S has own bedroom in a 4 bedroom 1 bath furnished run-down house in Ithaca (Cornell). Different size bedrooms are different rents. His room is the smallest and he pays $600/month, all utilities included. I think the larger bedrooms are $675. Walking distance to campus and to the bus stop.
Ithaca NY – Collegetown and Cornell’s West Campus. I had two boys there living off campus for a total of five years during the period of 2007-2014. We paid between $600 (in 2007-8, West Campus area) to $1000 (Collegetown mid rise building 2009-10). I think there were some spending as much as $1200. Quality and location vary and drive prices. Some of the older frame houses in Collegetown are scary IMO from a fire safety standpoint. All were 3-5 bedroom units.
My nephew in Boulder pays over $1000, plus utilities, for a shared house with his own room. No aircon, couldn’t fit a couch through the door. He is now is a hasher at a sorority for lunch because eating was expensive.
One daughter moved into her sorority house and room,board, dues, and fees are cheaper than the dorm. Other daughter still lives in dorm and meal plan is $1000 cheaper for sophomores than freshmen because too many sophomores were moving off campus and didn’t want to pay so much for food. Her dorm is about $1000/MO and off campus would be about $500 but then she’d need a car so I’m saving that expense.
LA - one pays $1000 to share room in suite style apartment, all utilities, furnished and fancy amenities - fitness center, entertainment lounge, giant pool/soak deck with TVs & lounging area (ya, a bit over the top). Extra $100 to park in garage. Close to campus so worth every penny. Other paid $1250 for own room elsewhere, not including utilities in a large 3 bedroom apartment (1500 sq ft) that could have been used for up to 6, but they all chose to have their own rooms.
Real estate varies so much.
2005-2007 in Boston…paid $800 for a bedroom in a three bedroom substandard student apartment that was very close to the college campus. Location, location location. This included utilities. 4 people shared the place.
2007-2009 $450 a month for a one bedroom apartment above a garage in an awesome neighborhood in Winston-Salem. This included electricity.
2008-2010 paid $800 a month for one kid to share a bedroom in a house in Santa Clara…seven kids total in the house. Included utilities…but come on…$800 for a double?
2015 …now. Paying $1020 a month for a one bedroom very nice apartment in Suwanee Georgia. Includes rental of a washer and dryer, garbage removal daily, pest control, and water. Add an additional $200 for utilities.
In Providence, D shared a three bedroom, one bathroom dump with two other girls - an old French mansard mansion turned into an apartment building. Absolutely decrepit - amazing that it meets city codes. Located across the street from campus and on the corner of the main drag…A+ location. $850 a month each, plus utilities.
My son has his own bedroom (small, but still) in an apartment building literally around the corner from where he goes to school, 1k, includes heat and hot water, but electricity and gas are separate as is cable, in a 2 bedroom apartment. For that area of Boston, it is a really sweet deal. For the years rent, it probably breaks even with dorm+meal plan, but the apartment is year round, dorm is only september-may.
1 1/2 years ago my son was paying $460/month at UNC Charlotte. There are several “student” apartments that are private but clearly designed for students because you can lease a single room in a 4 bedroom apartment. Each br has its own bath, so yes, 4br/4ba apartment. Washer/dryer in the apartment. Right next to campus. Much better deal than the dorms. Other son had his own small room in a 5 br grungie apt in Boston for around $1k. Now he owns a condo.
Thanks so much for sharing! I think it is informative for those looking at schools, I think off campus housing costs can be an important consideration.
At USoCal, we paid close to and over $1000/person for our kids to share a bedroom in apartments near campus. Now, D is paying slightly over $1000 for her own room in a 2 bedroom place near La Brea Tar Pits. S pays about $2K/month for a 1 bedroom unfurnished place in Arlington. It’s a lovely condo, but he admits it is a bit pricey. Fortunately, he pays for it out of his own earnings and enjoys living there.
My older daughter paid approximately $900 per month for her own bedroom in a house shared with two (and then three) roommates in San Diego. It was very close to her job (5-minute walk). My younger daughter pays approximately $850 for one bedroom in a three bedroom apartment in Brooklyn.
My S at RIT paid $700 for a share of a 4 BR/4BA apt, utilities and WIFI included, right across the street from campus. He saved a lot on meals so it ended up cheaper than the dorms. I don’t remember what D at GWU paid but they had 4 in a 2 BR/2BA apt so it was probably 500-600.
A 2-bedroom/1 bath dump of an apartment in Berkeley is close to $3k/mo, 12 month lease required.
2013- grad school apt. In Manhattan $1450 month for fourth floor walk up plus utilities. Great location and shared 2 BR. Boston, same year. Bedroom in 3 bedroom house in mediocre student area, $800 plus utilities.
I have had 2 kids at Cornell and paid 950-1100 for shared apartment (own bedroom) in collegetown. If you go outside of collegetown it is a lot cheaper.
$950 for a one bedroom …they are brand new, with stores restaurants on first floor. It’s small, less than 450 sq ft. All utilities.
Heck, my son has lived in expensive areas. Cambridge–3 bedrooms, a mile from T, $1200. SV–$1400 for tiny bedroom, shared bath, then more for master bedroom (which he shared with g/f).
Remarkable, he feels he is being undercharged in Cambridge, as he and roommates have been there for years.
Last year ALL of my son’s bills, Including rent, food, books, gas, etc. we’re cheaper than just room and board when he was living on campus. I think we had over $1,000 savings in addition to paying for everything, and he had his own bedroom, bathroom, and office in a very nice house. I haven’t checked lately, but food costs at his college were either over 10 or over 12 bucks per meal. I pay more for my other son than it would cost for him to live on campus, but he cooks for himself and doesn’t spend too much on groceries, and he’s happier living off campus, so it’s all good. But he lives in a TINY 1 BR with another guy. Next year he’s hoping to move to a house. I do insist my kids live within walking distance of college, even though they both have cars.
S1 lived in Cambridge (walking distance to MIT) for a summer (2011) – $700 plus utilities for a BR w/shared bath and kitchen. One summer sublet in UChicago neighborhood was $600/mo (2010), utilities included.
First apartment in Sunnyvale, CA was 650 sq ft 1 BR for $1850 not inc. utilities (2014). He considered this a steal. Is currently renting a room in a 3 BR apartment in Mountain View, close to restaurants and pedestrian-friendly area for $1400, and is very happy he landed this. He doesn’t drive; shuttle to work and Caltrain to SF are both within walking distance.
S2 looked at living off campus; a room in a shared house in Somerville/Medford, MA was running $750/800 plus utilities (which could be significant in winter). We didn’t want to be committed to a 12-month lease, so S stayed on campus. He went to a minimal meal plan and cooked most of his own food, which saved us $$.
CD, those SV rents are big bargains! Your S did very well finding the places.