Should I Get a Roommate?

Whether to get a roommate or live on your own is part budgeting, part lifestyle, and there's no single right answer. A roommate can make a pricier neighborhood affordable and a quiet apartment feel like home. On the other hand, living solo can give you space, privacy, and full control over your routine.  

There's a financial side to the decision, too. According to a recent Zillow analysis, renters who live alone pay an extra $10,716 a year if they’re not splitting a one-bedroom with someone else.

Below, we'll walk through the pros and cons of having a roommate, the questions worth asking yourself first, and how to set up the arrangement so it actually works. 

The pros of having a roommate

For a lot of renters, the upsides go well beyond a smaller rent check.

You split the cost of living. 

This is a big one. Rent, utilities, and internet all get easier to carry when you divide them. Nationwide, a pair of roommates sharing a one-bedroom saves a combined $21,432 a year compared with each renting their own place.

Where you live can change that math dramatically. In New York City — the country’s most expensive market for people living alone — the singles tax climbs to roughly $21,584 a year, while in more affordable metros like Oklahoma City, it's closer to $6,942. If you're eyeing a pricier city, splitting the rent may be less of a nice-to-have and more of a necessity.

You share the everyday load.

Chores, errands, and household supplies can be more manageable when they're split. Someone can grab paper towels on the way home while you handle the dishes, and waiting for the internet tech or a maintenance visit doesn't have to interrupt your whole day.

You may have built-in company.

A roommate may mean someone to decompress with after work, split a meal with, or catch a show with — and you might not even have to make those plans days in advance. For renters who are new to a city or don’t like coming home to an empty place, that everyday connection might be a big deal.

You could get a little more peace of mind.

Another person around can make a home feel safer: someone to bring in packages when you aren’t there, notice if something's off, or simply be there at night.

You can share more than the rent.

Furniture, a good vacuum, kitchen gear, a couch that doesn't wobble — splitting the cost of the stuff that makes an apartment livable adds up, and it's one less thing to buy on your own.

The cons of having a roommate

Sharing space has real trade-offs, and it's worth being honest with yourself about them before you sign a lease together.

You'll have less privacy.

A roommate isn't necessarily just one more person. You could be seeing their partner, their friends, and their family in your shared space, too. Even if you love people, you may find you want more quiet time than a shared apartment allows.

Habits have to line up.

Cleanliness is a classic flashpoint when living with someone. If one of you can't relax until the dishes are done, while the other couldn’t care less, that gap can wear on you both. Likewise, sleep schedules, noise, and guests are worth discussing before either of you commits.

You'll compromise on the space.

If you love styling a room exactly the way you want it, sharing decisions about your common areas can be an adjustment. Browse a list of apartment decorating ideas for inspiration to agree on.

You're sharing financial risk.

If your name is on the lease and your roommate can't cover their share, you’ll be on the hook for the whole rent bill on your own. Asking someone about their financial security and responsibility is one of the many important questions to bring up when you’re interviewing potential roommates. 

You may have to give up some control over your routine.

Living alone means your schedule is yours. With a roommate, you may be coordinating around another person's life — usually in small ways, but occasionally in bigger ones. For example, if your work or social schedules are vastly different, you may have to be more quiet when they’re sleeping, which may be when you want to have people over.

Questions to ask yourself before getting a roommate

If you're on the fence on whether you should get a roommate or not, these five questions can help you decide.

1. Can you comfortably afford to live alone? 

Living alone can sometimes be a luxury, especially in expensive cities. See what types of rentals fit in your budget using tools like Zillow's Rent Affordability Calculator. If you’re finding you aren’t able to afford places in your ideal neighborhood, or don’t love what’s available in your price range, then consider sharing the costs. Although looking for a rental with another person can sometimes make the search more complicated, it can be a compromise worth making in order to find an apartment that checks off more boxes.

2. How important is having your own space?

When you have a roommate, it’s about more than living with that person and sharing common areas in your home. You’ll likely also be interacting with the most important people in their life, and vice versa. If having a lot of people around your space sounds unpleasant, renting solo might be your best option.

3. Can you compromise on how your home looks?

If you love reading advice from home décor pros or gathering rental decorating ideas on Pinterest, chances are you like your space just so. It may be tough for you to get a roommate’s input on what type of art should be hung in the living room, for example. If this describes you, it doesn’t necessarily mean  you shouldn’t get a roommate — just be sure to find someone who shares your aesthetic, or prepare to compromise.

4. Do you like a clean space?

If you’re the type who can’t sleep until everything is put away at the end of the evening, or the type of person who hasn’t seen their floor in a hot minute, consider this when deciding whether to get a roommate or searching for a compatible partner. A roommate situation works best when both parties can handle each other’s cleaning habits or occasional messes.

5. Do your renting timelines match up?

If one of you plans to move out sooner than the other, that could leave one of you in a tight financial situation. Do you want a month-to-month lease because you plan to move soon? Find someone who may want the same thing. If you want to stay long-term, find someone who wants that as well. Finding a new roommate can take a lot of time and effort.

Writing down a list of pros and cons may help you make the right decision — and don't forget to factor in the dollars. With the cost of renting solo at a record high, a compatible roommate can free up more than $10,000 a year for savings, travel or a nicer place. If you go the roommate route, establish ground rules and expectations to help you live harmoniously. 

How to set your roommate arrangement up for success

If you decide to share, a little groundwork upfront can prevent some headaches later.

Choose the right person, not just the available one.

Compatibility on money, cleanliness, and lifestyle matters more than how well you already know someone. Plenty of great friends make mismatched roommates.

Talk through money before you move in.

Agree on how you'll split rent, utilities, and shared supplies, and how each person pays their share on time. If you're new to renting, our first-time renter advice covers the basics worth knowing.

Put the important stuff in writing.

A simple roommate agreement covering rent, bills, chores, guests, and quiet hours gives you both something to point to later. It also helps ensure you’re both on the same page.

Know how leases and credit factor in.

If you're both on the lease, you're both responsible for it. It helps to understand what credit score you need to rent before you apply together.

Frequently asked questions