How do you split rent and bills fairly with roommates?

Equal splits only feel fair when rooms are equal. When they're not, weight rent by what each room offers:

• Room size — the biggest factor; bigger room, bigger share.
• Private vs. shared bathroom — an ensuite commands a premium.
• Natural light, closets, noise — a bright corner room vs. a dark interior one.
• Square footage method — for a clean formula, split the private-room rent by each room's area, then divide shared space equally.

Most shared bills — internet, electricity, water, gas — are simplest split evenly per person, since everyone uses them. Put one person's name on each account and rotate, or use a single shared method. For wildly uneven usage (someone runs AC all summer, someone's gone half the year), agree on an adjustment up front rather than relitigating each month.

• Pick one day a month when rent and bills are due to whoever collects.
• Use a shared expense app so balances are visible and automatic.
• Keep a shared kitty for communal supplies (cleaning, paper goods) instead of tracking every roll of paper towel.
• Agree on what's shared vs. personal (groceries especially) before move-in.

Write the split and the schedule into your roommate agreement. Money is the second-biggest source of roommate conflict after cleanliness — a five-minute written agreement prevents most of it.