[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/find-roommates-in-manhattan\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/find-roommates-in-manhattan\/","headline":"How to Find Roommates in Manhattan","name":"How to Find Roommates in Manhattan","description":"Living in Manhattan isn\u2019t cheap. It\u2019s why so many people end up living with roommates. In fact, around […]","datePublished":"2024-10-09","dateModified":"2025-09-16","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/author\/kevin\/#Person","name":"Great Moving (Kevin)","url":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/author\/kevin\/","identifier":5,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b4997c379c86a878ffe0e2cbc54f56f2298ff0763e895fa10c13c22bfb54a237?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b4997c379c86a878ffe0e2cbc54f56f2298ff0763e895fa10c13c22bfb54a237?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NYC Great Movers","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/nycgreatmovers-logo-20250918.png","url":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/nycgreatmovers-logo-20250918.png","width":600,"height":363}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/How-to-Find-Roommates-in-Manhattan-1.webp","url":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/How-to-Find-Roommates-in-Manhattan-1.webp","height":1260,"width":2240},"url":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/find-roommates-in-manhattan\/","about":["How To"],"wordCount":1460,"keywords":["affordable living in Manhattan","creating a roommate agreement","Diggz app","finding roommates in NYC","living with roommates","managing rent with roommates","Manhattan living expenses","Manhattan rental tips","Manhattan roommates","moving with a roommate","NYC Great Movers services","professional movers in NYC","Rainbow Roommates","Roomi app","roommate red flags","roommate references","roommate screening tips","roommate search","sharing rent with roommates","splitting utilities","tips for finding roommate"],"articleBody":"Living in Manhattan isn\u2019t cheap. It\u2019s why so many people end up living with roommates. In fact, around 40 percent of renters in Manhattan reside with other people. Finding a good roommate in Manhattan can be a challenging task, and you don\u2019t want to be saddled with someone who can\u2019t make rent, doesn\u2019t clean up after themselves, or worse. Heck, even small annoyances can pile up since you\u2019ll be living with this person for at least a year. While you can never know 100% if you\u2019ll be compatible with someone, there are some steps you can take to avoid common pitfalls of finding a roommate.Why Live With Roommates?For most people living in Manhattan, the biggest reason why they end up living with roommates comes down to money. Ultimately, it\u2019s a lot cheaper to share an apartment with one or two (or three) other people. Depending on which neighborhood you choose, many two-bedroom apartments will cost $4-5,000. When split in half, you\u2019re spending at least $500 less than if you rented a one-bedroom apartment by yourself. On top of that, you\u2019ll also be splitting utilities, saving you even more money each month. Cost Breakdown of Living With a Roommate in ManhattanExpense CategoryAverage Cost SoloAverage Cost With RoommateNotesRent$3,500$1,7502-bedroom splitUtilities$150$75Gas, water, electricInternet$70$35High-speed sharedGroceries$400$200Shared meals optionalTotal$4,120$2,060Rough monthly savings $2,060 Besides the money aspect, there are plenty of other perks to having a good roommate. So long as you talk about it upfront, you can easily cut down on household tasks as you\u2019ll both be splitting the duties of taking out the trash, washing dishes, etc. On top of that, you will have someone you can socialize with. While you don\u2019t want to cling to your roommate, they probably have their own group of friends, you can still have some casual chit chat when you\u2019re both at home.Where to Find a RoommateThere are several places where you can find a roommate, but your first step is to ask the people around you whether they\u2019re looking for a place to live and\/or a roommate. This can be friends, family members, or even coworkers. If you do end up finding someone through your network, don\u2019t be afraid to ask for referrals from people you trust. While the people you know won\u2019t consciously recommend a bad roommate, they might not know everything about you or the person they are recommending, and their habits. So always ask for referrals from previous roommates and landlords to make sure it\u2019s a good fit.If no one you know is looking for a roommate, go to social media. Platforms like Facebook are full of people looking for roommates, especially in Manhattan. Join local housing groups and check out the most recent listings for roommates or available rooms. Whether you\u2019re looking for a roommate to move in with you or you\u2019re looking to move in somewhere, take the opportunity to post in these groups. And don\u2019t forget to post an update on your profile, too! Popular Roommate-Finding Platforms and UsagePlatformVerification StepsAvg Listings in ManhattanKey FeatureFacebook GroupsNone500\u20131,000Community feedback, social connectionsRoomiBackground check required1,200Secure messaging, scam preventionDiggzProfile verification optional800Filter by budget, lease length, habitsRainbow RoommatesIn-person appointment & screening200LGBTQ+ focused, personalized matching Finally, try out one of the many roommate sites and\/or apps. Roomi is a popular choice for many, as anyone listing a unit is required to pass a background check to get rid of scams or suspicious people. The app also features a secure messaging feature, so you don\u2019t have to worry about giving out your personal information until you have finalized the roommate agreement. Diggz is another popular site as it allows you to browse roommates by maximum monthly budget, lease duration, and bad habits. If you\u2019re LGBTQ+, then you might want to check out Rainbow Roommates, as it is specifically geared towards this community. It has a physical location that you visit to schedule an appointment and meet with a representative in person. They will then help you find the perfect roommate for you.Choosing Your RoommateNow that you know where to find roommates, it\u2019s time to screen them. But don\u2019t go into these meetings without any prep. You should know exactly what you can tolerate and what you cannot. Obviously, you want to make sure your roommate has a job and can pay the rent and bills on time, but that is the bare minimum. Be honest about your non-negotiables. This can include things like pets, smoking, drinking, overnight guests, children, preferred bedtime, cleanliness habits, and so on. In the same vein, be honest about your own quirks! Are you a neat freak who needs your apartment organized a certain way? Do you work odd hours that might clash with someone who has a standard 9-5?Once you have drafted up some screening questions, set up a time to call potential roommates and chat or meet in person in a public place. Listen to the way they answer the questions carefully. If you notice them avoiding your questions or acting annoyed, take that as a red flag that they are hiding something from you. Even if everything sounds good, always ask for references. That usually means previous roommates and landlords, as well as one personal reference. You can even ask them for recent pay stubs to make sure they have a job. The roommate finding process can take a while, especially if you\u2019re looking for someone in Manhattan, so make sure you have plenty of time before you need to move.Create a Roommate AgreementMore often than not, your roommate is going to be a complete stranger. That\u2019s why it is so important for you both to create a roommate agreement. You can find some templates online or, better yet, hire an attorney to draft one for you. Essential Roommate AgreementRoommate Agreement ItemDetails \/ NotesRent PaymentSpecify the amount each roommate pays and the due datesUtilitiesWhich roommate pays which bills, and the reimbursement processBedroom AssignmentDefine who occupies which bedroomFood \/ GroceriesDecide if food is shared or bought individually, and how to differentiateQuiet HoursSet times for low noise in the apartmentDrug UseAgree on rules regarding alcohol, smoking, or recreational drugsPetsDecide whether pets are allowed and under what conditionsParties \/ Overnight GuestsRules for hosting guests, parties, or overnight visitorsMoving Out EarlyProcedure and responsibilities if someone moves out before the lease endsMove-Out DatesSet deadlines for vacating the apartment if neededHousehold ChoresBreakdown of responsibilities for cleaning, trash, dishes, etc. A roommate agreement is separate from your lease, as it is more detailed and includes things like:Amount of rent each person paysWho pays for utilities, and when does the other roommate provide reimbursement for the billsWhich bedroom does each person occupyWho buys food, or if each person buys their own, and how to differentiateQuiet hours in the apartmentDrug useDeciding to allow petsRules for parties and overnight guestsWhat happens if someone moves out earlyWhen a roommate must move outBreakdown of household tasks and choresAnd so one. This is a legally binding document, so make sure you and your roommate agree to the terms before signingMove with Your Manhattan RoommateOnce you\u2019ve found the perfect roommate match, make the move easy by working with NYC Great Movers. We can help you, your new roommate, or both of you move into your new place hassle-free. Our team of professional movers can help create a plan that matches your needs and budget. Just let us know what you want and we\u2019ll help you out.FAQ                    \t\t\t\tHow many roommates can I have in an apartment?                \t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t\tNYC has strict laws on how many people you can have in a space. In general, each tenant under the lease can have one additional occupant as long as there is 80 square feet of livable space for each person. This excludes hallways, bathrooms, kitchen, etc.                                                         \t\t                    \t\t\t\tCan I make money off my roommate?                \t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t\tIt depends. In general, you can\u2019t charge your roommate more than your actual rent. So if your rent is $2,000 you can\u2019t charge more than that, but you can charge, say $1,700. Of course, if your roommate finds out you are pay significantly less, it could lead to issues. When it comes to rent stabilized apartments, you cannot charge more than half the rent.                                                         \t\t    {\t\t\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\t\t\"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\t\t\"mainEntity\": [\t\t\t\t{\t\t\t\t\"@type\": \"Question\",\t\t\t\t\"name\": \"How many roommates can I have in an apartment?\",\t\t\t\t\"acceptedAnswer\": {\t\t\t\t\t\"@type\": \"Answer\",\t\t\t\t\t\"text\": \"NYC has strict laws on how many people you can have in a space. In general, each tenant under the lease can have one additional occupant as long as there is 80 square feet of livable space for each person. This excludes hallways, bathrooms, kitchen, etc.\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t}\t\t\t}\t\t\t,\t\t\t\t{\t\t\t\t\"@type\": \"Question\",\t\t\t\t\"name\": \"Can I make money off my roommate?\",\t\t\t\t\"acceptedAnswer\": {\t\t\t\t\t\"@type\": \"Answer\",\t\t\t\t\t\"text\": \"It depends. In general, you can\u2019t charge your roommate more than your actual rent. So if your rent is $2,000 you can\u2019t charge more than that, but you can charge, say $1,700. Of course, if your roommate finds out you are pay significantly less, it could lead to issues. When it comes to rent stabilized apartments, you cannot charge more than half the rent.\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t}\t\t\t}\t\t\t\t    ]}"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to Find Roommates in Manhattan","item":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/find-roommates-in-manhattan\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]