If You Live Alone, Your 'Freedom Comes With a Cost'

There are definitely benefits to living by yourself: no messy roommates, privacy, staying up as late as you want without worrying about keeping anyone else up. But every pro has its con, and in this case, a big drawback if you're a solo renter in the US is what Zillow calls a "singles tax"—the amount more per year that you'll pay over those who sign a lease with someone else, per Bloomberg. Analyzing StreetEasy data, Zillow found that renters who live alone end up forking over almost $7,000 more per year for a one-bedroom median apartment, though some cities demand much more: That same singles add-on in New York City will cost you $19,500; in the borough of Manhattan, that figure spikes to $24,000.
"Renters considering going solo this year must decide how valuable living alone is to them, and if the cost is worth it," Zillow's Amanda Pendleton says. Looking to survive as a solo renter on the cheap? Cleveland has the lowest "tax," at $4,387. Here are the 10 US cities where those who live alone are paying the most over the span of 12 months:

1. New York City: $19,500
2. San Francisco: $14,114
3. San Jose: $12,401
4. San Diego: $11,774
5. Boston: $11,546
6. Washington, DC: $11,501
7. Seattle: $10,799
8. Los Angeles: $9,913
9. Miami: $9,248
10. Honolulu: $9,241

More here. (This is the best state to live in.)