Choosing the Right Lifestyle: Independent Living, Co-Living, or PG/Hostels?
Finding a cosy place to live can be difficult when moving to a new city or even within the same city. Whether searching online or visiting different options like PGs (paying guest accommodations), co-living spaces, or hostels, discovering a new home takes time and effort.
To make the process easier, consider whether you prefer living alone or being around many people and activities. Additionally, consider your budget before making a final decision.
What are Independent Living, Co-living and PG?
A paying guest, or PG, is a renter who stays in a private residence owned by another individual. You won’t find any multi-bedroom PGs in your immediate area. In addition, whether or not you have to pay extra for utilities like power, water, and housekeeping is entirely up to the property owner’s discretion.
In a co-living space, individuals of different genders live together in a shared home and enjoy cooking, cleaning, and socialising as a group. People living in co-living spaces come together for activities such as reading, playing games, and watching movies.
Independent living refers to a living arrangement where individuals, typically adults, have the freedom and ability to live on their own without relying on others for assistance with daily tasks. It implies controlling one’s life and making decisions independently, including managing personal care, household chores, finances, and overall lifestyle choices.
Some of the Common Differences Between Independent Living, Co-Living and PG
Here’s a table that summarises some of the key distinctions between independent living, co-living, and PG (Paying Guest) arrangements:
| Aspect | Independent Living | Co-Living | PG |
| Living Space | Self-contained units (apartments, houses) | Shared spaces (rooms, common areas) | Shared rooms in a residential property |
| Autonomy | Complete independence and autonomy | Moderate level of independence | Limited independence and more rules/restrictions |
| Financial Responsibility | Rent/mortgage and utility payments | Rent payments | Rent payments and additional charges for meals/utilities |
| Responsibilities | Responsible for personal upkeep and tasks | Shared responsibilities for common areas | Limited responsibilities, more managed by the host |
| Amenities and Services | It may include facilities like a gym, pool, etc. | Shared amenities like kitchen, living room | Basic amenities like furniture, Wi-Fi, etc. |
| Flexibility | Can choose a preferred location and lifestyle | Limited flexibility based on the co-living model | Location and facilities determined by the host |
| Support and Assistance | Limited to emergency assistance | Limited support from housemates and manager | Some support from the host in case of issues |
Factors To Consider While Choosing A Living Arrangement
In cities; countless PG and co-living choices offer safe and secure housing to students, working professionals, and bachelors. Before selecting a PG and co-living place, consider the following important elements.
Transportation & Connectivity
Although convenience to your school or business is a top priority, you should also ensure that your chosen area has good public transportation options. You should easily access various city regions via various convenient transportation options. This will make it so your PG is conveniently connected to the rest of the city whenever you need to travel to other locations.
Facilities
Shopping around for the best amenities is important if you’re in the market. Hygiene, extra space, furnishings, Wi-Fi, microwave, air conditioning, refrigerator, washing machine, television, sufficient security, adaptability, and nice common areas.
Price
The price should be your first consideration when looking for a place to stay as a paying guest. First, see whether you are considering any affordable PGs in the area. To find the best PG for your needs, you need to strike a balance between the two.
Confines
When deciding on a co-living situation, it’s important to remember that you’ll be spending a lot of time and resources with people you might not know very well at first. It’s best to seek places occupied by people with whom you get along well because you’ll be sharing amenities like restrooms and toilets and even cooking and dining, including shopping. For example, some vegans would not feel comfortable sharing a home, kitchen, or refrigerator with non-vegetarians.
Co-living Spaces
Every room has a bed, a dressing table, and a study/work desk. The houses and apartments where these rooms are rented out have all the necessary household amenities. This is advantageous because it eliminates the need to obtain these items separately.
Summary
Hostels and paying guest accommodations are similar in many ways. However, some essential factors are needed, such as cost, living circumstances, and cultural immersion.
PGs often offer a comfortable and homelike environment, allowing you to immerse yourself in the local culture. On the other hand, hostels provide a more affordable option for communal living.
When selecting the two options, it’s important to consider the price, accessibility, comfort and convenience. So, the aim is to pick a place to live that fits your needs and makes your life comfortable.
FAQs
Which lodging is the most affordable: PG, co-living, or hostel?
Hostels are typically the most cost-effective alternative available, particularly in terms of price, and they provide accommodations that are kind to one’s wallet for a shorter duration. PG (Paying Guest) lodgings and certain co-living spaces can also give affordable options; however, the costs may vary based on the location, features, and services.
Which accommodations are the most accommodating regarding guests and return dates?
Shared living spaces and certain private room accommodations are often more flexible than other types of accommodations when it comes to hosting guests and allowing changes to return dates. Unlike traditional rentals, these arrangements usually have a standardised process for managing guests. They may offer more flexible lease terms or shorter commitments.
Where can I discover boarding houses, hostels, and co-living spaces?
Through the use of a variety of internet platforms and websites, it is possible to locate boarding homes, hostels, and shared living areas. Popular websites such as Airbnb, Hostelworld, and Booking.com, in addition to specialised websites dedicated to co-living, have extensive listings of these types of lodgings. In addition, local classifieds, websites specialising in real estate, and social media groups specialising in your region can all be valuable resources while looking for these various possibilities.
