Paying 2 months “Market Rate” when breaking lease, when rent agreement was $200.00 less per month

That’s pretty hard to determine. You can ask previous tenants or current tenants and/or you can ask the LL if he has kept any files. Chances are, you still won’t get enough information to use as proof for your case. With regard to your penalties for breaking the lease, you should check your lease agreement. Early termination penalties should be clearly stated there and since you signed it, then that means you consent to it. Maybe the reason why there is no security deposit is exactly because of the early termination fines. To give you an idea, the market rent would be comparable to the cost of rent in similar rental properties in your area. So maybe you can look around to determine the market rent. For more questions on market rent, you can always refer to your local housing or rental property department.