If you’ve chosen to live in Bloomington-Normal, congratulations. You’ve made a great choice.
More than 132,000 people live in the area, which boasts dozens of great places to eat, opportunities for the arts and theater, sporting events, recreation, and, of course, some amazing places to shop.
What does it cost to live here? It depends on what you’re looking for.
What Does It Cost To Rent An Apartment In Bloomington-Normal?
Renting in the Twin Cities costs anywhere from $350 per month to $4,200 per month, as of this writing.
The lower price can be found by renting a room in a home.
The higher price is for a 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom condo in Uptown Normal.
Typically, you’ll find the average cost to rent an apartment in this area is between $8,000 and $12,000 per year.
How Many Bedrooms Should I Get?
The amount of bedrooms in your apartment depends on who will be living with you.
You can either get a group of family or friends together to rent an apartment together, or you can talk to your potential landlord about matching you up with other people looking for roommates.
Overall rent generally increases as the amount of bedrooms increase. However—like buying in bulk at Sam’s Club—you might find that you get more value with more bedrooms.
For example, a 2-bedroom apartment with two residents can cost around $6,500 per year per person. Meanwhile, a 4-bedroom apartment with four residents might be around $5,400 per year per person.
This breaks down into an $1,100-per-person savings annually.
What Utilities Are Included In My Rent?
When you’re shopping around for apartments, check with each landlord about what is included with rent.
Some may only cover rent, while others may include other bills and utilities, such as:
- High-speed Internet
- Gas
- Water
- Electricity
- Trash and recycling
- Cable TV
Looking for a landlord that includes all or most of these in the cost of rent provides peace of mind for both students and parents. Students can focus on academic work and activities, mitigating the risk for damaging their credit, while parents can sleep comfortably knowing that one price covers most bills.
What Services & Furnishings Are Included?
Another major factor in apartment cost is what services are included in the cost of rent.
Instead of being nickel-and-dimed, discuss these items with your leasing agent:
- Parking
- Security
- Laundry
- Pets
Each of these may be a separate fee, depending on the landlord.
Aside from services, an apartment will need to be furnished in order to be liveable.
Check with your landlord to determine whether an apartment is fully furnished, or whether you need to provide your own furnishings—beds, couches, tables, chairs, refrigerators, ovens, and so on.
Services, furnishings, size and space, and bills and utilities are all factors to take into consideration when picking an apartment. Think about each of these as you compare apartments during your selection.
