Published: July 13, 2026 | Trulia Team
Picking between a studio and a 1 bedroom often feels like a simple rent calculation. But it is more than just a calculation. It also comes down to how much time you spend in the apartment and whether a studio layout can work for you.
Nationally, based on Trulia listing data, the average difference in rent between a studio and 1 bedroom is about $60 a month. But that number hides a lot of city-to-city variation. In some cities, there is almost no difference. In other cities, it’s well over $1,200 per month. This guide covers the numbers, the city-by-city data, and how to think through the rest.
Tradeoffs at a glance
- Nationally, based on Trulia listing data in June 2026, the average difference in rent between a studio and 1 bedroom apartment is about $60.
- But the average difference in rent varies sharply by city. In Dallas, based on Trulia listing data, the average rent for a 1 bedroom apartment is $44 more than a studio. In San Francisco, a 1 bedroom apartment costs $1,239 more than a studio.
- On average, based on Trulia listing data, studio apartments are 485 square feet and 1 bedroom apartments are 719 square feet. So, a studio is about 235 square feet smaller than a 1 bedroom.
- A studio works well when you spend a lot of time outside the apartment and rarely have guests.
- A 1 bedroom makes more sense when you want separate spaces, have guests often, or the monthly premium compared to a studio is modest.
What is a studio vs. a 1 bedroom?
A studio is a home with just one room that combines all sleeping and living areas, generally with a separate bathroom. A 1 bedroom apartment has a separate rooms for the bedroom and living areas, in addition to a separate bathroom.
Not only are there differences between a studio and a 1 bedroom but there are also different sub-types of both studios and 1 bedroom apartments. The below four terms cover most of what you’ll see in rental listings.
| Type | What it is |
|---|---|
| Studio | One open room combining sleeping area, living space, and kitchen. Separate bathroom. |
| Alcove studio | Same open-plan concept, but with a small nook or L-shaped area that tucks the sleeping space out of the main sightline. |
| Junior 1 bedroom | A partial wall or windowed nook that functions like a bedroom. May list as a studio, but feels different to live in than a true studio. |
| 1 bedroom | A fully enclosed bedroom with a door, plus a separate living room, kitchen, and bathroom. |
An alcove studio and a standard studio can list at similar prices but feel very different to each other. Similarly, while a junior 1 bedroom may feel like there is a similar amount of separation between living and sleeping spaces as a true 1 bedroom, there is much less of a noise barrier between the two spaces. It’s worth asking about the layout before you tour.
How much does a studio cost compared to a 1 bedroom apartment?
The conventional wisdom is that studios are cheaper. Nationally, that’s technically true, but barely. According to Trulia listing data from June 2026, the average asking rent for a studio was $1,516 a month, while the average 1 bedroom apartment was listed at $1,575. So, the gap was $59 a month.
However, it is important to pay attention to what is happening in your local market. The national averages hide a lot of city-by-city variation.
How does the cost of a studio or 1 bedroom vary by city?
City-level data shows just how much the studio-to-1-bedroom gap varies. Below is a table of average monthly rent for a studio vs. a 1 bedroom apartment in 15 sample cities, based on Trulia data from June 2026.
Average monthly rent for a studio vs. 1 bedroom apartment listed on Trulia, June 2026 (15 sample cities)
| City | Studio | 1 bedroom | Monthly difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $3,800 | $4,895 | +$1,095 |
| San Francisco, CA | $2,950 | $4,189 | +$1,239 |
| Boston, MA | $2,500 | $3,100 | +$600 |
| Seattle, WA | $1,438 | $2,008 | +$570 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $1,802 | $2,336 | +$534 |
| Washington, D.C. | $1,867 | $2,331 | +$464 |
| Chicago, IL | $1,815 | $2,275 | +$461 |
| Denver, CO | $1,400 | $1,653 | +$254 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $1,115 | $1,325 | +$210 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $1,299 | $1,465 | +$166 |
| Austin, TX | $1,189 | $1,335 | +$146 |
| Charlotte, NC | $1,420 | $1,540 | +$120 |
| Atlanta, GA | $1,555 | $1,627 | +$72 |
| Dallas, TX | $1,320 | $1,364 | +$44 |
Source: Trulia listing data, active apartment listings, June 2026
In places like San Francisco and New York, renting a studio saves you over a thousand dollars each month. On the other hand, in places like Dallas, you may be only paying something like $44 more for a 1 bedroom.
What are you actually paying per square foot for a studio or a 1 bedroom apartment?
The size difference is much larger than the price difference. Based on Trulia listing data, studios averaged 485 square feet nationally, while 1 bedrooms average 719 square feet. At those prices and sizes, studios work out to about $3.13 per square foot, while 1 bedrooms run about $2.19. In general, 1 bedroom apartments are cheaper than studio apartments per square foot.
But, again, it is important to pay attention to prices per square foot in your local market. The national averages hide a lot of city-by-city variation.
Average monthly rent for a studio vs. 1 bedroom apartment listed on Trulia, June 2026 (15 sample cities)
| City | Studio (per sq ft) | 1 bedroom (per sq ft) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $7.65 | $7.02 | −$0.63 |
| San Francisco, CA | $6.56 | $6.29 | −$0.27 |
| Atlanta, GA | $2.83 | $2.17 | −$0.66 |
| Dallas, TX | $2.44 | $1.92 | −$0.52 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $2.52 | $1.91 | −$0.61 |
Source: Trulia listing data, active apartment listings, June 2026
When does a studio make sense?
A studio works well when your apartment is more of a landing pad than a living room. If you’re out most of the time and primarily come home to sleep, the extra space in a 1 bedroom goes largely unused.
So, one important question is how many hours a day you actually spend at home. If you work from home, you probably want a different type of space as someone who only comes home to sleep.
Storage is also worth thinking through before you start looking. Studios tend to have limited closet space. A storage unit handles the overflow, but the cost of a storage unit reduces the rent saving you get from a studio.
But even if you do end up going for a studio, there is a lot that can make it feel bigger and work for you, even if you end up spending a lot of time in the place. A studio with good natural light and reasonable ceiling height can feel like a bigger apartment. Another helpful feature is having enough wall space to anchor the furniture in distinct zones.
When is a 1 bedroom worth the extra cost?
A 1 bedroom changes how a home feels in a lot of ways. Having a room with a door means the living room gets to be a living room. You can have someone over without them sitting on your bed. When the workday ends, you can close a door on it. And, as outlined earlier, a 1 bedroom is not always much more expensive than a studio.
What if neither a studio nor a 1 bedroom quite fits?
If a standard studio feels limiting but a 1 bedroom is out of reach, there’s a middle option worth looking for.
Alcove studios and junior 1 bedrooms are real options in most cities, though they don’t always surface cleanly in bedroom-count filters. A quick way to spot them is checking the floorplan on any listing that seems well-priced for its bedroom count.
If you’re open to a roommate and budget is the main concern, the two-bedroom math often works out well. In many markets, your share of the rent comes in below a studio for yourself. In Dallas, splitting a two-bedroom at the median runs about $840 per person. A solo studio there lists for $1,320. On Trulia, you can filter by two bedrooms and sort by price. That gives you a quick read on what’s available in your neighborhoods.
Frequently Asked Questions
A studio is typically cheaper per month, but not always cheaper per square foot. Nationally, the average monthly difference in rent is just $59, while studios cost about $3.13 per square foot compared to $2.19 for 1 bedroom apartments. In many markets, the 1 bedroom delivers more value for the money.
City averages are a starting point, but neighborhood-level prices can look very different. On Trulia, setting the bedroom filter to 0 or 1 in your target area shows current listings side by side, so you can calculate the real gap before committing to a search.
Yes. Alcove studios and junior one-bedrooms sit between the two. An alcove studio has a nook or L-shaped layout that partially separates the sleeping area. A junior one-bedroom includes a partial wall or windowed nook that functions more like an enclosed room. Both options often list at prices closer to studio rent while offering more separation than a standard open-plan unit.
