I’m starting to get an itch to rent on my own – but is single living worth $17,000 a year? | Maddie Thomas

One day I hope to be able to shoulder the cost of an entire apartment, and with no boyfriend waiting in the wings to pay half, I won't be happy about it, but I will be ready

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Any relationship comes with perks and pitfalls. But data out of the UK this month revealed it costs 860 (around A$1,500) more a month to be single, begging the question: is living alone really worth 10,000 (A$17,000) a year and what does it get you?

Living in a share house, I am starting to get an itch to rent on my own. And while the biggest barrier to doing so is undoubtedly the rising cost of rent, it is also the cost of being alone.

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Maddie Thomas is an editorial assistant at Guardian Australia