The short answer
If your bedrooms are similar, split rent equally. If they aren't, the fairest simple method is to split the shared space equally and the bedrooms by size, so a bigger room pays more without anyone paying for all of the kitchen. Agree on the method before you sign the lease, and write it down.
Four ways to split rent
| Method | How it works | Works best when |
|---|---|---|
| Equal | Rent divided by the number of people | Bedrooms are about the same |
| By bedroom size | Everyone pays in proportion to their bedroom's size | There's very little shared space |
| Shared space plus bedroom size | Shared part split equally, the rest by bedroom size | Bedrooms differ, which is most homes |
| By income | Everyone pays in proportion to what they earn | Couples or close friends happy to share their income |
There's no single right answer. A split is fair when everyone understood it and agreed to it before anyone picked a room.
Example: three roommates with different bedrooms
Say rent is $2,400 and you count half of it as shared space. The other half is split by bedroom size. The bedrooms add up to 440 sq ft.
- Shared part
- $1,200 ÷ 3 = $400 each
- Room A, 180 sq ft
- 180/440 of $1,200 = $490.91
- Room B, 140 sq ft
- 140/440 of $1,200 = $381.82
- Room C, 120 sq ft
- 120/440 of $1,200 = $327.27
- Room A pays
- $890.91
- Room B pays
- $781.82
- Room C pays
- $727.27
Compared with an even split of $800 each, the biggest room pays about $91 more and the smallest about $73 less. If you don't know how much to count as shared, 40% to 60% is a common middle ground.
Example: splitting rent by income
Two people earning $60,000 and $40,000 earn $100,000 together, so one earns 60% of the total and the other 40%. On $2,000 rent, they pay $1,200 and $800. This one only works if both of you are comfortable talking about what you earn, and it needs a fresh look whenever someone's income changes.
Adjusting for couples, bathrooms and parking
- A couple in one room: they split that bedroom's part between them, and each pays a full share of the shared space. Together they usually pay more than one person but less than double.
- A private bathroom or balcony: add its size to that bedroom's size, so whoever gets it pays a little more.
- A parking space: if the lease charges for it separately, whoever uses it pays that amount on top of their rent.
How to agree without it getting awkward
Pick the method before picking rooms
It's much easier to agree on what's fair before anyone knows which room they want.
Measure the bedrooms
Use the floor plan or a tape measure, so nobody has to guess whose room is bigger.
Decide who pays the landlord
If one person pays the full rent, agree when everyone else pays them back.
Split utilities separately
Most roommates split electricity, internet and water equally, whatever the rooms are like, because they don't depend on room size.
Write it down
A short message in your group chat is enough. Look at it again whenever someone moves in or out.
Work out your own rent split
Enter your rent and bedroom sizes to see a fair rent for every roommate. Couples and shared space are included.
Open the Rent Split CalculatorKeep track in BuddyPay
Once you've agreed on a split, BuddyPay keeps the running balance for rent, bills and groceries in one place. You can split by percentage or exact amount on the free plan. You add rent each month, because BuddyPay doesn't have recurring expenses yet.
See BuddyPay for roommates