TAMPA, Fla. — When on the hunt for a new apartment, a decision renters often face is whether or not they should live with a roommate.
According to a national rent report from Zumper, the national rate for a one-bedroom apartment in the U.S. was $1,496, and $1,847 for a two-bedroom setup.
In a recent analysis, Tampa tops at least one of those rates.
The website ranks Tampa at No. 18 out of the 50 most expensive cities in the U.S. for a one-bedroom apartment, with St. Petersburg ranked No. 22.
In a new report from Apartment Advisor, the median cost to rent a one-bedroom apartment in Tampa was $1,606 per month in January. The cost for a two-bedroom apartment came out to a total of $1,750. By bringing on at least one other roommate, renters can save $9,636 in a one-bedroom apartment and $8,772 in a two-bedroom apartment in the city, annually.
The same study shows the median rent in St. Petersburg for a one-bedroom apartment is $1,550, while a two-bedroom is at $1,900. The addition of a roommate can save renters $9,300 and $7,200 annually, respectively.
Apartment Advisor's study also finds it is cheaper to rent a two-bedroom with someone else than it would be to rent a studio apartment, with the median rent for a studio being $1,500. Renters can reportedly save $7,500 by doing the former.
Topping the website's list of most expensive places for a one-bedroom apartment is New York City, with the median rate for rent at $4,391.
Other Florida cities cracking the top 50 most expensive cities include: Miami (No. 5), Orlando (No. 29) and Jacksonville (No. 49).