- Apartment sharing has always been the cheapest way to rent, but the savings compared to renting solo are into five figures in 11 US metro areas.
- The savings are most significant in East and West Coast metro areas, including Boston, New York, San Francisco, Washington D.C., San Diego and Seattle.
- In Boston, MA roommates could save more than $25K a year compared to renting a one-bedroom apartment.
- In Chicago, IL, where room rents are rising 4.8% year on year, sharing will still save roommates more than $11K a year compared to renting a one-bedroom apartment.
- The savings are less substantial in southern metro areas like Houston and Phoenix, but still significant at $326 and $400 per month respectively.
Those looking for their next rental, particularly in East and West Coast metro areas, should consider the price difference between renting solo and renting with roommates. New data from roommate matching site SpareRoom reveals the difference is as much as $25,000 a year.
Apartment sharing has always been the cheapest way to rent, but the savings compared to renting solo are into five figures in 11 US metro areas, including Boston, MA where roommates could save more than $25K a year, on average, compared to renting a one-bedroom apartment.
SpareRoom compared its own rental index data for Q1 2025 with the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment. It found that, even in Chicago, IL, where room rents have risen the most year on year, according to its rental index, sharing will still save roommates more than $11K per year compared to renting solo.
The savings, though not as substantial in southern metro areas like Houston and Phoenix, are still significant at $326 and $400 per month respectively. The annual savings in Houston ($3,912) would cover 1,200 gallons of gas at $3.26 per gallon. Enough to fill up a small car around 100 times.
The table below shows the 22 most popular metro areas among roommates using SpareRoom, average room rents for Q1 2025, and the savings compared to renting a one bedroom apartment:
| US metro area | States | Average room rent per month Q1 2025 ($) | Ave monthly rent for one-bed apartment* ($) | Monthly saving ($) | Annual saving ($) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston | MA, NH | 1338 | 3,439 | 2101 | 25,212 |
| 2 | New York | NJ, NY | 1514 | 3,207 | 1693 | 20,316 |
| 3 | San Francisco Bay Area | CA | 1298 | 2,985 | 1687 | 20,244 |
| 4 | Washington D.C. | DC, MD, VA, WV | 1144 | 2,305 | 1161 | 13,932 |
| 5 | Fort Lauderdale | FL | 1141 | 2,236 | 1095 | 13,140 |
| 6 | San Diego | CA | 1299 | 2,349 | 1050 | 12,600 |
| 7 | Seattle | WA | 1032 | 2,070 | 1038 | 12,456 |
| 8 | Chicago | IL, IN, WI | 977 | 1,916 | 939 | 11,268 |
| 9 | Philadelphia | MD, NJ, PA | 862 | 1,724 | 862 | 10,344 |
| 10 | Riverside | CA | 1007 | 1,858 | 851 | 10,212 |
| 11 | Los Angeles | CA | 1334 | 2,168 | 834 | 10,008 |
| 12 | Miami | FL | 1385 | 2,160 | 775 | 9,300 |
| 13 | Tampa | FL | 963 | 1,666 | 703 | 8,436 |
| 14 | Orlando | FL | 931 | 1,588 | 657 | 7,884 |
| 15 | Atlanta | GA | 951 | 1,607 | 656 | 7,872 |
| 16 | Denver | CO | 1038 | 1,647 | 609 | 7,308 |
| 17 | Sacramento | CA | 970 | 1,556 | 586 | 7,032 |
| 18 | Austin | TX | 868 | 1,437 | 569 | 6,828 |
| 19 | Dallas | TX | 905 | 1,404 | 499 | 5,988 |
| 20 | Las Vegas | NV | 875 | 1,306 | 431 | 5,172 |
| 21 | Phoenix | AZ | 935 | 1,335 | 400 | 4,800 |
| 22 | Houston | TX | 872 | 1,198 | 326 | 3,912 |
(Source: SpareRoom Q1 2025 rental index, one-bed apartment averages from Apartment.com on April 4, 2025)
Matt Hutchinson, director of roommate matching site SpareRoom, comments: “If you're in a position where you're choosing between renting alone or renting with others, it's well worth considering the potential savings, which are into five figures in some East and West Coast metro areas. In reality, the savings are likely to be even higher as our data includes some utilities in the rent. And generally, though not exclusively, the more roommates you live with the higher the savings, too.”