent 33Long Island City, Queens | 3 min to 36 St (M, R) | 13 | $746,750 | 558 sq ft | 58 of 64 |
| Four Fifty GrandClinton Hill, Brooklyn | 3 min to Clinton-Washington Avs (C) | 8 | $752,500 | 592 sq ft | 39 of 39 |
| Frame AstoriaAstoria, Queens | 5 min to Broadway (N, W) | 7 | $690,000 | 543 sq ft | 18 of 20 |
| Vista Noble TowerEast Harlem, Manhattan | 2 min to 110 St (6) | 6 | $657,413 | 620 sq ft | 31 of 42 |
| BensonhurstBensonhurst, Brooklyn | 3 min to 18 Av (N) | 6 | $681,432 | 630 sq ft | 8 of 20 |
| Park Lee FultonBedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn | 1 min to Franklin Av (C, S) | 5 | $700,000 | 631 sq ft | 7 of 11 |
| AlchemyLong Island City, Queens | 3 min to Vernon Blvd-Jackson Av (7) | 5 | $786,955 | 538 sq ft | 17 of 17 |
| SmithsonianHarlem, Manhattan | 4 min to 125 St (2, 3) | 5 | $650,000 | 587 sq ft | 53 of 55 |
| 1484 Dekalb AvenueBushwick, Brooklyn | 5 min to DeKalb Av (L) | 5 | $631,315 | 653 sq ft | 6 of 6 |
| 1020 Hancock StreetBushwick, Brooklyn | 3 min to Halsey St (J) | 4 | $627,500 | 628 sq ft | 8 of 8 |
Tip: search one-bedrooms up to $800K within 5 minutes of the subway to see what's in offering plans now.
Where to look: at this budget, most near-subway options are along the 7, N/W and M/R in western Queens, the L, J and M in North Brooklyn, and the 6 and 2/3 in Harlem. Plan on a compact home: the typical one-bedroom in these buildings was roughly 540 to 650 square feet.
What Can You Get for Around $1M?
Between $850K and $1.15M, we found 233 one-bedroom sales in 58 new buildings close to the subway. The median sale was $965,000 for 640 square feet ($1,521 per square foot). Queens had the most, 43% of these sales.
| Building | Walk to the subway | 1BR sales | Median price | Median size | Homes closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 720 West End AvenueUpper West Side, Manhattan | 2 min to 96 St (1, 2, 3) | 19 | $1,020,000 | 648 sq ft | 80 of 131 |
| VestaLong Island City, Queens | 3 min to 21 St (G) | 19 | $978,851 | — | 98 of 115 |
| Noble LicLong Island City, Queens | 5 min to 39 Av-Dutch Kills (N, W) | 18 | $913,039 | 622 sq ft | 42 of 46 |
| Mason LICLong Island City, Queens | 4 min to 21 St-Queensbridge (M) | 17 | $936,790 | 612 sq ft | 41 of 42 |
| Athena LicLong Island City, Queens | 3 min to Queensboro Plaza (7, N, W) | 15 | $946,973 | 579 sq ft | 44 of 51 |
| Lucent 33Long Island City, Queens | 3 min to 36 St (M, R) | 13 | $931,293 | 623 sq ft | 58 of 64 |
| RadiantLong Island City, Queens | 1 min to Queensboro Plaza (7, N, W) | 11 | $1,010,000 | 612 sq ft | 24 of 117 |
| 222 LES Tower + LoftsLower East Side, Manhattan | 4 min to East Broadway (F) | 8 | $973,450 | 634 sq ft | 19 of 60 |
| MonogramMidtown Center, Manhattan | 4 min to Lexington Av/51-53 Sts (6, E, F, M) | 8 | $1,063,078 | 529 sq ft | 96 of 188 |
| 30 Bushwick AvenueWilliamsburg, Brooklyn | 3 min to Grand St (L) | 7 | $907,203 | 618 sq ft | 21 of 22 |
Tip: search one-bedrooms up to $1.15M within 5 minutes of the subway to see what's in offering plans now.
Where to look: around $1M, your options widen. Think big new towers in Long Island City, Williamsburg and Clinton Hill, and a few Manhattan buildings. Brooklyn also has plenty of small boutique buildings with only a handful of homes.
What Can You Get for Around $1.5M?
Between $1.3M and $1.7M, we found 171 one-bedroom sales in 27 new buildings close to the subway. The median sale was $1,475,000 for 761 square feet ($1,934 per square foot). The top neighborhoods were Midtown Center, Upper West Side, Kips Bay, Gramercy Park.
| Building | Walk to the subway | 1BR sales | Median price | Median size | Homes closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MonogramMidtown Center, Manhattan | 4 min to Lexington Av/51-53 Sts (6, E, F, M) | 38 | $1,474,082 | 616 sq ft | 96 of 188 |
| 720 West End AvenueUpper West Side, Manhattan | 2 min to 96 St (1, 2, 3) | 22 | $1,437,500 | 806 sq ft | 80 of 131 |
| EastlightKips Bay, Manhattan | 5 min to 33 St (6) | 18 | $1,539,085 | 821 sq ft | 115 of 144 |
| The FlorianGramercy Park, Manhattan | 4 min to 1 Av (L) | 15 | $1,525,000 | 695 sq ft | 39 of 54 |
| BergenBoerum Hill, Brooklyn | 4 min to Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr (2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, N, Q, R) | 14 | $1,492,500 | 825 sq ft | 91 of 105 |
| 96+BroadwayUpper West Side, Manhattan | 1 min to 96 St (1, 2, 3) | 13 | $1,460,000 | 773 sq ft | 74 of 131 |
| ONE11 ResidencesMidtown Center, Manhattan | 2 min to 57 St (M) | 12 | $1,380,000 | 559 sq ft | 98 of 99 |
| ElisaChelsea, Manhattan | 1 min to 14 St/8 Av (A, C, E, L) | 6 | $1,522,500 | 786 sq ft | 23 of 25 |
| Archive LoftsUpper East Side, Manhattan | 4 min to Lexington Av/59 St (4, 5, 6, N, R, W) | 5 | $1,512,101 | 740 sq ft | 17 of 35 |
| FifteenUpper West Side, Manhattan | 2 min to 96 St (B, C) | 4 | $1,596,226 | 875 sq ft | 20 of 21 |
Tip: search one-bedrooms up to $1.7M within 5 minutes of the subway to see what's in offering plans now.
Where to look: at $1.5M, you're mostly shopping for a Manhattan one-bedroom near the train, or a roomier one-bedroom in Brooklyn. Several of these buildings sit by stations with three or more lines, which makes getting around easier.
Will You Get More Space If You Walk Farther?
Not much. We compared one-bedrooms close to the subway with one-bedrooms farther away, at the same budget:
- Around $700K: 616 sq ft farther from the train, 24 sq ft more than close by (185 sales).
- Around $1M: 677 sq ft, 37 sq ft more (131 sales).
- Around $1.5M: 766 sq ft, 5 sq ft more (72 sales).
If the subway matters to you, there's little reason to trade it away for a few extra square feet. Curious why? See does living near the subway raise NYC condo prices?
Before You Buy
- Do the walk at rush hour. Find the closest entrance and check that it's open all day. Some entrances close at night or are exit-only.
- Think about the line, not just the minutes. A short walk to one local line can be a slower commute than a longer walk to an express stop.
- Check for an elevator at the station if you need one. Not every station is accessible.
- Ask what's still available. Your agent or the sales office can tell you which one-bedrooms are left and at what price.
- Read Schedule A and the amendments. Prices often change after a plan is filed. Here's how to find offering plan amendments.
- Add up the monthly costs. Common charges and taxes change what a home really costs. Compare buildings with our common charges and property tax benchmarks.
Tip: every building in the tables links to its page, with the offering plan, Schedule A prices and recorded sales.
Common Questions
Can I buy a new one-bedroom condo near the subway in NYC for $700,000?
Yes. Since Jan 1, 2024, we found 131 one-bedroom sales between $600K and $800K in new buildings within a 5-minute walk of the subway. The most common neighborhoods were Long Island City, Bushwick, East Harlem, Williamsburg.
How big is a $1 million one-bedroom in a new NYC condo?
In new buildings close to the subway, the median one-bedroom sold between $850K and $1.15M had 640 square feet, based on 233 recorded sales.
Where are new $1.5 million one-bedrooms near the subway?
Mostly in Manhattan: 85% of the sales we found in that range were in Manhattan, led by Midtown Center, Upper West Side, Kips Bay, Gramercy Park.
How did you measure the walk to the subway?
Along real streets, from the building to the nearest subway entrance open for entry, at about 3 miles an hour. "Close" means 5 minutes or less.
Method: one-bedroom homes (per Schedule A) whose first deed from the sponsor was recorded in ACRIS between Jan 1, 2024 and Aug 31, 2026, in buildings whose first sponsor sale closed in 2021 or later. Deeds were matched to Schedule A units by unit number; resales and deeds under $100,000 are left out. Square feet are as filed in Schedule A, before any amendment. Walks are to the nearest MTA subway entrance that allows entry (MTA Subway Entrances and Exits, 2024), routed on OpenStreetMap's street network at 80 meters a minute. Bands: $600K–$800K, $850K–$1.15M and $1.3M–$1.7M. Tables list up to 10 buildings with at least 2 one-bedroom sales in the band. "Homes closed" counts recorded sponsor sales against the homes in the plan. Neighborhoods are from each building's map point. Recorded sales are not listings or offers, and past prices don't promise future ones.
Cite This Research
The Condo Book Project, “Near the Subway on a Budget: What a 1-Bedroom Costs,” Condo Book Research, updated Oct 12, 2026, https://www.condobooknyc.com/research/new-condos-near-subway-one-bedroom-budget.html.
The figures are recomputed from the plan records each time the site is rebuilt, so cite the date you read them.