Your first apartment - How much will it cost?

I just found this basic guide for housing costs. The article is aimed at college kids but nevertheless useful for any newcomer to a different city! It also contains a link to a great rundown on the credit score I just talked about.

Your First Apartment: How Much Will the First Month Cost?

Application
approx $30 to $50 per app

Your landlord-to-be won’t just take your word that you’re good for the monthly rent-you have to fill out a formal application AND pay a fee so they can check your credit rating. (See, I told you your credit score would be important).

First Month’s Rent
varies by location and apartment size
Oh the joy of scraping together a month’s worth of rent before you even move in (you’ll probably have to pay this well before your move-in date!). Hopefully you’ve saved your summer earnings, because this could be a sizeable bill.

My first off-campus apartment-a 2br/2ba in San Diego-cost $1,600/month. That meant that I and each of my 3 apartment-mates had to cough up $400/mo. But then again, San Diego is one of the top 10 most expensive cities to rent in,, so unless you’re living in New York, LA, or another metropolis, you probably won’t be paying that much.

Check out sites like Rent.com, ForRent.com, and Craigslist.org to get an idea of average pricing for rentals in your area.

Security Deposit
approx same cost as one month's rent
This is basically security for the landlord–this fee is for any damage you do to your apartment over the course of living there. If you take good care of your apartment, you will probably get a good portion of this amount back.

Last Month’s Rent
same as first month's rent
Most apartment complexes in my area don’t charge this, but every once in a while you’ll come across a lease agreement that requires you to hand over the last month’s rent early, too. Personally, I’d recommend looking for an apartment that doesn’t require this fee upfront.

Utility Deposits
In addition to monthly bills, utilities and such like gas, electricity, water, trash service, internet, phone service, and cable all tend to require start-up fees. Some cable, phone, and internet companies will waive your start-up and installation fees, so be sure to ask them to when you sign up!

You can probably expect the following amounts for the rest of your start-up fees: For gas and electric, you can approximate about $75/ea, trash service will vary (and is sometimes included in your rent). For more realistic pricing for your area, check with your landlord.

Parking Fee
You may also have to pay for a parking sticker or parking space assignment. Usually this is a one-time fee, but in larger cities you may see a monthly fee for parking.

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