When selecting an apartment for the next year, it’s essential to consider the comprehensive monthly cost, not just the advertised rent. While apartment websites typically showcase base rental rates, your actual expenses will be higher due to additional charges like utilities, parking, and pet fees. In order to budget accurately, it’s crucial to understand and factor in these extra costs to budget accurately.
Read Next: Base Rental Rate vs. Total Monthly Cost for a Student Apartment in Gainesville
At Sweetwater, we have helped hundreds of students find their home for the school year. To make sure you’re well-informed about the leasing process and the total costs involved, we’ve written this article outlining utility fees and how they are calculated.
In this article, answer a few FAQs, including:
- How are utility costs calculated?
- What is the average monthly cost of utilities?
- How will utility costs be billed?
Cost of Utilities at Student Apartments in Gainesville
Representative image of kitchen areas at Sweetwater, featuring tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and quartz countertops.
For most student housing apartments in Gainesville, all utilities are included in your rental rate outside of electricity and water. These utilities may include gas, sewage and internet/cable.
How are utility costs calculated?
Electricity and water are typically sub-metered for each apartment and billed on a monthly basis.
The electricity and water bill for your apartment will be divided among you and your roommates either equally or based on individual usage, depending on the apartment complex.
What is the average monthly cost of utilities?
Once utility costs are divided amongst roommates, this charge can range from approximately $15 to $70 depending on usage and the apartment complex.
Utility costs can vary greatly between apartments and might even exceed this range. To get an accurate estimate, make sure to ask the properties you’re interested in what the average cost of utilities is each month when you tour.
Read Next: 15 Questions You Should Ask When Touring a Student Housing Property at UF
How will utility costs be billed?
Utility costs are billed separately from rent payments. Oftentimes, student apartments will bill utility fees at the end of each month based on usage. This amount will typically be billed through a third-party app or service.
For example, Sweetwater utilities will be billed monthly via ConService. ConService coordinates with the utility company to collect your grand total and split that price evenly between all your roommates. This way, you don’t have to worry about who is paying which month or who you’ll need to Venmo.
We hope this article gives you a better understanding of the costs associated with living at an off-campus student apartment. If you have any further questions or would like to learn more about Sweetwater, please contact our leasing staff! We are more than happy to help in your search for housing.
