Commute or not to Commute?

When college approaches, it's the time when you have to decide whether to commute to school or if you want to live on campus?(If you are going to school from another state, dorming is the best option).

Is It Really Cheaper to Commute?

The truth is, it depends. For students who are living with their parents or sharing an apartment with 2 or more friends, commuting can be the cheaper option. Some schools even offer a pass for public transportation that's included in the tuition already.

Let's See an Example

At the university I attend, room and board is $12,000 a year which is $1,000 a month(but you don't actually live at the school for 12 months unless you're from out of state). Even though you have a roommate, you still pay $1,000 a month to live and eat at the school. The cost of transportation(that's already included in my tuition) is $163 a year. It would cost me $5 a day($2.50 each way) to commute.

$5x5 days a week is $25 a week.

$25x40 weeks in a school year is $1,000 a year.

This amount is more than the $163 fee that the school charges me a year. It is also the same amount as a month of rent is at the school. Therefore, for some students(including myself) save a lot of money each year by commuting.

But, if you live more than two hours away from your school(by transportation), commuting might not be worth your time.

Final Thoughts

If you can live at home or get some roommates to live with you somewhere near the school, you should consider commuting.