The Best Celeb-Owned NYC Apartments

There's a reason why so many of the glam reality shows that grace our trash-TV-loving screens are often set in New York City — it's a really, really expensive place to live. Actually, according to Time Out, it's the most expensive place to live in the entire country, despite the fears of many that the city would tank after the Covid-19 pandemic. A one-bedroom in the Big Apple will cost you an average of $2,810, with San Francisco's rent coming in a close second at $2,800.

But with its high-end designer stores, amazing luxury residential buildings, an abundance of historic landmarks, and tons of entertainment studios, it's also long been a hotspot for the stars. Many celebrities have picked bought apartments here for when they're in town, but they weren't exactly a bargain (by our standards, anyway.) Instead, these celebrities are doling out millions of dollars for apartments with way less square footage than mansions. However, what these apartments lack in space, they make up for in jaw-dropping details. Here are some of the most stunning celebrity homes in New York City.

Gigi Hadid may be known as a glam supermodel, but at home, it's boho vibes all the way. That's clear from her NoHo apartment, which Hadid expanded by purchasing two units. Specifically, she resides in 10 Bond Street in a building designed by Annabelle Selldorf, a cutting-edge German architect, reported New York Post. Hadid bought the first apartment, which has two bedrooms, back in 2015 for nearly $4 million after she fell in love with its substantial 10-foot ceiling, casement windows, and roomy kitchen ideal for a busy home cook. She then purchased the second apartment, a three-bedroom duplex with a 770-square-foot outdoor terrace ideal for entertaining, in 2018 for $5.82 million.

According to Hadid's Instagram post, she spent nearly all of 2019 flexing her interior design skills by creating her dream home. And right on time, as the pandemic that kept all of us at home wasn't far behind. Now, Hadid's home features creative elements like a couch with colorful cushions, a white kitchen with a marble backsplash and a wooden centerpiece filled with billiard balls; and a marble bathroom lined with a shower as big as a walk-in closet. It all seems to reflect the young model's fun-loving and glowing personality.

With its nearly 3,000 square feet, custom white oak floors, keyed elevator, and private foyer, Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner's Nolita condo is undoubtedly fit for a celebrity. But since the couple, who has a new baby, has mostly been spending time in their Los Angeles home, they attempted to offload their New York City pad for $6.5 million in mid-2020, according to Observer. However, it was to no avail, as the apartment has since been taken off the market after being relisted several times with price drops.

But that doesn't make this apartment any less beautiful. It features elegant touches like a white open kitchen adorned with marble counters and a breakfast bar, ideal for quick meals before heading to the set or studio. There's also a dining room and a living room with stunning views, as the space leads to a private outdoor area with a whopping 1,450 square feet. Plus, their suite has chic floor-to-ceiling windows, a walk-in closet with plenty of room for designer labels, and a relaxing bathroom with its own outdoor space.

Much to the dismay of its 7.4 million viewers, "Modern Family" graced screens for the final time in 2020. However, for Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who played Mitchell Pritchett on the hit sitcom, there was also a silver lining to the show's end. The former theater actor no longer had to live in Los Angeles and could spend more time in the Big Apple, reported Architectural Digest. So, he did. Ferguson and his husband Justin Mikita moved to New York City and bought a condo in a brand-new, modern Chelsea building filled with sunshine and tucked-away features.

They bought their two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom apartment at the d'Orsay for $3 million, reported Elle Décor, and made the 1,402-square-foot pad their own while still enjoying its best features. The building offers amenities like a 24-hour doorman, a personal elevator for optimum privacy, a fitness center and relaxing spa, and communal outdoor space on the top of the building that's outfitted with lush foliage and even more amazing views. However, despite the apartment's modern white and wood elements, Ferguson and Mikita wanted their new home to reflect their style, too. These days, it includes creative decorative details like a colorful furry mural, art from a local flea market, and pops of blue throughout the space.

It's been a long time since Taylor Swift's days in Nashville, where she started as a country singer. Now, she has an apartment in Tribeca at 153 Franklin Street that she shelled out $18 million for, despite its not-so-glamorous past. According to New York Post, it was previously owned by Dominique Gaston André Strauss-Kahn, the former head of the International Monetary Fund. After being charged with sexual assault and attempted rape, he was confined to house arrest.

However, there was a reason why Swift scooped up this four-bedroom penthouse. It's stunning, as it was designed by Leopoldo Rosati, an established and leading Italian architect and home designer. Thanks to Rosati, Swift enjoys chic home features like skylights that bring in tons of natural light, a galley kitchen with black and dark brown tones, and a staircase encased in glass for significant wow-factor. However, despite the three-story apartment's state-of-the-art elements, it has lots of classic charm, too. After all, it was built more than a century ago (vis Localize). It has a traditional brick façade and modern exterior, creating a welcoming entrance.

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These million-dollar New York City celebrity apartments don't have anything on Bette Midler's former palace at 1125 Fifth Avenue on the Upper East Side. With 14 separate spaces encompassing 7,000 square feet, as well as 3,000 square feet of outdoor living space, it's an apartment that most realtors will never get to see the likes of. Its price reflects that, too. According to The Real Deal, Midler and her husband – actor and director Martin von Haselberg – offloaded their home for a whopping $45 million after it sat on the market for nearly two years during the Covid-19 pandemic. Although the couple didn't get the $50 million that they had hoped for when they listed the six-bedroom triplex in late 2019, the price was still significant given the city's unrest during that time. Plus, it's presumed to be a huge gain for Midler and von Haselberg, who bought the apartment about 20 years prior.

Besides its sheer colossal size in a city tapped for space, the home in the building designed by Emery Roth also commanded that price for many other reasons. Among those, according to 6sqft, is the three-level home's enormous library with its own entrance to an outdoor area; a living space longer than a bowling lane; a lush outdoor terrace with birds-eye-views of Central Park; and classic design features that will stand the test of time.

The Flatiron penthouse that Jennifer Lopez purchased in 2014 for more than $20 million may be beautiful, but it's simply not ideal for a star who needs as much privacy as she does, according to New York Post. So for the past four years, she's been trying to unload it for varying prices (currently at $25 million) but hasn't received any competitive offers. It's located on the top of the century-old Whitman Mansion, a historic building at 21 East 26th Street with the best of both the old and the new with its cutting-edge features (via CityRealty).

Lopez might be stuck with her 9,500 square foot luxe abode for the time being, but let's just say she's not exactly suffering. The home has many high-end features, including floor-to-ceiling windows throughout, marble bathroom floors, and four separate outdoor spaces for every view possible of nearby Madison Square Park. Inside, pops of color and greenery give Lopez's home personality while it still stays modern in design.