Choosing an Apartment over Communal Housing: Pros and Cons October 6, 2014

New York rent is anything but cheap. Regardless of where you are living, how small the apartment is, how many roommates you have, or how far away from Manhattan it is, one thing is sure—the price will be pretty high. Some students might prefer living in a campus environment, however, that doesn’t necessarily mean it comes with cheaper rent.

There are several pros and cons to both types of housing, but in the end it depends on each individual’s preferences. Here is a list of some of the major pros and cons for choosing apartments over communal housing.

Privacy

Pro: If you manage to find the funds to rent your own studio, regardless of how small it may be, then you never have to worry about sleeping in a bunk bed or sharing a room with 2–3 people. The fact that you will have a bathroom all to yourself as well as no concerns of a possible curfew is also a bonus.

Con: While you won’t live with people in the same room, privacy is somewhat of a foreign concept in the vast majority of New York apartments. Even though you can’t see the people living next door, you can expect a lot of noise everywhere. Your neighbors, the street, TVs, plumbing, dogs, and many other noises will most likely make you feel like you’re never alone.

Space

Pro: You can decorate your home in whatever way you like, not to mention that you won’t have roommates constantly touching your Xbox, PlayStation, or any other gadgets you might leave lying around. Even if you rent a matchbox-sized studio, you can still have enough space to fit all your textbooks, clothes, and devices without being confined to a single desk like in most communal housing units.

Con: You will be paying a lot for that little extra space. The smallest and cheapest studios in Manhattan can start as low as $1,300  (shared bathroom) with top prices going well over $6,000. Communal housing, like the accommodations shown on the New York English Academy’s website, tend to run much cheaper, helping you save some much needed funds in one of the world’s most expensive cities.

Cleanliness

Pro: Not to suggest that communal housing is synonymous with messiness, but when you live with people you might have more than your share of cleaning to do. When you live alone, at least you know that you can keep your apartment as clean as you want it to be without other people trashing your freshly cleaned kitchen or walking around on your recently vacuumed carpets.

Con: If you are living on your own and don’t have time to clean, then there really isn’t much you can do about the tidiness of your apartment since there are no roommates to ask for help. Communal housing tends to create a small community where you can rely on someone to do you a favor every now and then (and that is a big pro).

Socializing

Pro: If you’re not overly social, then finding your own apartment is ideal. Apart from talking with your landlord there really is limited required contact between you and the outside world. Just don’t forget, part of the opportunity of learning English in Manhattan is immersing yourself in the language so try not to lock yourself in your room.

We hope these pros and cons are helpful in deciding what housing options are best for your personality. The New York English Academy is happy to assist you in making the necessary arrangements during the enrollment process so that your transition into New York daily life goes smoothly.