IMPORTANT: Off-Campus Life has created a basic calculation for monthly costs of on and off-campus living in the Fort Collins community. This is ONLY a comparison of room and board. Off-campus living can have many up-front and on-going costs that cannot be shown below, such as utility start-ups and lease application fees, buying furniture, stocking up on household cleaning and maintenance supplies, transportation, and parking costs, etc. Additionally, most leases off campus are 12 months, which means there are about 4 more months in the calendar year of rent to pay compared to the roughly 8-month residence hall cycle.
It’s important to take into consideration the following questions when deciding whether living on vs off campus is right for you:
- Can I afford to live off campus?
- Do I know what type of housing I want?
- Am I ready to be more independent and take on additional responsibilities (ex. house and yard maintenance)?
- Will I be able to afford monthly bills, such as utilities, wi-fi, cable, etc.?
- Am I willing to spend extra time commuting to class?
- Am I willing to travel back to campus for co-curricular events or study sessions after class?
- Am I willing to travel back to campus for co-curricular events or study sessions after class?
- Do I know what type of transportation I will use (car, bike, bus) and can I afford associated costs?
- Do I have time to grocery shop and cook?
- Do I have an idea of who I would like to live with off campus?
- Will I be able to communicate effectively with my roommates and/or neighbors?
- Am I familiar with city codes/ordinances and how they can affect me?
Whether living on or off campus, it is important to calculate the cost of food into the equation. Below is a comparison of on-campus meal plans with off-campus food costs.
| 2022-2023 On-Campus Meal Plans | Monthly Cost (4 months) | |
| Any 10 | $2,475.00 | $619 |
| Any 15 | $3,205.00 | $801 |
| Any 19 | $3,430.00 | $858 |
| Any 19 + Add On | $3,945.00 | $986 |
IMPORTANT: All hall residents have a meal plan that provides access to ALL residential dining facilities including 3 dine-in all-you-care-to-eat facilities, 2 pick-up locations for online orders, and 3 grab-and-go locations. Plans include 15 flexible bonus meals per semester. Monthly cost is calculated by semester price divided by four months. https://housing.colostate.edu/dining/meal-plans/#students
| On-Campus Housing | Semester | Rent Per Person | Total Monthly Cost | ||
| Aggie Village Studio* | $1,160.00 | $1,435.95 – $1,502.42 | |||
| Aggie Village 1 Bdrm* | $1,250.00 | $1,525.95 – $1,592.45 | |||
| Aggie Village 2 Bdrm* | $860.00 | $1,135.95 – $1,173.80 | |||
| Aggie Village 3 Bdrm* | $780.00 | $1,055.95 -$1,122.45 | |||
| Aggie Village 4 Bdrm* | $775.00 | $1,050.95-$1,118.40 | |||
| Residence Hall Community-Style Double | $3,250 – $3,600 | $813 – $900 | $1,431 – $1,886 | ||
| Residence Hall Suite-Style Double | $3,865 – $4,345 | $967 – $1,087 | $1,585 – $2,073 | ||
| Residence Hall Community-Style Single | $4,110 – $4,575 | $1,028 – $1,144 | $1,646 – $2,130 | ||
| Residence Hall Suite-Style Single | $4,345 – $5,710 | $1,087 – $1,428 | $1,705 – $2,414 | ||
IMPORTANT: All Residence Hall rooms require a meal plan selection that includes $150 RamCash, 15 flexible bonus meals per semester, and access to six dining centers and two express facilities. Each semester meal plan is divided by 4 (112 days) to determine monthly cost. Meal plan selection information can be found on the Housing & Dining Services website.
| LOW-COST | MODERATE |
Male | $295.60 | $371.10 |
Female | $256.30 | $313.80 |
Combined Average (Male/Female) | $275.95 | $342.45 |
NOTE: Off Campus food cost information is based on Official USDA Food Plans: Cost of Food at Home at Three Levels, U.S. Average, December 2022. The Combined average cost range is used for the off-campus apartments total monthly cost below.
Off Campus-Life acknowledges that the USDA food data collected is on a binary. This is the most up to date information and will keep informed on any changes. The USDA also states that “Another basis of the Food Plans is that all meals and snacks are prepared at home.”
OFF-CAMPUS APTS. (Utilities Included) | RENT PER PERSON | TOTAL MONTHLY COST (Includes Combined Average Off-Campus Food Costs Per Month – see above) |
Ram’s Village 1 Bdrm | $1,450.00 | $1,725.95-$1,792.45 |
The Grove 2 Bdrm | $919.00 | $1,194.95 – $1,261.45 |
Ram’s Pointe 2 Bdrm | $790.00 | $1,065.95 – $1,132.45 |
Ram’s Village 2 Bdrm | $770.00 | $1,045.95-$1,112.45 |
The District 2 Bdrm | $919.00 | $1,194.95-$1,261.45 |
The Grove 3 Bdrm | $789.00 | $1,064.95-$1,131.45 |
Ram’s Pointe 3 Bdrm | $665.00-$745.00 | $920.95 – $1,087.45 |
Ram’s Village 3 Bdrm | $619.00 | $894.95-$961.45 |
The District 3 Bdrm | $839.00 | $1,114.95-$1,181.45 |
The Grove 4 Bdrm | $799.00 | $1,074.95-$1,141.45 |
Rams Pointe 4 Bdrm | $599.00 | $874.95-$941.45 |
Rams Village 4 Bdrm | $635.00 | $910.95-$977.45 |
The District 4 Bdrm | $789.00 | $1,064.95-$1,131.45 |
| AMENITY | RESIDENCE HALLS | CSU AGGIE VILAGE | THE GROVE | RAM’S POINTE | RAM’S VILLAGE |
| Basketball courts | X | X | X | X | X |
| Cable | X | X | X | ||
| Coffee shop | X | X | X | X | X |
| Computer lab | X | X | X | X | X |
| Dining options | X | X | |||
| Fully furnished | X | X | X | X | X |
| Game room | X | X | X | X | |
| High-speed Internet | X | X | X | X | X |
| Individual lease | X | X | X | X | X |
In-unit washer & dryer | X | X | X | ||
| Library | X | X | |||
| Lounge area | X | X | X | X | |
| Outdoor fire pits | X | X | |||
| Outdoor grills | X | X | X | X | |
| Study area | X | X | X | X | X |
| Swimming pool(s) | X | X | X | X | X |
| Tutoring | X | X | |||
| Volleyball courts | X | X | X | X | X |
| Workout facility | X | X | X | X | X |
| Corn Hole | X | X | |||
| Tennis Courts | X |
DISCLAIMER: the four apartment complexes being compared are some of the most common student-focused complexes near campus. Off-campus life DOES NOT ENDORSE nor is directly affiliated with the apartment complexes. All data was obtained directly from apartment complexes and sources cited.