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Comment by Glyptodon | Hacker News Reader

Why 2-br instead of 1-br/studio?

Families do exist, you know- even in San Francisco!

I thought the same thing too, but I guess if there's two of you working, then two minimum-wage jobs "should" work. You can apply the same sort of reasoning by assuming 2 people are paying for it

Still frustrating that people will somehow defend the minimum-wage/rent disparity.

I agree that getting by in SF on minimum wage jobs is likely impossible, but at the same time for most of human history separate bedrooms have been a luxury.

It'd be interesting to find out if two people could afford a studio or 1-br for 4 jobs or fewer. (I'm guessing not, but you never know.)

For most of human history indoor plumbing has also been a luxury.

Though you're right that a 1-br + living space should be "decent" for 2 people (the 2-br probably has a living +kitchen too, so is probably not bad in living arangements). Studios are usually a pretty tight fit (euphemism) for 2 people I'd think though.

I've lived in a couple of studios with my previous SO, for something like 3-4 years. In a huge number of ways I prefer it to live living in a 2 bedroom like I do now (however I much prefer living with my wife, so....)

It enforces a minimalist aesthetic, excellent cooperation, solid space management and living a good chunk of your life out of the house. Which makes for a nice lifestyle.

However your mileage may vary (and I think it certainly matters that we chose to live this way, and where not forced to...)

I don't know what size your studio was, but as a student I've been in studios around 18m2, and I fill it up well enough with my own stuff. Might be more due to my hoarder personality than other things

Perhaps because a 2br is typically less than 2x a 1br. So you can divide these numbers by two and also give the city an affordability benefit-of-doubt that people would pool living spaces.

Even if a 2-br is less per room than 1-br, with minimum wage jobs I'd think you'd be looking at lowest cost, not most efficient price.

A larger, more efficiently priced unit can be shared by multiple people, reducing the distinction between "most efficient price" and "lowest cost".

Good point. I guess you could look at map as a count of how many people need to share a 2 bedroom if you view it that way.

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