Getting a place to live can be difficult on its own, but finding the ideal roommate can be even more challenging. Whether you are living on campus or off campus there is a high chance you will leave with a roommate. Everyone’s biggest nightmare is having a roommate you do not get along with. In all of my living abroad experiences I have always had a roommate – sharing different rooms but same communal space such as living room & kitchen.

There are so many benefits to living with a roommate which includes:

• Boosting your mood during long winter 
• Helping you make new friends quickly
• Saving cost on rent & utilities

Is living with a roommate cheaper?

Living with a roommate is typically less expensive than renting an apartment by yourself. You have someone to share the expenses with. However, if the household’s utilities are not managed responsibly, it could get very costly.

With all these perks of having a roommate it is important to note that choosing a good roommate and being a good roommate plays a key role in creating a great cohabiting environment. Make sure you interview possible roommate(s) before deciding to share a space with them. Don’t be in a rush to choose just anyone. You can determine if you connect and share similar interests at this point.

Where can you find roommates ?

The ideal place to find a roommate abroad are Facebook groups, especially the university housing pages. This makes it simple for you to locate a roommate who is working toward a similar objective, such as an international student who wants to reduce costs.

Here’s how to ensure you have a good experience living with a foreign roommate :

• Have an introduction on the day you arrive at your new location. Learn more about one another.
• Create a group chat if there are more than two roommates involved so that everyone may communicate.
• Learn about and respect each other’s cultures.
• Never hesitate to enforce home rules, such as no visitors until after midnight or no loud music.
• Always be respectful 
• Don’t set the rules and break them
• Set Boundaries especially if you are living with the opposite sex.
• Build relationship with your foreign roommate(s) outside of your communal space
• Be welcoming and cordial to their friends and family: 

I’ve shared an apartment with roommates before, both in England and now in Canada. The general rule is to not have more than three roommates because it will be difficult to enforce house rules and you will have to cope with many diverse personalities, which can be overwhelming if your housemates are foreigners from different countries. Having said that, I’ve had the nicest experiences sharing a home with foreign roommates, especially during the lockdown when we practically became family because of how much time we spent in each other’s company.