APARTMENT RENTAL FEES / FREE BUDGET TOOL

Apartment move-in cost calculator

See the cash you need to move in, how much is held in refundable deposits, and your ongoing monthly cost.

Use your property's written quote. Enter each charge once, including applicable taxes. This calculator adds your amounts; it does not decide whether a fee or deposit is legal.

Build your move-in budget

U.S. dollars

Enter rent and the rent payment due at move-in to begin. Other amounts start at $0; replace them with confirmed figures. A blank optional amount counts as $0.

1. Rent and monthly costs

Monthly base rent ($) Rent due at move-in ($) Other monthly costs ($)

Use the landlord's actual first payment, including any prorated or prepaid rent. Do not add a full month again if it is already included.

Include your monthly pet rent, parking, insurance and utility budget. If a payment is also due before moving, include it once in the upfront fields below.

2. Application and other upfront costs

People paying an application fee Application fee per person ($) Nonrefundable administration fee ($) Nonrefundable pet fee ($) Other upfront costs ($)

Include moving, setup fees, tax or other nonrefundable charges due before moving. Put refundable utility or pet deposits in the next section. Confirm the refund terms first.

3. Refundable deposits

Security deposit ($) Other refundable deposits ($)

These amounts tie up cash. A refund may be reduced by allowed deductions. A nonrefundable deposit-alternative fee belongs under upfront costs.

4. Payments already made

Already paid toward the items above ($)

Include a holding payment only if it is credited toward rent or a deposit already entered above. This reduces the remaining cash needed, not the total cost. Do not subtract a promised deposit refund from your old home before it arrives.

How the calculation works

Total move-in cash = rent due + application fee × applicants + other upfront costs + refundable deposits. Cash still needed = that total − payments already credited. Monthly budget = monthly base rent + other monthly costs.

The example uses $1,800 monthly rent, $900 rent due, two $50 applications, $150 administration, $250 pet fees, $200 other costs and $1,900 in deposits. Total move-in cash is $3,500; after $300 already paid, $3,200 remains. Monthly rent plus $75 of recurring costs is $1,875. These are invented amounts for learning the tool.

Check the rules for your state and your lease before paying. Read about application fees and holding deposits, then use the printable move-out checklist for your current home.

The calculator does not send your entered amounts to FeeHQ or save a budget account. Print or save the result as a PDF if you want a copy.