A studio apartment combines your bedroom, living area, and kitchen into one open space. A one-bedroom apartment has a separate bedroom, offering more privacy and storage. Studios are generally cheaper and easier to maintain, while one-bedrooms provide more room for couples, remote workers, and renters who value entertaining space.
The right choice depends on your budget, lifestyle, and space needs. Here’s what to know before you sign your next lease.
If you want to spend less and live simply, choose a studio. If you need space, privacy, or work-from-home flexibility, go with a one-bedroom.
Last Updated: April 2026 (based on Apartment List data)
A studio is one space, while a one-bedroom has a separate bedroom.
A studio is a compact, open-concept apartment where your bed, couch, and kitchen share the same space. Renters often divide the room using furniture, screens, or shelving.
Best for: budget-conscious renters, students, and solo dwellers who want to live in pricier neighborhoods without the higher rent of a one-bedroom.
A one-bedroom features a private sleeping area apart from the living space. Depending on the size, you may also get a dining nook, larger kitchen, or extra closets.
Best for: couples, remote workers, or anyone who needs more privacy, storage, and flexibility than a studio provides.
Not all studios and one-bedrooms are what you’d expect from the standard label. Some fall in between:
These terms aren’t standardized, so it’s always important to check the actual layout of an apartment before you make a decision.
Before you start apartment hunting, it can be helpful to brush up on the differences between studios and one-bedroom apartments to find the right place for you.
| Feature | Studio | One-Bedroom |
|---|---|---|
| Size | ~300 to 600 sq. ft. | ~500 to 700+ sq. ft. |
| Privacy | Minimal (all-in-one space) | High (separate rooms) |
| Rent | Lower | Higher |
| Utilities | Cheaper | More Expensive |
| Storage | Limited | More Closets / Storage |
| Best For | Solo renters, students, and budget-conscious | Couple, WFH renters, entertainers |
While most studio apartments are smaller than one-bedrooms, you can sometimes find larger studio apartments that are more affordable than one-bedrooms in your area.
Of course, a studio apartment isn’t a good fit for everyone. You may crave more space and dimension or risk feeling stir-crazy. Plus, if you’re living with a significant other and desire privacy, you’re better off in a one-bedroom apartment. It’s roomy enough for a couple and offers the opportunity to split the rent and save money.
If you love interior decorating, you might feel limited with a studio apartment. Your focus will likely be on creating more divisions, such as screen dividers or plants. You also won’t have many opportunities to hang artwork or add interesting pieces of furniture.
But if you’re on a budget and don’t want to bother with too much stuff, a studio apartment is a great option. Unlike a one-bedroom, you won’t need much furniture or decor to make your place feel like home.
While you can work from home in either a studio apartment or a one-bedroom apartment, it’s not always practical or comfortable to eat, sleep, work, and relax in the same room day in and day out. Sometimes studio apartments just don’t offer the flexibility you need for your work-life balance.
A one-bedroom is roomier for a remote career, and it’s also easier to set up a work-from-home office in your apartment.
Studio apartments usually cost less to rent than one-bedrooms. You can save more money living in a studio apartment, or even move into your dream neighborhood.
Even if you’re not looking to save money, a studio apartment offers a more efficient, environmentally friendly lifestyle. You’ll use less energy, cleaning products, water, and overall day-to-day resources living in a studio apartment.
It’s normal for utilities to be less expensive in a studio apartment. It takes less heat and air conditioning to keep your place feeling comfortable.
Meanwhile, you’ll spend more keeping a one-bedroom apartment comfortable, especially if you have high ceilings or a lofted area.
In a studio, your bed is part of the hangout space. That means guests are basically sitting in your bedroom, and that can feel cramped. You can host, but it’s not ideal, especially overnight if you have to put a blow-up mattress right next to your bed.
A one-bedroom gives you more breathing room. You still don’t get a guest room, but you can set people up in the living area and keep some separation. It’s just easier to have people over without everything feeling on top of each other.
One of the big challenges of living in a studio apartment is the lack of storage space. If you love collecting shoes or jackets, a studio apartment probably won’t work for you. Closet space is pretty limited.
If you choose a studio, you’ll probably need a wardrobe, a dresser, or an innovative clothing storage solution to make it work. You may also want to invest in additional shelves or other storage to keep your place tidy.
Rent prices vary widely by city. In some markets, studios can be around 50% cheaper than one-bedrooms, while in others, studios can be about the same price or more expensive.
Below, we’ve listed the studio apartment prices in a few popular cities in the US: Austin, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle.
This data was last updated in April 2026.
| City | Median Studio Rent | Median One-Bedroom Rent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | $1,597 | $1,520 | -5% (1BR cheaper) |
| Boston | $2,450 | $2,900 | +18% |
| Chicago | $1,625 | $2,200 | +35% |
| Los Angeles | $1,690 | $2,195 | +30% |
| New York | $3,800 | $4,310 | +13% |
| Philadelphia | $1,188 | $1,432 | +21% |
| San Francisco | $2,399 | $3,700 | +54% |
| Seattle | $1,375 | $1,950 | +42% |
Takeaway: Studios are usually cheaper, but not always. In Austin, for example, one-bedrooms are actually slightly less expensive right now, so it’s always worth comparing both before deciding.
It really depends on your budget, your space needs, and how you live day to day. Here’s a simple decision framework you can use to decide.
Answer each question and count your results:
Results:
In Los Angeles, the “cheaper” option depends on how you live.
Two people can live comfortably in a one-bedroom apartment. However, some leases set limits on how many people can live in a space, so make sure to check your rental agreement.
In most cases, two people can share a studio apartment, but it may feel cramped. Check your lease or ask your landlord about occupancy guidelines before bringing in a roommate.
While you cannot add walls to your studio apartment, clever use of decor can create more separation between your kitchen and bedroom spaces, even allowing you to carve out a living room. Tall shelving units, room dividers, canopy beds, and even the placement of furniture can all contribute to the feeling of distinction between areas.
The low price point combined with the simplicity of living in a studio make them very attractive rental units, especially to students and younger renters without families. They also often allow tenants to live affordably in areas that are otherwise out of their price range.
Most one-bedroom apartments are probably between 500 and 700 square feet. Anything upwards of 700 square feet is usually considered a large one-bedroom apartment.
Not always. In competitive areas, studios may rent for nearly the same price or more than a one-bedroom.
Generally, yes. Smaller spaces mean lower heating, cooling, and electricity costs.
A one-bedroom is likely better for couples. The separate space provides privacy, storage, and flexibility that couples usually need.
In unit laundry, Hardwood floors, Dishwasher, 24hr maintenance, Stainless steel, Walk in closets + more
In unit laundry, Granite counters, Pet friendly, Parking, Stainless steel, Walk in closets + more
