You’re moving out of your family home and into the most exciting and youthful city of Bangalore. And you’re faced with a complete dilemma – one that haunts every young person who moves out of home for the first time. Should you opt for the complete autonomy of living in a flat or the added amenities of living in a shared space like a PG? It can be difficult to make this decision, especially since the two options are pretty evenly matched. Flats can give you a lot of freedom and privacy, but be on the more expensive side, while PGs will require you to share your space, but offer you the best of amenities and an affordable room rent in Bangalore. So, how do you go about choosing? Well, that’s where we wanted to offer our help. We’ve got a list of factors to weigh flats and PGs against to help you decide which one is right for you.

Affordability

One of the most important factors that will help you decide where you’re going to live in Bangalore has to be your budget. Luckily, this is a city that is well versed in dealing with a young migrant population and has lots of accommodation options to offer. You’ll find a range of different hostels, PGs and flats at different price points to choose from. But remember that living costs don’t stop at your monthly rent. There are a lot of other factors to consider like utilities, commute, groceries etc. A paying guest residence will probably include all these costs in your monthly rent, whereas in a flat you’ll have more control over what you’re paying for.

Household Management

Chores? No thank you. If you’re not a fan of boring household tasks like cleaning and laundry, living in a PG will probably be a lot more comfortable for you. Most new age paying guest facilities will take care of household management from you and provide you with cleaning facilities, laundry services and more. But if you live in a flat, all that responsibility is going to be on you. So, think about how you want to spend your free time after a long day – enjoying yourself or doing the dishes?

Food

You’ve got to eat to live. And if you’re somewhat of an amateur chef, whipping up meals for yourself in your apartment kitchen is going to be really easy. In fact, you’ll even get to ensure that you’re eating healthy, and you can customise your meals to suit your tastes. But if you’re not about to be the next MasterChef and cooking isn’t really your thing, choosing a PG might be a better option. Most paying guest facilities serve meals to residents a few times a day, so you can choose a place which has suitable meal timings and serves the food of your choice.

Social Circle

When you’re new to a city, it can be difficult to adjust to the culture and make friends at first. Well, being surrounded by a bunch of others who are equally new to the place can definitely come in handy. If you’re a social butterfly who loves to be around people, a PG would be perfect for you. Especially one of the professionally managed places like Stanza Living which creates a strong sense of community among its residents by setting up communal events, gaming nights and much more. Want a great social life without even leaving the building? A shared accommodation will ensure it for you.

Privacy

You didn’t spend your entire childhood fighting for space from your siblings only to have to end up room sharing in Bangalore. And sure, roommates may be some people’s cup of tea, but if you’ve moved to the city to have a chance at self-reliance and solitude, a flat is probably a better idea for you. If you don’t want to bother with washroom queues, loud roommates, fixed mealtimes or curfews, a flat is going to offer you the autonomy that you’ve always wanted.

So, those are a few pros and cons of living in flats and PGs. With all the options in front of you, you can now make the best choice for yourself. Go ahead and get ready to have the life you always wanted in Bangalore.