Independent living: Studios vs single bedroom apartments

The idea of living with other people during your time as a student is one that varies in appeal between different people. Some may like the idea of having a roommate or housemates whilst they’re studying, whereas others may like the idea less, due to concerns over how messy, noisy or generally difficult to live with a roommate or housemates could be.

If living with other people is something that doesn’t sound enjoyable to you, it could be time to start looking at independent accommodation. Living alone does bring some new problems however, including what sort of property is best suited for your needs: a studio, or a single bedroom apartment.

Both types of properties have their own advantages and disadvantages, choosing one or the other is very often a personal decision. With this in mind, here are a few factors to consider when choosing your ideal property.

Price

Most likely the biggest consideration when finding your accommodation, due to the limited amount of money a student has. In almost all scenarios studios are going to be less expensive than a single bedroom apartment. This varies depending on your location, with places like London being one of the most expensive places to live in the UK.

The price difference generally isn’t huge, and actually makes the extra space from a single bedroom apartment look that much more appealing. For those on a strict budget however, a studio will be the best choice.

Floor Plan

The floor plan describes the layout of the property, and is an important consideration. The layout of a studio is often very simplistic. You’ll have a single room for your living area, kitchen and bedroom, and a separate room for your bathroom.

Single bedroom apartments are generally much different, as they will likely be separated into different rooms. You may find properties that either don’t fit into one of these categories, or that are similar to both. This varies depending on your location.

Size

Size is purely dependent on the property itself. You can find huge studios and tiny single bedroom apartments, or vice versa. Despite this, a single bedroom apartment will often require more furnishings, due to the fact it has separate rooms. If you don’t own that much furniture, then a studio is a better choice for you.

Social Life

Whilst size may or may not be a concern, a studio does not offer a great way of having friends around for social meetings, such as game or film nights, unless you’re okay with having friends sat on your bed and having your personal belongings out in the open. For this reason, the separate rooms that a single bedroom apartment provides can be much better for social gatherings.

Storage

Again, this may vary between properties, but in general single bedroom apartments have more storage than studios. Although you might find studios that have more storage units, an apartment’s multiple rooms offer other methods of storage. As a general rule, if you think you have a lot to store, a single bedroom apartment is more likely to be for you.

Which is correct?

This really comes down to your own preferences and requirements for your accommodation. However, we recommend you look at a variety of different properties in your area, as you never know what you might find. It’s entirely possible that you find something you love, even if you were not originally interested in it.

Unihousing has a large range of different properties available, from studio apartments to houses. We’re certain we can find a property that’s ideal for you. Give us a call or visit our website to book a viewing.