Housing advice for incoming MS1

[Montyzar]

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Hey everyone,

I’m a 23-year-old male medical student moving from Texas to Los Angeles for my first year of med school. I’m trying to figure out the best living situation:

Option 1: (looking to stay here for M1 and maybe M2 years)
3 Bed / 3 Bath — $1369/mo (everything included in rent)
Roommates: 32 y/o woman (WFH in finance) + 32 y/o male (video game developer/software engineer). (Not a couple just people renting under a leasing company and posted a ln available room on Zillow.

Pros: Rent controlled, Private bed and bath, In-unit washer/dryer, Rent controlled, Tandem parking, Roommates were friendly on FaceTime, provided address to the unit, open to share socials and LinkedIn, gave me a virtual tour through zoom. Place was clean and kept tidy. Camera security.

Cons: Only met them virtually (texts/FaceTime) (unable to travel due to personal reasons). First time living with roommates.


Option 2: Studio Apartment — $2050/mo
505 sq ft, solo living (utilizes, parking, wifi include in price)
Pros: Full privacy, In-unit washer/dryer, Garage parking, Controlled-access building. Morning concierge + overnight security, front desk to accept packages.

LA is going to be expensive for everything (food etc) I assume.

Cons: Pricey — highest cost option, not rent controlled but La has a cap of 10% rent increase each year


Option 3: 2 Bed / 2 Bath with Another Incoming Med Student — $1775/mo (each of us)
(everything included in rent)
Same building as the studio, would split rent/utilities.

Pros: Saving $300/month compared to the studio. Roommate is another med student — similar schedule, shared goals. Same amenities as studio (washer/dryer, parking, secure building)

Cons: Again, never lived with a roommate before


I’ve never lived with roommates before, but I’m open to it. My biggest concerns are balancing cost, comfort, and study environment — I’m not a big party person.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts or suggestions!

Differential costs between options:

$661/month difference between the studio and 3bed 3 bath (ie 7932/year)

$275/month difference between the studio and 2 bed/2bath (3300/year)

$406/month difference between the 2 bed/2bath and 3 bed3 bath (4872/year)

 

[LunaOri]

If you can afford it, the studio may be your most comfortable option, given that you have never shared living space before. After the first year, you may have a friend or a partner with whom to share a larger apartment.

 

[AJS59]

I did the live in an apartment with 2 random med students thing and it didn't work out super happy. I'd take the studio.

 

[operaman]

Other question - how far is each one from your school? That would be a serious factor for me. I lived a 5 minute walk from campus all through med school and it made everything so much easier.

All things being equal, I’d take the studio as well. Reason being the unknowns in the others. Once you have some friends, try and get a 2-3br place together for the next year.

 

[Daxlabrador]

I think living comfortably is really important for your own peace and mental health. You'll have enough outside stressors in your life already, being an M1, you will want to come home and be able to relax and just focus on studying and on yourself. I would say option 2 or 3. If you are friendly and can make friends easily, option 2 would be the best. If you are more shy and the roommate would be someone with whom you think you could form a friendship, I'd say do option 3, having immediate support/close friends through high-stress environments like medical school is priceless.

 

[mistafab]

I'd say option 2 or 3, depending on your personality.

For me, living alone was the best money I could have spent. No regrets.

Some people really struggle if they are alone and do better with a roommate around.

Good luck

 

[Styrene]

Based on my experiences through medical school and residency, go for the studio. Because it's your own space. Even if they are your friends, having roommates becomes annoying after a while--at least for me. Whether your family can provide money here and there if you need it is another consideration.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Agree having your own space may be worth it. But distance from school is an important factor not included