Be My Valentine… And My Roommate? Here’s How Much You Can Save By Moving In Together.

With Valentine's Day approaching, love is in the air—and what could be more romantic than potential rent savings? Whoever said distance makes the heart grow fonder clearly never heard of rent splitting. And while cost savings alone may not be the best reason to move in with your significant other (see our Moving In Together Survey for more on that), it’s certainly an added bonus.

Sharing the cost of renting a one- or two-bedroom apartment can save you thousands of dollars in rent annually compared to living alone. It may even allow you to upgrade to a better property or location that you wouldn’t have been able to afford as single renter, allowing you to save money while also upgrading your living situation.

We analyzed our rent price data to reveal how much can be saved by cohabitating in cities across the United States, and the totals are eye-popping. The biggest savings, of course, are found in the most expensive rental cities, where the cost of living solo in a one-bedroom unit is prohibitive for many renters. Take New York City, for example, which currently tops our list as the most expensive city to live in the U.S. The median cost to rent a one-bedroom apartment alone was $3,700 per month in January. Split that 50/50 with your significant other, and you’ll each save $22,200 by the end of the year. Enough to shell out on flowers, chocolate, and maybe even a reservation at Carbone.

In the next two most-expensive cities topping our list — San Francisco, CA and Boston, MA — you stand to save $17,292 or $16,506, respectively, by cohabitating. So, taking this big step can mean big savings.

The savings opportunities are typically just as compelling when you upgrade from living alone in a one-bedroom to sharing a bigger two-bedroom. In Austin, TX, for example, you’d pay an average $1,498 to live alone in a one-bedroom, but just $998 to split the cost of a two-bedroom (median rent is $1,860). Instead of paying $17,976 for the year in rent alone in a one-bedroom, you’d each individually be paying $11,160—that’s a $6,816 difference. Plus, you’ll gain on average 340 square feet of extra living space (as well as extra closet space, and a room you could set up as a home office if you need some me time).

An example of a two-bedroom apartment at median rent in Austin, TX.

Feeling inspired? Check out some of our resources for couples planning to move in together for the first time. And if you’re ready to take the plunge and find your new home, let us help you find the best deal.

How much can you save in your city by cohabitating? Here’s the breakdown, based on recent median rents in the top 25 priciest rental cities. We’ve ranked these cities by the biggest savings opportunities when you go from living alone in a one-bedroom to sharing a one-bedroom.

Methodology: To determine the annual individual savings when renting a one-bedroom apartment, we took the median rent of each city for a one-bedroom apartment, assumed a 50/50 rent split, and calculated how much each individual would save when compared to the rent prices they would have paid in the same apartment, alone.

To determine the annual individuals savings when upgrading from a solo one-bedroom apartment to a shared two-bedroom apartment, we took the median rent of each city for a one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartment, assumed a 50/50 rent split, and calculated how much each individual would save when compared to the rent prices they would have paid for a one-bedroom apartment, alone.