What a Roommate Can Save You in 100 U.S. Cities

New college grads, transplants from other cities, and others might find myriad advantages in including a roommate in their housing plan – one of those being cost savings. Particularly in high cost-of-living areas, extra cushion in the budget could make a big difference in discretionary spending, paying off debt, or investing for the future. Across 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. In many cities, the average savings climb much higher.

With this in mind, SmartAsset ranked 100 of the largest U.S. cities based on the percentage monthly rent saved by sharing an apartment with a roommate.

Key Findings

Adding a roommate gets you the best value in Cleveland, OH. Splitting a two-bedroom with another person saves you nearly 48% compared to renting a one-bedroom alone. The average cost of one-bedroom rent in Cleveland currently sits at $1,150, nearly identical to the average two-bedroom rent of $1,200.
The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment is only $900 in this city. Shreveport, LA has the lowest two-bedroom rent out of 100 large cities. With an average one-bedroom price of $790, it ranks 10th overall with a savings of 43% with a roommate, or $340 rent savings per person per month.
In NYC, a roommate saves you $1,730 per month. The average one-bedroom rent in New York, NY is $4,380, while two roommates could split the average $5,300 two-bedroom rent for $2,650 each. Neighboring Jersey City, NJ has the second highest raw monthly dollars saved with a roommate at $1,490 – or 46.7% savings over living alone.
A roommate saves you the least in the cities. Relative to local housing costs, sharing your space is least cost effective in Scottsdale, AZ, where splitting a two bedroom nets you a 26.0% discount, or a $440 monthly discount. Seattle, WA (28.2% savings; $550 per month) and El Paso, TX (29.4% savings; $250 per month) also are most budget-friendly to singletons.

Top 10 Cities With the Most Savings With a Roommate

Cities are ranked based on the percent saved in rent between splitting the average two-bedroom apartment with a roommate and living in a one-bedroom apartment alone.

Cleveland, OH

Percent savings with a roommate: 47.83%
Monthly rent savings with a roommate: $550
One-bedroom rent: $1,150
Two-bedroom rent: $1,200

Baton Rouge, LA

Percent savings with a roommate: 46.88%
Monthly rent savings with a roommate: $450
One-bedroom rent: $960
Two-bedroom rent: $1,020

Jersey City, NJ

Percent savings with a roommate: 46.71%
Monthly rent savings with a roommate: $1,490
One-bedroom rent: $3,190
Two-bedroom rent: $3,400

Memphis, TN

Percent savings with a roommate: 46.24%
Monthly rent savings with a roommate: $430
One-bedroom rent: $930
Two-bedroom rent: $1,000

Boise, ID

Percent savings with a roommate: 45.49%
Monthly rent savings with a roommate: $605
One-bedroom rent: $1,330
Two-bedroom rent: $1,450

Augusta, GA

Percent savings with a roommate: 45.00%
Monthly rent savings with a roommate: $450
One-bedroom rent: $1,000
Two-bedroom rent: $1,100

New Haven, CT

Percent savings with a roommate: 44.89%
Monthly rent savings with a roommate: $835
One-bedroom rent: $1,860
Two-bedroom rent: $2,050

Chattanooga, TN

Percent savings with a roommate: 44.44%
Monthly rent savings with a roommate: $520
One-bedroom rent: $1,170
Two-bedroom rent: $1,300

Virginia Beach, VA

Percent savings with a roommate: 43.94%
Monthly rent savings with a roommate: $725
One-bedroom rent: $1,650
Two-bedroom rent: $1,850

Shreveport, LA

Percent savings with a roommate: 43.04%
Monthly rent savings with a roommate: $340
One-bedroom rent: $790
Two-bedroom rent: $900

Top 10 Cities Where It’s Most Cost Effective to Live Alone

Cities are ranked based on the percent saved in rent between splitting the average two-bedroom apartment with a roommate and living in a one-bedroom apartment alone.

Scottsdale, AZ

Percent savings with a roommate: 26.04%
Monthly rent savings with a roommate: $440
One-bedroom rent: $1,690
Two-bedroom rent: $2,500

Seattle, WA

Percent savings with a roommate: 28.21%
Monthly rent savings with a roommate: $550
One-bedroom rent: $1,950
Two-bedroom rent: $2,800

El Paso, TX

Percent savings with a roommate: 29.41%
Monthly rent savings with a roommate: $250
One-bedroom rent: $850
Two-bedroom rent: $1,200

Albuquerque, NM

Percent savings with a roommate: 29.47%
Monthly rent savings with a roommate: $280
One-bedroom rent: $950
Two-bedroom rent: $1,340

Denver, CO

Percent savings with a roommate: 29.69%
Monthly rent savings with a roommate: $475
One-bedroom rent: $1,600
Two-bedroom rent: $2,250

St Louis, MO

Percent savings with a roommate: 30.11%
Monthly rent savings with a roommate: $280
One-bedroom rent: $930
Two-bedroom rent: $1,300

Dallas, TX

Percent savings with a roommate: 30.28%
Monthly rent savings with a roommate: $430
One-bedroom rent: $1,420
Two-bedroom rent: $1,980

San Francisco, CA

Percent savings with a roommate: 30.47%
Monthly rent savings with a roommate: $1,155
One-bedroom rent: $3,790
Two-bedroom rent: $5,270

Fort Lauderdale, FL

Percent savings with a roommate: 30.85%
Monthly rent savings with a roommate: $580
One-bedroom rent: $1,880
Two-bedroom rent: $2,600

St Petersburg, FL

Percent savings with a roommate: 31.33%
Monthly rent savings with a roommate: $470
One-bedroom rent: $1,500
Two-bedroom rent: $2,060

Data and Methodology

This study examined data from 100 U.S. cities, comparing the average rents for one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments between March 2025 and March 2026 based on data from Zumper. Specifically, the cost of a one-bedroom was compared with half the cost of a two-bedroom for each city, assuming each roommate pays equal rent.

What a Roommate Can Save You in 100 U.S. Cities – 2026 Study