Wages continue to be frozen. Unemployment remains at more than 50 percent. And then there’s the cost of housing. In Manhattan, the average one-bedroom apartment costs $3,175 a month. The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $4,000. Meanwhile, the cost of a subway fare has nearly doubled over the last eight years — from a little more than a dollar to $1.50. A gallon of regular gas costs $3.99, up from $2.70 just four years ago. And if you need to visit the doctor, the average copayment has increased nearly 40 percent in the last decade. So, what is it about the city that makes life so expensive? Here’s a look at what a little government intervention — from local and federal regulations to foreign trade — has contributed to that price tag. Manhattan One-Bedroom Apartment Median Rent (2006-2010) $3,175 Manhattan Two-Bedroom Average Rent (2006-2010) $4,000 Cost of a one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan in 2006: $2,690.59 (The cost of a two-bedroom in Manhattan in 2006 was $3,000.99. A three-bedroom cost $4,295) NYPD Subway Fare (2005) Subway Fare (2008) Cost of 2 gallons of gas (2005) Cost of 2 gallons of gas (2008) Median Household Income ($1,500) Median Household Income ($2,000) Cost of a Subway Fare in 2006 $1.80 to 2.00 Cost of a Subway Fare in 2010 $2.15 to $2.50 The cost of a subway fare has nearly doubled over the last eight years, from $1.70 to $3.50. In 2005, the median household income was $51,500. By 2010, the number had risen only to $50,000. This story has been updated since it was originally published.