Renting an Apartment vs Renting a House: A Side-by-Side Comparison

Deciding whether renting an apartment or renting a house is a better option for you depends largely on what you’re looking for in a home. Compare the pros and cons of both types of rentals by considering these issues:

How Much Living Space Do You Need

With few exceptions, renting a house will afford you a much greater living space than renting an apartment. Not only are there more rooms in a typical house rental-more bedrooms, more bathrooms, and potentially more living rooms-but each room typically has greater floor space than corresponding rooms in an apartment.

If you’re moving in with your family or with a number of roommates, a house can afford you greater living space. If you’re living on your own or with just one other person, though, the extra rent you’d have to pay for the bigger space may not be worth it.

How Much Monthly Rent Can You Afford

A lot depends on where you’re looking to move and the current housing market, but if you’re comparing renting a house to apartment rentals in the same area, you’ll most likely find that apartments are a more affordable option, particularly if you’re renting on your own or with only one other paying person. However, when the housing market is flooded with excess homes to sell, you’ll find that many home owners decide to put their homes up for rent instead of selling. This will work to your advantage when renting a house, as prices are more competitive.

As a general rule, if you’re looking at places near a metropolitan area or the housing market is stable, an apartment will cost less to rent than a house. However, if there’s a surplus of houses on the market and/or you’re looking at more rural areas, you can find affordable deals on house rentals as well.

What Kind of Amenities Are Important to You

While there are always exceptions, you’re likely to find rental houses with more amenities than apartments. For example, washing machines and dryers are typically included with house rentals but are only sometimes included with apartments, which instead offer a communal coin-operated laundromat or leave you to find your own place at which to wash your laundry. However, if you’re looking at something like a duplex rental, it’s possible that your part of the house won’t have a washing machine or dryer, either.

If amenities like included washing machines, dryers and dishwashers are important to you, you’re more likely to find them in houses than apartments, although you can find apartments with amenities included if you do your research. If you have a family or a number of roommates, these amenities can make life much easier. On the other hand, if you’re living alone or with just one other person, having amenities included in the place you’re renting shouldn’t be a make-or-break deal.

Renting a house is often more expensive than renting an apartment, but there are a number of advantages to choosing a house over an apartment regardless. You can consider splitting the greater expense by getting additional roommates, as you’ll have more room to share.