Updated October 9, 2026. Moving out at 18 is legal in most states. Affording it on a first job is the hard part. The federal minimum wage is still $7.25 an hour in 2026, or $15,080 a year for 2,080 hours, before taxes. Many states set a higher floor. Check your state before you budget.
The National Low Income Housing Coalition’s 2026 figures say a full-time worker needs about $29.19 an hour to afford a modest one-bedroom at fair-market rent, and $34.73 for a two-bedroom. A full-time worker at $7.25 can afford roughly $377 a month on the 30% rule. Apartment List put the national median rent at $1,388 in July 2026. Asking rents on live listings run higher in a lot of cities.
A realistic first place is usually a room in a shared apartment, not a one-bedroom alone. Landlords often want income around three times the rent, a deposit, and a cosigner if you have no rental history.
- Add up rent, utilities, food, a phone, transportation, and renter’s insurance before you sign.
- Keep the first month of those costs in cash. That is the start of an emergency fund, not optional.
- A job with a higher state or city wage, overtime, or a second shift changes the math more than a budgeting app does.
If the rent is more than 30% of take-home pay, the lease is the risk, not the lack of a couch.