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You find an apartment with counter space, a walk-in closet, and the sunny windows you've always wanted — and the rent actually fits your budget. Time to sign the lease, right?

Maybe. But first, find out how much it's really going to cost. Is there a regular fee for utilities, internet, parking, or trash removal? How about if you have a pet, or if the building has a rooftop lounge or a gym?

The advertised rent is probably not the whole story. A 2025 Zillow study of over 24,000 renters found that 65% paid at least one recurring fee, including 82% of renters who were 18-29. In fact, these younger renters are seeing these mandatory fees more and more: Even excluding pet fees, 78% paid at least one last year, up from 58% in 2024.

So what?

Most of us expect to shell out some money when we move. There's probably a security deposit to cover, a moving truck to rent, utility accounts to set up, maybe new furniture to buy. These costs are familiar.

What we're less prepared for is owing more than the rent each month. It's why the Federal Trade Commission is looking to make mandatory rental fees more transparent, and why at least 20 states now have rental fee disclosure requirements. To avoid surprises, here are some common (often monthly) add-ons apartment hunters should watch for:

•   Pet rent

•   Parking fee

•   Trash removal fee

•   Utilities fee (water, sewer, gas)

•   Amenities (pool, gym, rooftop access)

•   Pest control

•   Internet/wifi fee

•   Payment processing fee

The sticker shock IRL

To see how quickly these fees can add up, let's look at a real-life example from the Washington, D.C., area: A young couple rents a two-bedroom apartment with a base rent of $2,016. But their additional monthly costs for two parking spaces ($40 each), pet rent ($50), trash removal ($18) and pest services ($4) bumps their fixed cost to $2,168, 7.5% more.

Their landlord also charges a per-unit amount for water, sewer, gas, and electric use, which last month ran them an additional $226, putting their total at $2,394. And then there's the nonrefundable $500 pet deposit they paid when they signed the lease, and the $500 annual fee they pay for access to the building's pools, tennis courts, and other amenities.

To be fair, most tenants are financially responsible for at least some utilities, whether they pay their landlord or the utility company directly. In those cases, you just don't want to be caught off guard.

The bottom line: If you're hunting for an apartment, you'll want to compare the all-in monthly cost, not just the advertised rent. And although it's easy to be dazzled by a resort-style pool, dog park, or package room, if money's tight, make sure to ask whether any of the fees are optional.

You never know, an apartment with a higher rent could wind up being a better deal if it has fewer fees.

Related Reading

11 Tips for First-Time Renters (Apartments.com)

Renting vs. Buying in Today's Market: How to Decide (SoFi)

Curbing Fees: How States and Cities are Addressing Up-Front Rental Costs (Joint Center for Housing Studies)

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