How Much Does It Cost to Move Into an Apartment?
Moving into your first apartment costs 3–5 times your monthly rent upfront. For a $1,500/month apartment, expect to spend $4,500–7,500 in move-in costs before you sleep there a single night. That includes first month's rent, security deposit, potential last month's rent, broker fees, moving expenses, furniture, utility deposits, and renters insurance.
Most people underestimate their total move-in costs by 40–60% because they budget for rent and the security deposit but forget about broker fees, furniture and household essentials, utility setup deposits, and the dozens of small purchases (shower curtain, trash cans, cleaning supplies) that add up fast in the first week.
Complete Move-In Cost Breakdown
Here's every expense you should budget for when moving into an apartment, based on a $1,500/month rent, along with how much you save by splitting with a roommate:
| Expense | Typical Cost | With Roommate Savings |
|---|---|---|
| First month's rent | $1,500 | $750 |
| Security deposit | $1,500 | $750 |
| Last month's rent | $0–1,500 | $0–750 |
| Broker fee | $0–2,250 | $0–1,125 |
| Moving costs | $300–1,500 | $150–750 |
| Furniture / essentials | $2,000–5,000 | $500–1,500 |
| Utility deposits | $100–300 | $50–150 |
| Renters insurance | $15–30/mo | $15–30/mo |
| Total range | $5,415–12,080 | $2,215–5,055 (save 40–60%) |
How Roommates Cut Your Move-In Costs
Getting a roommate is the single most effective way to reduce move-in costs. You split the security deposit, first and last month's rent, and broker fee down the middle. You share furniture costs for common areas — the living room couch, kitchen table, cookware, and cleaning supplies only need to be bought once.
The combined savings typically land between 40–50% of total move-in costs. Here's a concrete example: for an $1,800/month 2-bedroom apartment, a solo move-in runs approximately $7,200 (first month, deposit, moving costs, and basic furniture). With a roommate, your share drops to roughly $4,100 — a savings of $3,100 before you even factor in the ongoing monthly rent reduction.
Once you're moved in, use our rent split calculator to determine a fair ongoing split based on room size, natural light, closet space, and other features so both roommates feel the arrangement is equitable from day one.
Move-In Cost by City
Move-in costs vary dramatically by city because they're directly tied to local rent prices. A move-in that costs $4,500 in Atlanta could easily top $14,000 in New York City. Here's what to expect in major US metros:
| City | Avg 1BR Rent | Estimated Move-In | With Roommate |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York City | $3,500 | $14,000 | $7,500 |
| San Francisco | $3,200 | $12,800 | $6,800 |
| Los Angeles | $2,400 | $9,600 | $5,200 |
| Chicago | $1,800 | $5,400 | $3,200 |
| Austin | $1,600 | $4,800 | $2,900 |
| Atlanta | $1,500 | $4,500 | $2,700 |
Cities with broker fees (New York, Boston) have significantly higher move-in costs because the fee — typically one month's rent or 15% of annual rent — is due upfront on top of everything else. If you're apartment hunting in a broker-fee city, budget an additional 1–1.5 months of rent beyond the standard move-in expenses.
7 Ways to Reduce Move-In Costs
- Get a roommate. Splitting a 2-bedroom saves $3,000–7,000 on move-in alone, plus $500–1,500 per month ongoing. It's the single biggest lever you have.
- Negotiate the security deposit. If you have strong credit and rental history, ask the landlord to reduce the deposit to half a month's rent instead of a full month. Many will agree, especially for longer leases. Savings: $500–1,750.
- Skip the broker. Search no-fee listings on Zillow, Apartments.com, and Craigslist. In broker-heavy cities like NYC, no-fee apartments save you $2,000–5,000 upfront.
- Move yourself. Renting a cargo van ($50–100/day) and recruiting friends costs a fraction of hiring movers ($500–1,500). Savings: $400–1,400.
- Buy furniture secondhand. Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and estate sales can furnish an entire apartment for $300–800 instead of $2,000–5,000 new. Focus on quality pieces for the bed and couch; everything else can be budget.
- Time your move strategically. Moving between October and March (off-season) means lower rent, more negotiating power on deposits, and cheaper moving services. Avoid August and September — peak moving season with the highest prices. Savings: $200–600.
- Bundle renters insurance. Adding renters insurance to an existing auto policy costs $5–15/month instead of $20–30 standalone. Savings: $120–180/year.
For a detailed breakdown of your security deposit and what you can expect to get back, use our security deposit calculator. And to make sure your total housing costs fit your income, the renter budget calculator will show exactly how much apartment you can afford based on your take-home pay and existing expenses.