Do roommates make renting in WA more affordable? See savings in 2 cities
Should you get a roommate or live alone?
That’s an important consideration whenever renters are looking for a new place to live.
In metropolitan areas across the United States, moving in with someone can make life more affordable, according to SmartAsset.
“In large U.S. cities, splitting a two-bedroom apartment with a roommate versus living alone in a one-bedroom apartment could save the average renter about $541 per month, or nearly $6,500 per year,” Jaclyn De John, SmartAsset’s director of economic analysis, wrote in an April 7 article. “In many cities, the average savings climb much higher.”
SmartAsset recently ranked the U.S. cities where renters can save the most by living with roommates.
Here’s where how major cities in Washington state fared:
Where is living with roommates most affordable in Washington?
In Washington state, renters in Spokane can save 38.1% on monthly rent by having roommates, according to SmartAsset.
That shakes out to $400 in savings a month.
According to SmartAsset, tthe average one-bedroom apartment in Spokane cost $1,050 a month to rent, while a two-bedroom apartment costs $1,300 on average.
As of Friday, April 17, the average monthly rent in Spokane was $1,415, according to real estate website Zillow.
How much can getting a roommate save you in Seattle?
Sharing your space is less cost effective in Seattle, the SmartAsset study found.
In fact, the Emerald City ranked second on SmartAsset’s list of the U.S. cities where it’s more affordable to live alone.
According to SmartAsset, renters in Seattle can save 28.2% by splitting a two-bedroom apartment with other people, the equivalent of $550 in monthly rent.
Monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment costs $1,950 in Seattle, the financial planning site said, compared to $2,800 for a two-bedroom apartment.
The average rent price in Seattle is $1,984 a month as of Friday, according to Zillow.
Should I live alone or with roommates?
Saving money is just one of the benefits of having a roommate, according to real estate company landing.
You also get companionship, collaboration on shared spaces and someone to help out with chores.
However, you may clash with your roommates over cleanliness standards, paying bills and privacy.
“Having another person living with you means making some sacrifices you may otherwise not be comfortable making,” Landinf says. “For example, if your comfortable noise level is different from your roommate’s, it can lead to tension and an unhealthy living situation.”
Where are the best US cities to live with a roommate?
According to SmartAsset, renters can save the most in these 10 cities by living with roommates:
- Cleveland: 47.8% savings on rent
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana: 46.8%
- Jersey City, New Jersey: 46.7%
- Memphis, Tennessee: 46.2%
- Boise: 45.4%
- Augusta, Georgia: 45%
- New Haven, Connecticut: 44.8%
- Chattanooga, Tennessee: 44.4%
- Virginia Beach, Virginia: 43.9%
- Shreveport, Louisiana: 43%
How did SmartAsset make this study?
To determine where living with roommates makes renting more affordable, SmartAsset said it examined rent costs 100 of the largest U.S. cities.
The personal finance company compared the average monthly rents for one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments between March 2025 and the following March with data from Zumper.
Cities were ranked by the relative different of the cost of renting a one-pedroom apartment and splitting rental costs for a two-bedroom unit equally with a roommate.