As housing costs rise, more renters are looking for alternatives to renting an entire apartment on their own. Coliving offers another option: a private place to call your own, shared spaces, and housing costs that are often easier to manage.
Coliving is a shared housing model where residents typically have a private bedroom while sharing common spaces like the kitchen and living room. Depending on the home or provider, utilities, Wi-Fi, furniture, and other household expenses may also be included.
For renters, that can mean spending less on housing and having fewer bills to manage without giving up the privacy of your own bedroom.
But coliving isn’t the same as just finding a roommate and splitting an apartment. Here’s how it works, what it can cost, and what to consider before deciding whether it’s right for you.
Coliving, defined
Coliving means sharing a home while still having your own private space.
In a typical coliving home, each resident has a private bedroom and shares common areas with other residents. Depending on the home, that might include the kitchen, living room, dining area, laundry room, outdoor space, or bathrooms.
Coliving can take many forms. It might be a single-family home with private rooms, an apartment designed for multiple residents, or a larger building created specifically for coliving.
Of course, sharing a home with other people isn’t new. In the 2020 Census, 7.43 million people, or 2.3% of the U.S. household population, were identified as a roommate or housemate of the household reference person.
The difference with coliving is that you don’t necessarily have to find your own roommates and figure everything out together. Depending on the setup, things like utilities, furniture, and house rules may already be taken care of.
Coliving is also becoming a larger part of the U.S. housing market. Mordor Intelligence estimates the U.S. coliving market at $1.7 billion in 2026 and projects it will reach $3.5 billion by 2031.
A quick coliving glossary
Coliving: A shared housing setup where you have your own private space, usually a bedroom, and share common areas with other residents.
Coliving space: The home, apartment, or other property where people live in a coliving arrangement.
Coliving apartment: An apartment where multiple residents have their own bedrooms and share spaces like the kitchen and living room.
Coliving suite: A term some housing providers use for a private bedroom or suite within a larger shared home. What’s included varies by provider.
Cohousing: A community where residents typically have their own homes but intentionally share certain spaces, resources, or responsibilities with their neighbors.
How does coliving work day to day?
Day-to-day life in a coliving home can look a lot like any other shared household.
You have your own room where you can sleep, relax, work, and keep your belongings. When you cook dinner, do laundry, or spend time in the living room, you’re sharing those spaces with other people in the home.
What makes coliving different is often how the housing itself is managed. Depending on the provider, residents may rent their rooms individually, with expenses like utilities or Wi-Fi included in their housing payment. There may also be established rules for shared spaces, guests, cleaning, or quiet hours.
Of course, you still have to be comfortable living with other people. Kitchens can get busy, bathrooms may be shared, and your housemates won’t necessarily have the same schedule or habits you do.
What’s included in a coliving space?
What’s included varies from one coliving home to another. Depending on the property or provider, a coliving space may include:
- A private bedroom
- Furniture
- Electricity
- Water
- Gas
- Wi-Fi
- Access to a kitchen
- Shared living or dining areas
- Laundry access
- Property maintenance
Some coliving homes offer private bathrooms, while others may only have shared bathrooms. Some come fully furnished, while others don’t. There may also be additional fees that aren’t included in the advertised price.
Before choosing a home, check the listing or agreement carefully so you know exactly what’s included, what isn’t, and what you’ll need to pay before moving in.
How much does coliving cost?
The cost of coliving depends on where you live, the type of property, the size and features of your room, and what’s included in the price.
For many renters, housing already takes up a significant share of their income. According to 2024 data from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, 83% of renters earning less than $30,000 a year spend more than 30% of their income on housing and utilities, while 66% spend more than half.
That makes it especially important to look beyond the advertised rent when comparing housing options. A studio apartment, for example, may also come with separate costs for electricity, water, internet, furniture, application fees, a security deposit, and other move-in expenses.
A coliving room may bundle some of those expenses into one payment. Others may be charged separately, depending on the home or provider.
In a 2024 analysis, The Pew Charitable Trusts highlighted examples of how coliving costs can compare with studio rents. One Austin provider offered rooms for $500 to $700 a month, compared with an average studio rent of $1,282. In the Washington, D.C., region, another provider offered units starting around $1,000 a month, compared with roughly $1,900 for a studio.
These are individual examples rather than average coliving prices, but they show how much costs can differ depending on the housing option and market.
To get a clearer picture, compare two numbers:
- Your monthly housing cost: Rent plus utilities, internet, parking, and any other recurring expenses.
- Your upfront cost: Deposits, application or move-in fees, furniture, utility setup costs, and anything else you’ll need to pay before moving in.
The lowest advertised rent isn’t always the lowest-cost option overall. Before choosing a home, add up what you’ll actually spend each month and what you’ll need upfront to move in.
If you’re trying to determine how much housing fits comfortably within your budget, check out our guide to how much rent you can afford.
Coliving vs. roommates, apartments, and cohousing
Coliving has a lot in common with other types of shared housing, but there are a few important differences.
How coliving compares to other housing options
| Coliving | Traditional apartment | Finding roommates | Cohousing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private space | Usually a bedroom | Entire apartment | Usually a bedroom | Usually a complete home |
| Shared common areas | Yes | No | Yes | Some community spaces |
| Utilities bundled | Often | Sometimes | Usually divided among roommates | Varies |
| Furnished options | Common | Varies | Varies | Varies |
| Individual room arrangements | Common | No | Depends on the lease | No |
Coliving vs. having roommates
The biggest difference between coliving and having roommates is usually who manages the details.
When you find roommates yourself, you may need to find the property, sign a lease together, set up utilities, furnish the home, and decide how to divide expenses.
With coliving, some of that may already be handled. Depending on the provider, you may rent your room individually and have utilities or other household expenses included in your payment.
Coliving vs. a traditional apartment
A traditional apartment gives you your own kitchen, living space, and usually your own bathroom. You’re also responsible for the cost of the entire apartment and, in many cases, separate household expenses.
With coliving, you have your own bedroom but share more of the home with other residents.
Coliving vs. cohousing
Coliving and cohousing both involve shared space, but the living arrangements are different.
In a coliving home, residents generally have a private bedroom within a shared home or apartment. In a cohousing community, residents typically have their own homes while sharing certain spaces or resources with the larger community, such as gardens or gathering spaces.
What are the pros and cons of coliving?
Like any housing option, coliving comes with tradeoffs. What works well for one renter may not work for another.
Pros of coliving
Lower housing costs
Because residents share common spaces, coliving can cost less than renting an entire apartment on your own. If utilities, Wi-Fi, or furniture are included, you may also have fewer separate bills to manage.
Flexibility
Depending on the provider, coliving may offer more flexible stay options than a traditional year-long lease. That can be helpful if you’re relocating for a job, going back to school, rebuilding your savings, or simply don’t want to commit to one apartment for a full year.
Fewer upfront expenses
Moving into an apartment can come with costs beyond the first month’s rent, from security deposits and utility setup to furniture. Some furnished coliving options include things you would otherwise need to pay for separately, although move-in costs vary by provider.
Opportunities to connect
Sharing a home naturally puts you around other people. You may get to know your housemates, make new friends, or simply enjoy having other people around without giving up the privacy of your own room.
Convenience
Setting up a new apartment can take a lot of work. You may need furniture, internet, electricity, and other essentials before the space really feels livable.
A move-in-ready coliving room can simplify that process.
Cons of coliving
Less privacy outside your room
Your bedroom may be private, but kitchens, living rooms, laundry areas, and bathrooms can be shared. If having an entire home to yourself is important to you, coliving may not be the right fit.
Different personalities and routines
Your housemates won’t necessarily have the same schedule, habits, or preferences you do. House rules can help, but sharing a home still requires consideration and communication.
Every property is different
Rules for guests, pets, parking, quiet hours, minimum stays, and shared spaces can vary, along with furnishings, amenities, bathrooms, fees, and other details. Check the individual property and provider before deciding whether a particular home works for you.
Who is coliving best for?
Coliving isn’t only for digital nomads or young professionals. It can make sense for anyone who wants the privacy of their own bedroom but is comfortable sharing the rest of the home.
You might consider coliving if you’re:
- Trying to lower your housing costs
- Moving to a new city
- Starting a new job
- Working as a contractor or traveling professional
- Going back to school
- Saving for a financial goal
- Rebuilding after a major life change
- Looking for a furnished room
- Comfortable sharing common spaces
- Interested in more flexible housing
For some renters, coliving is a long-term housing choice. For others, it’s a stepping stone between where they are today and where they want to go next.
How to choose a coliving space
Not every shared home will be right for you. Look beyond the weekly or monthly price and think about how the home will fit into your everyday life.
Before choosing a coliving space, consider:
- Your total housing cost. Find out exactly what’s included in your payment and whether there are any additional fees.
- The location. Think about your commute, public transportation, grocery stores, and the places you visit regularly. A lower housing cost may not save you much if getting around becomes more expensive.
- Your room. Is it furnished? Does the door lock? Is there enough storage? Will you have your own bathroom or share one?
- House rules. Check policies for guests, pets, parking, smoking, quiet hours, and shared spaces before moving in.
- Flexibility. Understand the minimum stay, notice requirements, payment schedule, and what happens if you need to move.
- Safety and screening. Ask about bedroom locks, access to the home, and whether residents are screened.
- Your own preferences. Be realistic about how comfortable you are sharing a kitchen, living room, or bathroom with other people.
The best coliving space isn’t necessarily the one with the lowest price. It’s the one that works for your budget and the way you actually live.
What to expect when you move into a coliving home
Moving into a coliving home can feel different from moving into an apartment by yourself. You’re sharing a home with other people, so it helps to learn how things work when you first arrive.
Find out how residents handle refrigerator space, the kitchen, laundry, cleaning, parking, and other shared areas. The home may already have rules or expectations around some of these things.
A few simple habits can make shared living easier. Clean up after yourself, respect other residents’ belongings, follow the house rules, and communicate respectfully when an issue comes up.
And remember, sharing a home doesn’t mean you have to spend all your time with your housemates. Your room is still your own space when you want privacy or time to yourself.
Coliving with PadSplit: Private rooms in shared homes
PadSplit brings the coliving model to renters looking for more flexibility and a way to spend less on housing.
PadSplit offers private, furnished rooms in shared homes, with utilities included. Once approved as a PadSplit member, you can search available rooms based on factors like price and location and book a room that works for you. Amenities such as Wi-Fi and laundry vary by home, so check the individual listing to see what’s included.
For members like Ariel, that flexibility has helped create room for bigger financial goals.
As a traveling radiologist and esthetician in Texas, Ariel needed housing that could work with a lifestyle that took her between cities. With PadSplit, she had a private place to live without taking on a traditional apartment lease. Over time, she was able to save nearly $40,000 toward buying her first home.
For Ariel, PadSplit was a housing option that worked for where she was at the time while she saved for what was next. Bill came to PadSplit for a different reason.
A fourth-grade teacher in Austin, Bill turned to PadSplit after housing and credit challenges left him living in his car. He found a room near his workplace and moved in within a week, giving him a more stable place to live while he worked toward paying down debt and rebuilding his credit.
For Ariel and Bill, PadSplit offered a place to call home while they worked toward bigger goals.
If you’re looking for something similar, you can learn more about coliving with PadSplit or explore available rooms for rent.
Frequently asked questions about coliving
Is coliving less expensive than renting an apartment?
Coliving can cost less than renting an entire apartment because residents share common spaces and, in many cases, expenses like utilities and Wi-Fi are included. The actual difference depends on the city, property, room, and what’s included, so compare your total monthly and move-in costs rather than rent alone.
With PadSplit, we offer fully furnished rooms starting as low as $132 per week, with utilities included. Wi-Fi and laundry are also included in many homes. On average, our members save $317 per month compared with a traditional rental.
Is coliving safe?
Safety varies by property, provider, and location. When considering a coliving home, look into things like bedroom locks, access to the home, resident screening, house rules, and the surrounding neighborhood. Ask the provider about its policies and screening process before booking.
At PadSplit all of our homes are required to have locks on bedroom and exterior doors. We also use a third-party screening company to screen prospective members during the application process in accordance with Fair Housing guidelines. Members must pass the screening process before they can book a room through our platform. Learn more about our commitment to security.
Do coliving spaces have private bathrooms?
Some coliving spaces have private bathrooms, while others have bathrooms shared among residents. Layouts vary from home to home, so check the individual listing before booking if having a private bathroom is important to you.
With PadSplit: We offer rooms with both shared and private bathrooms. When searching for a room, you can filter listings by “Private bathroom” or “Private half bathroom” to find options that match your preference.
Do you need good credit or a security deposit for coliving?
Credit and deposit requirements depend on the coliving provider. Some use traditional rental requirements, while others have different qualification or move-in processes. Check the specific application requirements and upfront costs before choosing a room.
At Padsplit we don’t have a minimum credit score requirement. We may conduct a soft credit check during the application process, but your credit score won’t affect whether you’re approved for Membership.
How long can you stay in a coliving space?
The length of stay depends on the provider and property. Some coliving arrangements offer shorter or more flexible stays, while others are designed for longer-term housing. Check the minimum stay and notice requirements before moving in.
With Padsplit, we have members who stay for a few months on a work assignment and others who stay for years. On average, our members stay about nine months, but there’s no maximum amount of time you can stay in a PadSplit.
Can couples or families live in a coliving home?
Occupancy rules vary by provider and property. Some coliving spaces are designed for one resident per room, while others may accommodate couples or different household arrangements. Check the property’s occupancy policy before booking.
Is coliving right for you?
Coliving offers a different approach to renting: you have the privacy of your own bedroom while sharing common spaces and some of the costs that come with a home.
Whether it’s right for you comes down to what you value most. Think about your budget, how much privacy you want, what’s included, how long you plan to stay, and how comfortable you are sharing a home with other people.
If you’re looking for a private room, lower housing costs, and more flexibility than a traditional apartment may offer, coliving could be worth considering.
Ready to see what’s available? Explore PadSplit rooms for rent and learn more about becoming a member.
