I lived alone for 18 months in Apartment 7. It was glorious. No shared bathroom. No one else's dishes. No negotiating about thermostat settings. Just me, Biscuit, and my own mess.
But it was expensive. $950 a month for a one-bedroom. Plus utilities. Plus internet. Plus everything else. I knew it was expensive, but I didn't know exactly how expensive until I compared it to my current roommate situation.
So I did the math. A full year of living alone vs. a full year with roommates. Every category. Every dollar. Here's what a year actually costs:
**Rent:** Living alone: $950 x 12 = $11,400. With roommates: $750 x 12 = $9,000. Difference: $2,400.
**Utilities:** Living alone: $134 (electric) + $48 (water) + $58 (gas) + $70 (internet) = $310/month x 12 = $3,720. With roommates, split three ways: $103/month x 12 = $1,236. Difference: $2,484.
**Groceries:** Living alone: $380/month x 12 = $4,560. With roommates, shared staples + individual food: $280/month x 12 = $3,360. Difference: $1,200.
**Household supplies:** Living alone: $45/month x 12 = $540. With roommates, split: $20/month x 12 = $240. Difference: $300.
**Furniture and setup:** Living alone: $1,200 (I bought actual furniture). With roommates: $400 (shared basics). Difference: $800.
**Total annual cost:** Living alone: $21,420. With roommates: $14,236. Difference: $7,184.
Seven thousand dollars. That's a used car. That's a vacation. That's an emergency fund. That's the price of not having to share a bathroom.
But here's what the numbers don't capture: sanity. Living alone gave me sanity. I could work from home without headphones. I could cook at midnight. I could cry about a breakup without an audience. That has value too. It's just harder to put a dollar amount on it.
My conclusion: living alone is a luxury. A $7,000-a-year luxury. If you can afford it and you value privacy more than money, do it. If you're trying to save money or pay off debt, roommates are the most effective financial decision you can make.
I'm back to roommates now because $7,000 is a lot of money and I have student loans. But I think about Apartment 7 every time someone leaves their dishes in the sink. Every single time.