Average cost of living per month (apartment, 2 people)

[Nadril]

Well, I'm starting to do a bit of research about this. You see, I want to go to Full Sail, and of course, its a very expensive school.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mostly my parrents are worried about the cost of it, and thusly I've decided to take it into my own hands a bit and figure out the "average" cost per month I'd have to be forking over to get by.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If I go to school there I will most likely be there with a friend of mine, so we can share apartment costs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyways, onto what I'm asking. Afterwards I'm going to have to pay back a large loan. My dad figured it would be around $500 a month not counting intrest and if they helped me out a little bit. I decided to do some looking around online for average game design programer salerys and found this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Programmers/Engineers: video game programmers and engineers with 3 years or less experience make on average $54,300 a year. Game programmers and engineers with 3-6 years of experience average $68,072 a year and Game programmers and engineers with 6 or more years of experience average $86,243 a year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So generaly I figured I could base it around on that for my "findings' more or less. Most likely I'll be going into game design as a programer, although I may go in as an artist although they start at a less salery and are harder to get jobs as.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, I realize a lot of you probaly have an apartment already. What i'm wondering is, if you do, how much per month do you generaly pay for stuff like gas/food/bills? Anything is a great help. I tried looking around with google a bit but it was hard to find a decent idea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also, for the record, the apartment would most likely be in florida which is where the college is. The apartment I'd be in during college isn't as big as a deal for me as it will be after I'm out and have a loan to pay back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finaly, thanks in advance ;p. I've been worrying about this for a bit so I've finaly decided to try and figure out everything. I had a really rough last semester [differnt college] so I need to really think this through.

[jak722]

Where I am, a shared apartment usually requires a person to pay betwen $300 to $600 CDN per person. :-k

[Nadril]

Where I am, a shared apartment usually requires a person to pay betwen $300 to $600 CDN per person. :-k

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sounds about what I got. Was looking at apartments in florida and a 2 bed/ 2 bath apartment was like $1050 a month or like $525 a month. Mostly trying to figure out stuff like Electric/water/ect.

[Vashinred]

youll of course be getting a job right???

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

but 600 for 2 bedroom and 1 bath (2 bath if you look hard enough) sounds right. but make sure to count in food, and movies and other stuff. I find its much better to find a place that included cable and intenet in the bill so you know how much your paying faster.

[Nadril]

youll of course be getting a job right???

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

but 600 for 2 bedroom and 1 bath (2 bath if you look hard enough) sounds right. but make sure to count in food, and movies and other stuff. I find its much better to find a place that included cable and intenet in the bill so you know how much your paying faster.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah I'm basing all of this off of getting a job programing in Game Design after school. Full Sail has a large placement rate (plus, programers are very needed in game design). :)

[BlueLancer]

$400-$800 a month, near $1k you get a nice apartment especially if you live alone. With $400-500 you still have a lot of space and a nice home even if living with a roommate. :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And you can also consider hotels/motels, with rooms from $20-$70 a night or two nights (once you start earning money). They, most of them, have services like restaurants and WLAN access and you get to sleep there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good luck with your gaming programmer/artist job if you get one 8-)

[Tigra00]

Any reason you're not trying to get into Digipen? I dunno' anything about FUll Sail, but you said it's expensive...So if you're going to spend the money, I'm just curious why you wouldn't go to Digipen. :P

[Blipo]

 

Where I am, a shared apartment usually requires a person to pay betwen $300 to $600 CDN per person. :-k

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sounds about what I got. Was looking at apartments in florida and a 2 bed/ 2 bath apartment was like $1050 a month or like $525 a month. Mostly trying to figure out stuff like Electric/water/ect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whoa. You get a water bill? Electrical and gas, yes. Water, I don't think so.

[____]

 

 

Where I am, a shared apartment usually requires a person to pay betwen $300 to $600 CDN per person. :-k

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sounds about what I got. Was looking at apartments in florida and a 2 bed/ 2 bath apartment was like $1050 a month or like $525 a month. Mostly trying to figure out stuff like Electric/water/ect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whoa. You get a water bill? Electrical and gas, yes. Water, I don't think so.

Think water is free do you? Wow - what a secluded like you live in - or your council rips families off for other services.

[calitoker90]

Darkrick god your funny rip on somebody for saying you dont pay for water :XD:. Must have never lived in a apartment because you dont pay for water or gas most every apartment is like that. So dont rip on somebody if you dont know what your talking about : I am still laughing at you :XD:

[Blipo]

 

 

 

Where I am, a shared apartment usually requires a person to pay betwen $300 to $600 CDN per person. :-k

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sounds about what I got. Was looking at apartments in florida and a 2 bed/ 2 bath apartment was like $1050 a month or like $525 a month. Mostly trying to figure out stuff like Electric/water/ect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whoa. You get a water bill? Electrical and gas, yes. Water, I don't think so.

Think water is free do you? Wow - what a secluded like you live in - or your council rips families off for other services.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm sorry, that was stupid of me to say. Where I live we get a combined utilities bill; that threw me off. And yes, I think water is free.It's water, I can make water. ^-^

[Mercifull]

The overall average cost of living is a meaningless statistic. You need to be specific to the place you live. What I pay for my house is probably much less than the mean average yet probably twice as much as some places in the north of England.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As for the water bill... its not just drinking water the bill its also for foul water and sewerage.

[Duke_Freedom]

Just watch out for this when getting into game development for large game companies. :P

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, I pay ~270 euro a month for gas/electric/water and an one person apartement, but like Mercifull said, prices can depend a lot on where you live...

[Mercifull]

Wasnt it someone at Rare that once worked 7 days a week for 2 years with only the hours 2:00am 8:00 am and two christmas mornings off?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

edit: Yes. Interview with Tim Stamper http://www.crashonline.org.uk/51/ultimate.htm

[Nadril]

Just watch out for this when getting into game development for large game companies. :P

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, I pay ~270 euro a month for gas/electric/water and an one person apartement, but like Mercifull said, prices can depend a lot on where you live...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ok :D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the help so far everyone. I would end up living in the Florida area if that helps any.

[mad4u689]

Try looking at craigslist (for serious) and start looking at the costs of the apartments in the areas you might want to live. Beware that popular trendy areas, where lots of young people are living, are going to be the most attractive places to live (it's hard to meet people otherwise after you've finished school!) but also more expensive. Craigslist is a great way to get an idea about this kind of thing and look at apartments you could actually consider getting now. I've been doing that with apartments in New York, even though I'm not planning on graduating for another two and a half years :D

[Nadril]

Try looking at craigslist (for serious) and start looking at the costs of the apartments in the areas you might want to live. Beware that popular trendy areas, where lots of young people are living, are going to be the most attractive places to live (it's hard to meet people otherwise after you've finished school!) but also more expensive. Craigslist is a great way to get an idea about this kind of thing and look at apartments you could actually consider getting now. I've been doing that with apartments in New York, even though I'm not planning on graduating for another two and a half years :D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ok :D .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It mostly depends where the jobs are at for a location. Doesn't need to be anything incredibly special, just a good placement ;p.

[dusqi]

$54k straight out of uni? I wouldn't base my life around that figure if I were you... Even if $54k is a realistic figure, are you sure that the real problem isn't just getting a job in the first place? That might be the figure, but only for the 2% of people that get through the interview process and end up with a job.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whatever you do, make sure you add a 10% contingency onto everything, because everyone underestimates costs.

[Nadril]

I'm still doing a bit more research on the lows/highs for a game design job right out of college. Full Sail [like I said before] has a high placement rate and programers are *always* in need in the industry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good idea adding the 10% though, I'll do that.

[mad4u689]

Also, it's really easy to forget or lose track of how much the costs of things add up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- internet or cable costs

 

 

 

- cell phone plan

 

 

 

- landline plan

 

 

 

- groceries - not just food, but toiletries, detergent, paper towel, random things you don't even think about now

 

 

 

- furnishing your house with furniture, dish towels, etc.

 

 

 

- the snacks you'll inevitably buy when you pass someplace on the street

 

 

 

- gas and electric

 

 

 

- spending money for going out (movies, parties, concerts, going out to dinner with friends, etc)

 

 

 

- spending money for staying in (that latest video game, renting a movie, having over guests)

 

 

 

- presents you'll have to buy for people

 

 

 

- rent / mortgage

 

 

 

- etc :D

[Nadril]

Also, it's really easy to forget or lose track of how much the costs of things add up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- internet or cable costs

 

 

 

- cell phone plan

 

 

 

- landline plan

 

 

 

- groceries - not just food, but toiletries, detergent, paper towel, random things you don't even think about now

 

 

 

- furnishing your house with furniture, dish towels, etc.

 

 

 

- the snacks you'll inevitably buy when you pass someplace on the street

 

 

 

- gas and electric

 

 

 

- spending money for going out (movies, parties, concerts, going out to dinner with friends, etc)

 

 

 

- spending money for staying in (that latest video game, renting a movie, having over guests)

 

 

 

- presents you'll have to buy for people

 

 

 

- rent / mortgage

 

 

 

- etc :D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Awsome. what I was looking for, a list like that ;p.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't go out to the movies/whatever to often so what I've done is just kind of did an "extra stuff" deal, for stuff like that / games / ect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not sure how the furniture will work. I know if we go down there we will stay in a different place for college [near the campus] and are thinking of just going to IKEA and getting furniture. Really cheap there, and I belive my parrents will help me out with that a little bit.

[konnan4444]

I would say that all together it would cost you about $750-1000$ per month each. THis includes all your bills, entertainment, bills, food, and all the good stuff.

[Tigra00]

I've done a lot of research on the subject, because it was originally a career choice of mine aswell, but now I totally dropped that idea. There is still some part of me that WISHES, but I know it isn't worth it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Typically, entry-level, you should expect to be working for peanuts, with sweat-shop factory hours. No joke. :P Don't read "professional" opinions, they're BS. Read REAL people's stories. I believe most that I read, a majority were making under $30k per year starting ($23k being the lowest I read) and working 12 hours days, 7 days a week. After 3 years, if you can make it without getting canned, you'll start making money worth 12 hours/day, but you'll still be working 12 hour days, so that won't really matter. :lol:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plus you have to consider all the no-talent kiddies you'll have to fight through for a job. It's probably the most popular career choice on the planet, so it's hard to get a job. "Placement" only means something if you're going to a very prestegious school like DigiPen. I've never even heard of Full Sail, so I can't say how prestegious it is considered...However, I can tell you DigiPen graduates never go jobless, plus you'll be used to the long hours...DigiPen students have to take tons of math, prgramming, animation and some physics classes. Crazy stuff.