Should I live at home, on campus, or off campus?

Assumptions

Number of years until college ?

The number of years until you plan to start college. Expense amounts will be inflated.

Number of months expenses incurred each year ?

If you plan to attend school year round then enter 12 here, the typical school year consists of nine months.

Advanced options 1

Estimated annual inflation rate ?

The average annual inflation rate that will be applied to the listed expenses. Leave at 0% if you do not want to take into account inflation.

10 Year Historic Inflation Rate. 10-year U.S. inflation average 2.9% 2015 0.1%, 2016 1.3%, 2017 2.1%, 2018 2.4%, 2019 1.8%, 2020 1.2%, 2021 4.7%, 2022 8.0%, 2023 4.1%, 2024 2.9% Source U.S. Department of Labor

Expenses

Item	At Home	On Campus	Off Campus
Cell phone	$	$	$
Food	$	$	$
Food	$	$	$
Housing	$	$	$
Housing	$	$	$
Personal	$	$	$
Transportation	$	$	$

Advanced options 60

Item	At Home	On Campus	Off Campus
Clothing	$	$	$
College activity fees	$	$	$
Computer equipment	$	$	$
Entertainment	$	$	$
Furnishings	$	$	$
Furnishings	$	$	$
Health	$	$	$
Housing	$	$	$
Housing	$	$	$
Housing	$	$	$
Internet access	$	$	$
Laundry	$	$	$
Memberships	$	$	$
Parking fees	$	$	$
Telephone	$	$	$
Transportation	$	$	$
Transportation	$	$	$
Transportation	$	$	$
Travel expenses	$	$	$
Utilities deposit	$	$	$

Enter your values and select Calculate.

Each card above adds up the same list of expenses three ways: as if your student lives at home, lives on campus, or lives off campus. The one-time, monthly, and annual figures let you see both the upfront cash needed and the ongoing monthly load for each option, in today's dollars and again projected forward using the inflation rate and years until college you entered. There is no single right answer here — the best arrangement depends on things this calculator does not weigh, like commute time, independence, or campus housing availability.

The categories that tend to move the total the most are rent, utilities, and food, since they recur every month for the number of months you set. If a scenario looks unexpectedly expensive or cheap, check those line items first, along with the one-time deposits, which only hit the first year. The number of years until college and the inflation rate also matter: a longer runway or a higher assumed rate will widen the gap between today's cost and the projected cost.

This is a budgeting estimate, not a lease or a financial aid award. It does not account for scholarships, financial aid, tuition, taxes, or the chance that actual rents and prices move differently than the inflation rate you chose. Real costs will vary by school, city, and year.

Use the comparison card to see the spread between the least and most expensive option, then revisit the numbers whenever rent prices, meal plan costs, or your student's housing decision changes — and again as college gets closer and estimates can be replaced with real quotes. Having even a rough side-by-side like this puts you ahead of making the decision on gut feeling alone.

This information may help you analyze your financial needs. It is based on information and assumptions provided by you regarding your goals, expectations and financial situation. The calculations do not infer that the company assumes any fiduciary duties. The calculations provided should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice. In addition, such information should not be relied upon as the only source of information. This information is supplied from sources we believe to be reliable but we cannot guarantee its accuracy. Hypothetical illustrations may provide historical or current performance information. Past performance does not guarantee nor indicate future results.