10 Cities Where Having a Roommate Will Save You the Most Money
Written by
Angela Mae
Edited by
Amber Barkley
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The average cost of rent in the U.S. is $1,755 for a 903-square-foot apartment, according to RentCafe. In some places, rental apartments go for $2,000, $3,000 or even more a month. That’s a hefty chunk out of anyone’s wallet, which is why having a roommate is so popular — and in some cases, essential to afford your cost of living.
The good news is having a roommate can save you quite a bit of money. SmartAsset ranked 100 of the largest cities in the country to determine in which cities having a roommate will save you the most money. The study compared the typical savings of someone sharing a two-bedroom apartment vs. renting a one-bedroom apartment on their own. Results are based on the idea of splitting the rent 50-50.
Here are the 10 cities where you could save the most money each month by having a roommate.
Chicago, Illinois
- Average one-bedroom rent: $2,020
- Average two-bedroom rent: $2,500
- Typical monthly savings with a roommate: $770
Santa Ana, California
- Average one-bedroom rent: $2,200
- Average two-bedroom rent: $2,840
- Typical monthly savings with a roommate: $780
Arlington, Virginia
- Average one-bedroom rent: $2,510
- Average two-bedroom rent: $3,400
- Typical monthly savings with a roommate: $810
Miami, Florida
- Average one-bedroom rent: $2,550
- Average two-bedroom rent: $3,350
- Typical monthly savings with a roommate: $875
New Haven, Connecticut
- Average one-bedroom rent: $2,200
- Average two-bedroom rent: $2,590
- Typical monthly savings with a roommate: $905
San Francisco, California
- Average one-bedroom rent: $3,200
- Average two-bedroom rent: $4,300
- Typical monthly savings with a roommate: $1,050
San Jose, California
- Average one-bedroom rent: $2,760
- Average two-bedroom rent: $3,390
- Typical monthly savings with a roommate: $1,065
Boston, Massachusetts
- Average one-bedroom rent: $2,850
- Average two-bedroom rent: $3,500
- Typical monthly savings with a roommate: $1,100
Jersey City, New Jersey
- Average one-bedroom rent: $3,190
- Average two-bedroom rent: $3,450
- Typical monthly savings with a roommate: $1,465
New York, New York
- Average one-bedroom rent: $4,470
- Average two-bedroom rent: $5,600
- Typical monthly savings with a roommate: $1,670
Living alone is more expensive than living with a roommate in many ways: The “singles tax” can be a real drain on your wallet. In these cities, living with just one other person can save you a significant amount of money — potentially making the lack of privacy worth it.
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Sources
- RentCafe, “Average Rent in the U.S.“
- SmartAsset, “What a Roommate Can Save You in 100 U.S. Cities – 2025 Study.”
