How Much Does It Cost to Furnish an Apartment?

Let’s say you’ve found your perfect apartment in NYC, close to all your favorite amenities without being in the middle of the city’s biggest crowds. 

Rent in New York is already high, but now you have to shell out even more cash to furnish your apartment with all the necessary furniture and appliances. How much does it cost to furnish an apartment? It depends on factors that include where you buy your items, whether they’re new or used, and how many rooms your apartment has. 

Take a closer look at how much it would cost to make your new place feel like home. 

Average Cost to Furnish an Apartment

As you’re calculating the cost of buying furniture for your new digs, don’t forget to include extras like sales tax, delivery fees, and assembly fees. 

While you might be able to save a few bucks by picking up items yourself, many people living in NYC don’t own a car — or don’t own one large enough for bulky furniture — and therefore have to pay extra to have their bulky purchases delivered and set up.

Also, furnishings include much more than just big furniture pieces. Things you use every day, like dishes, cookware, and mats for your feet, also have to be purchased and can add up as you tally the total cost.

Cost to Furnish 1-Bedroom Apartment

If your apartment has only one bedroom, you won’t have room for much more than the basics. These include essentials like a bed, sofa, basic kitchen appliances, dishes, and linens. 

The average renter will spend around $8,000 furnishing an entire one-bedroom apartment with new furniture. This includes the costs of basic items and estimated delivery fees of around $500. Costs for a studio apartment are similar to those for a one-bedroom.

Cost to Furnish 2-Bedroom Apartment 

What if you have two bedrooms to fill? If you’re using one of the rooms as a studio or guest room, you’ll have yet another category on your shopping list. Filling your two-bedroom apartment could cost over $10,000, depending on how you’re using that spare bedroom. 

How to Budget for Apartment Furnishings

We know what you’re thinking: After signing the lease on an NYC apartment, you probably don’t have $10,000 just lying around. 

Most new renters fill their apartments with furniture little by little, focusing on the necessities at first and purchasing more pieces as they’re able. Here are two more helpful tips for apartment furniture budgeting in New York City. 

Consider Your Moving Plans

Before you make a list of the furnishings you need for your place, consider how long you plan to stay there. Think about it in terms of best-case and worst-case scenarios. How long would you live there in a perfect world, and how soon would you be able to move if it doesn’t work out? 

If one or both of those time frames are only a few months, buying a full apartment’s worth of stuff may not be worth it. Remember that the cost of paying for movers every few months can add up just as quickly as the cost of furniture. 

Choose Your Essentials

To remote workers or students, a nice desk and desk chair might be essentials. To others, this combo might be nice to have but can be done without for a while. 

Most people will have the same few necessities, including a bed, a fridge, and some kind of seating. Outside of this short list, however, what you consider essential may be different from someone else. Make a detailed list of the things you need in order of importance and focus on your need-to-have items first. 

Tips for Saving Money on Furnishings

Now that you know how to make room in your budget for furniture, there are a few other steps you can take to keep your costs low without compromising the items you want and need. 

Visit Estate Sales and Flea Markets

The prices quoted for furnishing one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments were given with the assumption that you buy all of your items new from local furniture and department stores. 

Apart from valuable antiques, buying new furniture will always be the most expensive route to take. Visit your local flea markets and keep an eye out for estate sales in your area to find high-quality used furniture at a discounted price. You could find a unique piece that big-box furniture stores just don’t have. 

Ask Family Members 

Have family members in the area? You’ll never know if they have some furniture they’re trying to get rid of unless you ask. If you can take something off their hands, you’ll get a new home decor item for cheap or free, and you’ll be doing them a big favor. 

Pick Timeless Over Trendy

Before you pick up any furniture piece or home decor item, take a moment to ask yourself whether it’s timeless enough to be used for years or if you’ll get tired of it in a matter of months. 

You may be charmed by the latest furniture trends, but you’ll end up spending a lot more money over the years if you don’t go for classic pieces that will always look great.

Should I Just Rent a Furnished Apartment? 

While buying your own furnishings gives you greater control over your home decor, it’s clear to see that it can get expensive fast. This is why renting a furnished apartment might be the way to go, especially if you’re a digital nomad or plan to move in a year or less.

With a furnished apartment, you’ll be able to save thousands on buying furniture so that you can focus on finding the best place for you. And furnished apartments are usually available right away, making them convenient if you’re brand-new to the city. 

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