The most expensive zip codes for renters in the US

There are some cities in the U.S. that are synonymous with pricey real estate -- and renters tend to take the brunt of the high costs.

But it gets even more granular -- some neighborhoods within America's most expensive cities are more than desirable, and consequently more expensive, than others -- and thanks to new data by RENTCafé, those zip codes have been revealed.

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Factors such as proximity to the water and transportation outlets, particularly vibrant social scenes, pull of strong industry and gorgeous architecture and infrastructure can vary vastly from zip code to zip code.

But some cities just happen to score high marks in all of these areas no matter what zip code you find yourself in — like one city that claims 12 out of the top 17 most expensive zip codes in the entire country.

Think you can guess what it is? Here's a look at the 17 most expensive zip codes for renters:

Unsurprisingly, Manhattan clinched the top three slots and another 9 on the list, making it the No. 1 most expensive city for renters as a whole.

The Battery Park City neighborhood clinched the top spot with an average rent of nearly $6,000 a month, which we can attribute to it being one of the only truly quiet parts of the city that never sleeps.

Another notable mention goes to the notoriously prestigious Upper East Side neighborhood of Manhattan, which lands renters with an average monthly payment of $4,898 a month, making it the second most expensive zip code in the country.

San Francisco gets a shout out with three cities in the top 17, with one making it to the top four. But for a city often characterized with impossibly high rent prices, we were surprised to find the city as a whole mentioned so scarcely throughout the data.

Whether you're a firm believer in the old adage that if you make it in New York, you can make it anywhere or just looking to explore a big city for a while until you figure out where you want to permanently settle down, you might want to start saving big time if you're thinking of jumping into Big Apple living.

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