WHILE SOME CELEBRITIES have multi-million-dollar real estate portfolios, like Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey, others prefer to rent. Yes, some of the world’s most famous people answer to a landlord.
Sometimes A-Listers go down the rental route as it allows more flexibility for them to pack up and go with their busy global schedule, while others may not want to drop $20 million on just one property. Then there are instances where celebs have to rent in a specific location for a project —either to record an album or be nearby their film set—or because they’re going through a transitionary period. Most commonly, a break-up or divorce.
While there’s a myriad of reasons why some of Hollywood’s elite choose to be tenants, there’s no denying their rentals look a little different to ours. Just because they’re renters, doesn’t mean their living in a small flat-share. BAZAAR has rounded up the most glam celeb rentals below.
Related: Seven celebrities with outrageously expensive houses
Bad Bunny’s $150,000-a-month penthouse
New York
The New York Post has reported that Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny has signed a lease on a New York penthouse that’s a stunning AUD$237,375 (or USD$150,000) per month — which might just be the most expensive apartment to rent in the city. It comes with its own private rooftop lap pool, as well as sliding-glass curtain walls and plenty of outdoor space (426 square metres to be precise, in addition to the 422 square metres inside). There’s four bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms, a private driveway and parking, a library, terrazzo floors … need we say more?
Even more interestingly, the penthouse wasn’t even up for rent when Bad Bunny got his hands on it — it’s currently on the market for a cool AUD$29.3 million (or USD$18.5 million). But it seems the agents were willing to make a deal for the singer — just a couple of hundred thousand per month, right?
Related: Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny coordinate their looks for first public date
Justin Bieber’s $82,000 per month “salad spinner” home
Los Angeles
Before he married Hailey Bieber— and then bought and sold their $11.9 million Beverly Hills home —Justin Bieber was a young tenant. During his early twenties, the global pop star rented a penthouse in Beverly Hills but after a series of reported noise complaints —he packed up and left. Bieber decided to fork out a little more money in his budget for a more private and spacious residence. He rented an LA mansion, reportedly so he could “host wild parties without disturbing the peace.” His party palace apparently cost him $29,500 a month (AUD $40,000).
Following that property, the ‘Peaches’ singer rented another mansion in the same neighbourhood —one infamously known as the “salad spinner house” for its unique and windowed cylinder design. The six-bedroom, seven-bathroom and seven-car garage property —which also featured an infinity pool and an elevator —was $59,000 per month (AUD $82,000) back then.
Related: Justin Bieber and Hailey Bieber sell their Nora Ephron-inspired home for $11.9 million
The Kardashian-Jenner family’s reality show rentals
Malibu, Miami, New York, The Hamptons
The Kardashian-Jenners’ have no shortage of prime Los Angeles real estate —Kim recently bought the property next door to her lavish Hidden Valley home —but they too have rented throughout the years. Predominantly, for their reality show. During their spin-off series’, which would see some of the stars live in another destination for several months, they understandably signed a lease. Some of the glamorous locations included Malibu, Miami, New York and The Hamptons. The latter reportedly costing $295,000 (AUD $411,000) to rent just over the Memorial Day to Labour Day weekend in 2014.
But for the final season of their E! produced show, Keeping Up With Kardashians, the clan called on family friend and socialite, Diana Jenkins, to rent her $120 million (AUD $167 million) Malibu home. Providing the perfect backdrop for television royalty, the clifftop home —with private staircase to the Paradise Cove beachfront —also featured seven spacious bedrooms and ten bathrooms. It’s unclear, how much the Kardashian-Jenners rented it for.
Famously, Caitlyn Jenner also rented in Malibu towards the end of her marriage to Kris Jenner.
Related: Kim Kardashian buys ’70s-built home right next-door to her lavish mansion for $9 million
Tom Holland’s sky-high luxury condo
New York City
Earlier this year, Tom Holland purchased a home with girlfriend Zendaya in the salubrious and lush area of Richmond in London. But it’s not to say he doesn’t require a base in the US. According to the New York Post, the British actor has been renting a luxury condo in the architecturally stunning ‘Waterline Square’ in New York. The Euphoria star has also reportedly been spotted at the three-tower complex on the Upper West Side.
The multi-billion-dollar development was commissioned by three famous architects —Rafael Viñoly Architects, Richard Meier & Partners Architects and Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates. Each firm designed one of the three skyscrapers located along the Hudson River. Aside from modern and lavishly fitted room, the nearly five-acre residential development also features a slew of luxury amenities such as a skate park, bowling alley, squash and tennis courts, a recording studio, indoor soccer field and a 30-foot rock-climbing wall … just to name a few . It also starred in an episode of … And Just Like That.
While it’s unclear how much Holland is paying for his condo, the priciest rental at the complex is at approximately $23,250 (AUD $32,000).
Related: Tom Holland and Zendaya just bought a $5.7 million home in London together
Beyoncé and Jay Z’s $557,000 per month Mediterranean-style mansion
Malibu
Despite now owning an $88 million (AUD $121 million) mega mansion in Bel Air, Beyoncé and Jay Z have also previously been renters. The King and Queen of music have reportedly rented number of homes in the past, but “La Villa Contenta” is undoubtedly the most opulent of all — most literally as its design mimics a palace. With the pair’s combined wealth of more $1.4 billion (AUD $1.9 billion), is it any surprise though?
The Mediterranean villa situated in Malibu encompasses a main house —as well as two guest houses, with nine bedrooms all up. La Villa Contenta features a grand entrance, a media room, wine cellar and an even an indoor Roman-style pool —which could easily play host to a glamorous music video. There’s also a children’s wading pool just outside. But all these lavish amenities do come at the eye-watering rental price of $400,000 a month (AUD $557,000).
Related: Seven celebrities with outrageously expensive houses
Mariah Carey’s COVID-19 quarantine castle
Westchester County
Like many celebs and socialites based in Manhattan, Mariah Carey also fled the Big Apple at the onset of the pandemic. The ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’ singer brought her two children and “small team of staff” to a stunning isolation pad, which she rented for an undisclosed —yet undoubtedly —huge monthly sum. Located just outside New York City in Westchester Counter, the sprawling two-hectare estate features six bedrooms, seven bathrooms and four half-bathrooms —as well as a gourmet kitchen and grand staircase.
Set within a gated community, the mansion also has a high-tech security system for optimal privacy. However, it’s also appropriately landscaped for a pop star with its pool shaped like a Stradivarius violin. It reportedly took 15 months to build, with its spa and fibre-optic strands which light up to represent the instrument’s strings, and cost $1 million (AUD $1.4million). According to The Dirt, the property was bought back in 2012 by former executive Jay Dweck for $4.8 million (AUD $6.7 million) —who then “spent a fortune transforming the staid estate into a high-tech residential haven for the ultra-rich.”
