In our Pros and Cons series, we weigh the advantages and disadvantages of important decisions that apartment dwellers are making every day.
If you’re ready to move into an apartment, choosing whether to live alone or with roommates is an important decision to consider based on your personality and finances. Find some clarity on this choice and decide what’s best for your well-being by comparing whether to live independently or find potential roommates.
Pros of living alone
More alone time
If you’re an introvert, you value being alone. Sometimes, living with roommates means you will have to interact with at least one other person even when you don’t want to. With alone time, you can enjoy peace and not feel pressure to speak to a roommate when you’re not in the mood to talk.
Less noise and fewer distractions
People who prefer quiet environments or work remotely may fare better when they live alone, as people who work from home will often need a quiet environment to work on projects. Living alone means you’ll have fewer moments when you’re interrupted or bothered by the sounds of other people. You can also more easily talk on the phone or have video chats with colleagues, clients, customers, friends, and family without roommates’ noises in the background.
Full privacy
Living alone affords you the privacy to do whatever you want without feeling ashamed. You can do any activities you want in any part of your apartment without feeling judged. You can eat at whatever time you want in any room, wear whatever clothes you feel comfortable in, and leave any doors open without worrying about a roommate seeing you. You can also invite any amount of guests you please without having to ask a roommate for permission.
Decorate, organize, and clean however you please
When you live alone, you can clean your apartment on your watch and decorate it however you see fit. If you don’t want to clean, you won’t have any pressure or problems from roommates. You also won’t feel guilty for leaving a mess when you don’t have the time or energy to clean. And when it comes to decorating your apartment to your liking, you can choose furniture that completely fits your style. Additionally, you can store your belongings wherever you choose.
Cons of living alone
More expensive
Without roommates, you pay more than if you were living with roommates. You have nobody to split rent with, let alone utility bills and even the costs of shared household products. Expenses may vary based on where you live, but living alone in an apartment in certain cities is expensive. The solo life might be unreasonable for your current budget.
More possibility for loneliness
If you live with roommates, you don’t have to worry about always being alone in your apartment. When you go out and come home, you’ll most likely have a roommate who is home or coming home soon. In other words, having a roommate offers you an opportunity to engage in more conversations and have a better social life.
Possibly less safe
Roommates can also provide an added layer of safety simply because you’re not alone. In some cases, you will have to be vigilant about your safety if you live alone because you can be more vulnerable to burglary and other crimes. In certain towns or cities, it may be beneficial to have a roommate for your protection.
Nobody to help with housing problems before the landlord arrives
You can rely on a handy roommate to help fix lighting or plumbing issues if you don’t know how to fix it. Even if your roommate doesn’t know how to fix a housing problem, they might know how to at least lessen the severity of the issue. When you live alone, you may have to wait a few days to get help from your landlord, building supervisor, or handyman.
No division of household tasks such as cleaning
Having roommates helps divide housekeeping tasks. With roommates, you won’t have to clean your apartment by yourself, and some people might find it difficult to tidy up an entire apartment without any help. If cleaning a whole apartment by yourself seems daunting and you live alone, you may need to hire a cleaner to help you – and that’s another expense you’ll have to pay if you can’t clean by yourself.
Depending on your preferences, living alone may be beneficial or stressful. If you’re a private person who prefers to live in a quiet environment, it may be best to live by yourself if you can afford it. Living with roommates can also be beneficial if you want to pay less for rent or if you like the special, safety, and task-based benefits that come with having roommates.
