6 Months in Lisbon: Keep the NYC Apartment or Break the Lease?
The Three-Option Comparison
You’re going to Lisbon for 6 months. You have a $4,000/month NYC apartment. The math:
| Option | Total cost (6mo) | Logic |
|---|---|---|
| A: Keep apartment empty | $36,000 | $4K rent × 6 + $2K Lisbon × 6 |
| B: Sublet at 70% recovery | $19,200 | $1.2K rent × 6 + $2K Lisbon × 6 |
| C: Break lease + storage | $30,950 | $12K Lisbon + $11K break-fee+move + $1.2K storage + $6.75K re-entry Airbnb |
Option B wins by $11,750 vs option C and $16,800 vs option A. The arithmetic favors sublet for 6-month trips with strong sublet markets.
When Each Option Wins
The break-even shifts with trip duration and sublet recovery:
| Trip duration | Strong sublet (70%+) | No sublet (illegal) |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 months | A or B (close) | A |
| 3-6 months | B clear winner | A barely beats C |
| 7-9 months | B winning | C catches up |
| 10-18 months | B vs C close | C clear winner |
The takeaway: short trips reward keeping a home base (B if legal, A if not). Long trips reward severing the apartment (C). The middle months are flat-ish — go with whichever has fewer logistics.
Where this scenario doesn’t apply
- Pets, partners, dependents. Subletting with a partner staying changes the math entirely — the partner is paying rent, you can do option B with 100% recovery.
- Furniture you can’t replace. If your apartment has irreplaceable furniture or sentimental items, storage cost during option C is more than the $200/mo line item suggests — emotional cost matters too.
- Lease ending naturally during trip. If your 1-year lease ends in month 8 of a 12-month trip, option C becomes free (no break-lease fee). The math overwhelmingly shifts to C.
- Rent-controlled apartments. In NYC, SF, LA, breaking a rent-controlled lease and trying to find another rent-controlled unit later might be impossible. The “savings” from option C is illusory if you can’t replace the deal.
- Subletting via Airbnb. Even if technically legal, Airbnb subletting often violates lease language. Many tenants have been evicted for unauthorized short-term rentals. Verify your lease and your city law specifically.
What to actually do
- Read your lease before assuming sublet is allowed. Look for clauses on subletting, short-term rentals, occupancy by non-tenants. NYC and SF buildings often have these.
- Check city law on short-term rentals. Numbeo isn’t authoritative — your specific zoning matters.
- For 9+ month trips, default to option C unless you have strong attachment reasons.
- For 3-6 month trips with confirmed sublet rights, option B is almost always the answer.
- Pad re-entry estimate by 50% if returning to a tight market (SF, NYC, Boston in academic-cycle months).
- Pair with the Sabbatical ROI tool to see how housing decisions affect total sabbatical cost.
Open the Slow Travel vs Rent calculator → and run your specific months, rent, and sublet recovery numbers. The cheapest option flips at predictable thresholds — knowing yours saves $5-15K on a typical mid-length trip.
Quick answers
Why doesn't keep-empty ever win?
Because you're paying double-housing during the trip — current city full rent + destination accommodation. The math only works if (a) the trip is very short (1-2 months, where break-lease + storage costs dominate) or (b) sublet is illegal AND your lease is ending naturally so break-lease fee is $0. Otherwise, keep-empty is paying for a house you're not living in.
What's a realistic sublet recovery rate?
Depends on building rules and city. Major-city tech-friendly buildings (newer NYC luxury, SF SoMa highrises): 70-85% via Airbnb. Older buildings or co-ops with strict rules: 0% — sublet might be in violation. EU markets vary heavily — Berlin allows under specific conditions, Barcelona requires licenses, Amsterdam restricts to 30 days. Always check the lease language and local law BEFORE assuming you can recover anything.
When does break-lease become worthwhile despite the fee?
When the saved rent during your absence exceeds break-lease fee + storage + re-entry costs. For a $4,000/mo apartment with $8K break fee, 6 months of saved rent ($24K) easily exceeds the combined costs (~$11K + storage + re-entry). The crossover is typically around 4-5 months — past that, breaking is mathematically cheaper than keeping the apartment empty even before considering sublet.
How do I price the re-entry Airbnb risk?
Conservative: 1.5-2 months at full Airbnb rate in your home city. The risk: housing markets in expensive cities can be tight; finding a comparable apartment at the same rent might take longer than expected. SF/NYC at the wrong time of year (September school year start, May-July peak) could mean 2-3 months of $4-6K monthly Airbnb. Pad your re-entry estimate if you're returning to one of these markets.