Your question is self-contradictory. You ask if rent control should exist, but then you say it should just be limited to a certain period of time. Those aren’t the same thing. You also seem to overvalue the ability to afford things that are nearby. Depending on various factors, an apartment complex can be located in either an area that has been zoned residential or an area that has been zoned commercial. You seem to be asking about apartments that are located in commercial areas. But the cost of products for sale in a commercial area can vary wildly. I live across the street from a mall. It has a Sears and a Swarovski. Which one should determine whether I can live here? And why do I have to shop in the same place I live? My parents make a ton of money. They also spend frugally, which means staying away from all of the expensive shops near to their home.