URL SEO: Better directory structure vs. exact keyword phrase

[MH19]

I am trying to understand how to best optimise a url for a page to rank high for specific keywords. Example: a top keyword search is "rental properties in new york".

Question is does this keyword need to appear as this exact phrase in the url or should it be broken up into different directories for a better structure e.g.:

www.abc.com/en/properties/new-york/rental OR

www.abc.com/en/rental-properties-in-new-york

Which will help the page rank higher (given all other things on the page are exactly the same)?

Thanks!

[WilliamKammer]

The difference in the ranking strength of those two URLs is negligible. Your decision should probably be made by deciding whether or not you're going to build out those directories and have the content to do so.

Having /properties/new-york/rental suggests you having multiple properties in New York, some of which are rentals. If a visitor went to /properties/new-york, would they see a page with multiple New York properties, some for sale and some for rent? If the visitor just went to /properties, would there be multiple regions for people to browse through?

If you have the content and ability to do that, then build it out with the subdirectories. If you don't, then focus on that single page with the keyword as the slug.