Would it have been really expensive to rent an apartment in Santa Monica - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 04-08-2026, 07:48 PM

More specifically, an apartment that was by the beach in 1977 (the year that Three's Company first went on the air) dollars and within a "realistic" context? When I forward this question on Google, this is the response that I got:

Typical Beach Location: A two-bedroom unit three blocks from the beach in the Venice/Santa Monica area was rented for $175/month, rising to $475 by 1997.
"Three's Company" Estimate: A popular television show set during that time depicted a 3-person apartment costing roughly $300 a month in 1977/1978.
Comparison: While national median asking rent for new apartments was around $232 in 1977, desirable California beach locations were at a premium, though significantly lower than modern rates.

Again, if Google is accurate, then $300 in 2026 dollars, would cost approximately $1,500 to $1,600.

BestTVever · 04-09-2026, 06:45 PM

I find the estimates to not be credible. I lived in the poorer part of West Palm Beach, FL in 1997 and was paying more than $475 per month for a tiny apartment. Its hard for me to believe in one of California's most famous beach towns you could rent for less. I think the $300 rent in 1977 was probably fair. I think the Google response is way off.

04-08-2026, 07:48 PM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 124,493	Would it have been really expensive to rent an apartment in Santa Monica More specifically, an apartment that was by the beach in 1977 (the year that Three's Company first went on the air) dollars and within a "realistic" context? When I forward this question on Google, this is the response that I got: Typical Beach Location: A two-bedroom unit three blocks from the beach in the Venice/Santa Monica area was rented for $175/month, rising to $475 by 1997. "Three's Company" Estimate: A popular television show set during that time depicted a 3-person apartment costing roughly $300 a month in 1977/1978. Comparison: While national median asking rent for new apartments was around $232 in 1977, desirable California beach locations were at a premium, though significantly lower than modern rates. Again, if Google is accurate, then $300 in 2026 dollars, would cost approximately $1,500 to $1,600.

04-09-2026, 06:45 PM	#2
BestTVever Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 29, 2021 Location: Miami Posts: 1,874	I find the estimates to not be credible. I lived in the poorer part of West Palm Beach, FL in 1997 and was paying more than $475 per month for a tiny apartment. Its hard for me to believe in one of California's most famous beach towns you could rent for less. I think the $300 rent in 1977 was probably fair. I think the Google response is way off.