Can I afford to move out on my own?
Deciding to move out requires balancing your current salary and savings against the reality of living expenses, which can feel risky if you are used to a high standard of living or considering a location change. Misjudging how regional costs and potential salary cuts interact can make independent living far less affordable than expected, leaving you unsure if your financial goals are realistic.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1continuing to live rent-free with parents2 people mentionedDid this help you?
- 2Doing back-of-the-napkin calculations comparing rent, taxes, and transportationDid this help you?
- 3Moving back after realizing cost of living arguments were overstatedDid this help you?
- 4Living below your means while pursuing high wages in low-cost areasDid this help you?
- 5Looking for cheaper housing optionsDid this help you?
- 6Renting out parking spaces for extra incomeDid this help you?
- 7Side hustling to supplement incomeDid this help you?
- 8staying longer with family to build up savings and create a financial bufferDid this help you?
- 9paying down high-interest credit card debt before taking on new housing expensesDid this help you?
- 10Leaving the emergency fund untouched in a high-yield savings accountDid this help you?
- 11Investing excess cash into brokerage accounts or cryptoDid this help you?
- 12Relying on brokerage accounts as a secondary backup for liquidityDid this help you?
- 13Living with parents indefinitelyDid this help you?
- 14Moving in with a sibling as a roommateDid this help you?
- 15Using public transport, walking, or biking instead of buying a carDid this help you?
- 16enduring a long daily commuteDid this help you?
- 17mowing the lawn for parents in exchange for rentDid this help you?
- 18relying on the 30 percent gross pay ruleDid this help you?
- 19prioritizing specific apartment amenities and weighing the pros and cons of multiple placesDid this help you?
- 20maintaining a higher emergency fund to mitigate the risk of high housing costsDid this help you?
- 21Scraping by on very basic groceries supplemented by the food pantry.Did this help you?
- 22continuing to live at home to accumulate savingsDid this help you?
- 23telling oneself "just one more year" before moving outDid this help you?
- 24commuting from family home to workplaceDid this help you?
- 25Asking ChatGPT or AI assistants for cost of living estimatesDid this help you?
- 26Researching nearby towns and communities for more realistic housing optionsDid this help you?
- 27Selling the car to CarMax, breaking even on the loan, and buying an older reliable car in cash to free up monthly cash flow for moving out.Did this help you?
- 28Keeping the current car, cutting other expenses, increasing income, and pushing through to pay off the loan over two to three years while living with parents.Did this help you?
- 29Staying with parents as long as possible to maximize savingsDid this help you?
- 30Attending therapy to cope with difficult living conditionsDid this help you?
- 31Planning to find a roommate or student housing to lower rent costsDid this help you?
- 32Delaying moving out to save and investDid this help you?
- 33Staying with parents while trying to research costs and plan an exit dateDid this help you?
- 34Looking into cheaper surrounding cities within the metro areaDid this help you?
- 35Calculating a six-month emergency fund and aiming to keep rent under 30 percent of incomeDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I want to move out for independence, a better social life, and to cut down that commute. But staying home has been such a cheat code for my net worth that I keep telling myself "just one more year."”source ↗
“Even with rent, I’d still save/invest ~20% of my income. I know this is a lifestyle call rather than a math problem, but I’m struggling to pull the trigger.”source ↗
“Can I afford to move out to an apartment?”source ↗
“I'd like to know if it's possible for me to live on my own first”source ↗
“I feel like it’s too much for living at home obviously but I will need it.”source ↗
“I really do not want to live with my parents anymore but I understand how high the cost of living is.”source ↗
“How much should I be earning to live decently in Tempe? How much should I be spending on rent? What are unexpected costs I'm probably not thinking about? How much should I have saved before I move?”source ↗
“I just don't want to be in a situation where I move out in a rush and burn through my savings too quickly or end up in a really bad lease.”source ↗
“Need help setting a move out goal and overall budget feedback”source ↗
“I'd like to set myself up for COAST FIRE as best as I can. That said, I want to respect the opportunity I'm given and commit to a move out goal and timeline so that I am not just indefinitely feeding off my parents, and I would like feedback on my plan and priorities.”source ↗
“however my mental health has been getting worse in my current living conditions is all.”source ↗
“You REALLY notice if you go from HCOL to M/LCOL and take a salary cut to do so thinking it’s going to be better. I did this and I really felt like the COL arguments were overstated.”source ↗
“I’m trying to decide whether I’m being financially responsible with an apartment I’m considering and would love some outside opinions!”source ↗
“Would you consider this rent reasonable on a $60k salary, or would you try to find something cheaper?”source ↗
“the arrangement is taking a mental toll on me, and I'd like to move out soon.”source ↗
“Does moving in middle to late Oct seem financially reasonable, or should I just suck it up and save some more?”source ↗
“No, no retirement savings. Just the 45k in the bank.”source ↗
“I just want to know if this is feasible to plan living off of.”source ↗
“That's pretty rough. I'd be surprised if you could actually save anything on that.”source ↗
“Yes probably doable, but it won't be a super comfortable lifestyle and won't be saving much for future.”source ↗
“I guess I’m just wondering when do you pull the trigger and stop? Otherwise you’ll always justify staying by saying “when I hit X net worth” and the hedonic treadmill continues.”source ↗
“I think I have been spending so much time saving and the conditions I’m in aren’t great for me so I think those are signs that I should”source ↗
“I have recently applied for an apartment with a 12 month lease for 1200 a month for rent and utilities and a 5 minute commute to work. I would be living alone. I am unsure if I should move closer since a lot will be happening in the next 1.5 years. How did you guys make the decision to move out or keep living at home? I need some advice for my situation.”source ↗
“How much should I pay for rent? I’m targeting Denver, CO or surrounding areas and i’m afraid it could be out of my budget. Is $1,700 - $2,000 appropriate?”source ↗
“I know theres the 30% rule but i’m not sure if having no debt and assets makes it more appropriate for me to spend that much on rent.”source ↗
“I bought a 2026 Toyota Camry and the car is amazing (insanely fuel efficient) but my payment is $620 a month… I got a really solid deal considering it’s a fully loaded model. But I’m not trying to live with my parents forever..I have the option to sell the car to CarMax and break even with what I owe and I’d be looking at getting an older car around $6k (paying cash) obviously… Or should I just keep the car and keep pushing through and just try to pay it off in 2-3 years.”source ↗
“I still live with a parent that I don’t feel the best around so I do want to move out, however the internet and my parent keep saying to live with your parents as long as possible and save save save… Do I have enough savings? Is there a magic number you have to wait for?”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 3Is moving back in with parents worth the financial savings?
- 23How to know if we can actually afford a house
- 2Should I buy furniture before or after moving?
- 6Is living alone worth the extra money?
- 2Should I take my pet with me after a breakup?
- 2Is paying for a home reappraisal worth it if you aren't selling?