It's Mo' Money for Some Real Housewives of New York, Already Mo' Problems for Others

While three of the show's castmembers get big pay raises, the two newbies to the series get a fraction of their salaries for their first season

LuAnn de Lesseps, Sonja Morgan and Ramona Singer didn't only make the cut when their former costars got the axe from The Real Housewives of New York City, they're raking in much more dough. 

The three ladies wound up with a big pay raise for the new season of the reality series, jumping from $275,000 for the season to much higher, an inside source tells E! News.

Oh, and there's already drama brewing between the old and new castmembers.

So what are they all making? And who's fighting now?

According to our source, who is close to Bravo, the Countess, Ramona and Sonja have inked deals that will net each of them $500,000 for the 16-show season and two-episode reunion special.

"It sounds like a lot, and it is, but considering what it's broken down to, it's not outrageous," our insider says. "They now have three new women doing this for very cheap. Ramona and the countess were happy they got rid of Jill and the others because this freed up the budget to get them paid more."

Officially, Bravo is mum on the money situation, telling E! News, "We do not comment on the financials."

So what are new castmembers Carole Radziwill, Heather Thomson and Aviva Drescher pulling in?

Accoding to our source, they've signed deals for $100,000 apiece for the season.

"The show has a set amount of budget for all the women, if Bravo gives 80 percent to one woman and two percent to another, it's just how they operate," the source explains. "They're getting millions of viewers a week, when you break it down into episodes the new ladies are not making that much."

As for the veterans bringing the drama now that Jill Zarin, Kelly Bensimon and Alex McCord (and hubby Simon Van Kempen) are gone, it's already happening.

Our source says that the series began taping Monday in the Big Apple and that just one day later, Sonja was already giving the new gals the cold shoulder at an event inside the Atlman Building.

"Sonja was presenting at the GLAAD Amplifier Awards, which is like an advertising awards show, and the new ladies were there and Sonja and Ramona were forced to speak and hang out with them and it was all very awkward and cold, which is making for good footage already," the source says.

"In addition to that, Ramona and the Countess are now thick as thieves and are best friends so it will be interesting to see how that plays out."

PICS: Before They Were Housewives