Should You Move Out of Your Parents’ House?

Overview: Why It’s Challenging Right Now

What would it take for you to move out of your parents’ house, given the current economic reality? If you’re facing challenges, you’re not alone. Many young adults are holding off on moving out of their parents’ house due to a variety of factors, mostly economic and financial in nature. The reasons primarily have to do with the housing affordability crisis, low/stagnant incomes, the rise of precarious employment, and shifting societal norms.

Let’s look at each factor in a bit more detail:

• Housing affordability. In Toronto, nearly half of young adults aged 20 to 34 were living with at least one parent in 2021. In Vancouver, just over half of young adults aged 20 to 34 were living with at least one parent in 2021. This is primarily due to the high housing prices in those cities. The average one-bedroom apartment in Toronto cost $2,133 per month in May 2025, while the average one-bedroom apartment in Vancouver cost $2,275 per month in the same period. This is far beyond what a minimum-wage worker can afford in either province.
• Low/stagnant incomes. This is partly due to sluggish economic growth. Canada has lagged behind other developed countries, particularly when it comes to investing in new technologies. Canada has relied on its abundant natural resources but somewhat neglected its potential for technological innovation.
• Precarious employment. While new jobs are added to the economy every month, many of these jobs are in low-paid service industries e.g. retail and restaurants, keeping the wages low. Many of these jobs are part-time and do not come with benefits. In the meantime, the rise of the gig economy has some people scrambling for scraps while paying a high price for gasoline or risking injury and physical exhaustion on a bicycle e.g. food delivery app workers.
• Shifting societal expectations. Living with your parents longer has become more normalized due to the economic headwinds young people face. Older generations often understand and sympathize with young people’s struggles, and those who don’t have access to generational wealth may face greater hurdles on their path to independence.

Despite the serious challenges young adults face, there are definitely pros to moving out of your parents’ house. In this article, we will review the pros and cons of moving out of your parents’ house as well as steps to achieve this milestone.

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Pros: Why You Should Move Out of Your Parents’ House

• Increased independence. Achieving independence is the number one reason why young adults want to move out of their parents’ house. If you move out of your parents’ house, you will no longer be beholden to your parents’ rules and restrictions. You will be your own person, living life according to your own desires. You will be shocked to see how much your life changes.
• Increased confidence. Living on your own, you will learn to handle setbacks and challenges without immediate help. The more problems and challenges you are able successfully to overcome, the more your confidence will grow. This will allow you to become a more confident and fulfilled person in all areas of your life.
• Peace and privacy. When you live under your parents’ roof, you lack the peace and privacy that your own space could afford. Even if you live with roommates, you can still shut the door and be in your own space, where nobody has the right to disturb you. Having peace and privacy will jumpstart your personal growth like nothing else. Gone will be the fights with your parents.
• Improved social life. Now that you have time to dedicate to yourself and your desires and wishes, your social life – and romantic life – may finally take a turn for the better. You will have more time to hang out with your friends, meet new people, and/or establish romantic relationships.
• Improved prospects. As an independent, confident, self-reliant, and successful man or woman, your prospects will improve dramatically. You will feel more confident to take on additional challenges, earn more money, and improve yourself in a variety of ways.
• Personal growth and development. As soon as you step out the door and take on the world by yourself, your personal growth and development will slam on the gas pedal. You will move much more quickly toward your goals and dreams and finally become the person you’ve always wanted to be.

Cons: Why It May Be Difficult

• The costs are all on you. Now you are paying for all the costs associated with living, and that means your parents are no longer paying for your existence. Every bill payment is now your responsibility, and that means falling behind on your bills is on you. With the weight of such responsibility upon your shoulders, you may feel overwhelmed. Take heart, though – time and persistence will build your resilience, capacity, and budgeting skills!
• No-one to fall back on. Your parents are in the background now, outside of your immediate day-to-day existence. If you run into trouble e.g. car repairs or urgent bills, your parents will not swoop down out of the sky to save you. Knowing this will immediately build fortitude and self-belief, as you successfully handle the challenges and duties of adulthood.
• Possibility of loneliness. Now that you are out living on your own, you may feel lonely from time to time. The emotional support of your parents is not so immediate anymore, and you will have to build your own social life and meet your family of choice, rather than your family by blood – but that can be the fun part!
• No built-in social life. If you live alone, you have no built-in social life – you have to go out in the world and hunt it down. However, this can be viewed as a positive, as you are free to shape the social life you’ve always wanted. Try meetup groups based on your interests e.g. hiking or cycling. Join local communities. Attend church, even if you’re not particularly religious. You will gradually discover ways to meet new people and build your community from scratch.

We hope the above pros and cons can help you make a well-informed decision. Below, let’s review the steps you need to move out of your parents’ house.

How to Move Out of Your Parents’ House

1. Evaluate your budget. Your rent should ideally be 30% or less of your pre-tax monthly income.
2. Find a place. Don’t expect to live in your ideal home right off the bat. Keeping your expectations in check is going to be key to making progress. You may need to get roommates at first. Don’t worry – many people have started this way. Check out the place in person and make sure it’s not a scam. Once you are satisfied that the place meets your current needs, it’s time for the next step.
3. Apply. Many apartment buildings offer a simplified online application process. You may have to gather supporting documentation such as your paystubs and/or references. Fill out any relevant application forms completely and correctly and follow the prescribed steps.
4. Move in! Once you are approved and the move-in date is set, gather your belongings and prepare for the move. You may need to get help moving or hire a moving service. If your new apartment is unfurnished, you may need to buy and assemble furniture.

Pro Tip #1: Your prospective landlord may check your credit score. To help improve your credit score, sign up for Credit Verify.

Pro Tip#2: Set up your utilities before you move in. Don’t be stuck without Internet or hydro!

Conclusion

While moving out of your parents’ house comes with inherent risks, many people think of their life as before they moved out and after they moved out. This is due to the dramatic improvement many people experience once they are out on their own: increased confidence, independence, privacy, peace, and self-reliance.

Adulting is hard. We’ve been there. If you are unable to meet immediate expenses, apply for a personal loan via Friendly Lender. We don’t check credit scores or credit reports during the simple and quick online application process. You may get funds deposited into your bank account as soon as the next business day!