The Pros of Living with Someone Else
This post was edited on March 24th, 2026 at 1pm by JustBeachy14.
When looking for a place to live on my own after I graduated college, it was no easy task. I not only had to look for a place to call home, but my mom was nagging me to live with someone. Me on the other hand was like, it is so hard to find someone who is good to live with, who matches my ethical values and beliefs. Even just finding someone who is clean and organized can be hard. We have all been there whether it be trying to find a dorm mate or someone to share an apartment with sophomore year. My mom did not care about the stress I was going through in finding a roommate necessarily, but rather her thoughts as a mother about me being safer in not living alone. Especially when moving out on my own after graduation for the first time. Many people are facing moving out after graduation or finding a new place in general because of a job offer or for so many other reasons.
There are simple benefits to having a roommate such as being able to share the cost of the apartment or the home you live in. In a study by Smart Asset, they looked at the average one-bedroom price compared to a two-bedroom spilt by two people, and they found a staggering difference. In big cities, like San Francisco and New York, having a roommate will save you more than a $1000 a month. For anyone, including myself, could use this extra money. While in other cities like D.C and Miami, they save roughly $600 to $800 a month. his is a large amount each month and when put aside, can result in saving thousands of dollars in a single year. This can benefit many individuals in helping to pay extra costs like healthcare, emergencies, education, and bills each month that can easily add up. Another benefit could be having a pet sitter when you go travelling and possibly having a built-in friend. This can help with relieving feelings of isolation and depression by having these close connections and a community-like atmosphere. You can also have someone who can let you into your apartment if you lose your keys and share common household items which can also be a huge cost saver which we love. When being a college student, saving money is a gigantic plus when you can only work part-time with a crazy class schedule. In looking at other pros, there is also better safety in numbers when living with at least one other person rather than just by yourself.
In living with even just one more person, in the article, Why Having Roommates is Good for You, it mentions, “that there is twice the chance someone will be home, keeping an eye on the place, and being ready to call the police,” it won’t be totally on you to defend yourself. Your roommate, when you are both home, can alert you to danger you might not be aware of. I know I might not see something or hear what is going on around me at all times. This will make you feel safer knowing you have another individual, whether it be a man or a woman, who will have your back against an intruder. When being a woman like me, I feel I need this extra protection in having a roommate so I can truly be safe. Even if the doors are locked, windows shut, and lights are off, I still feel the need for more protection, especially in the dark of night. This is why my mom is so adamant about me having a roommate because she might feel the same way. Also, she sees there are many benefits to having a roommate and would make her feel safe having her daughter with someone most of the time when she can’t be there. It is being surrounded by someone, who can make not only me, a woman, feel protected but other identities as well. Women might not be the only ones who need to live with someone to feel safe but men or other identities too. It is important to recognize this so everyone can watch out for each other in the communities they live in today.
