The five items most listings add up to
Before you get the keys, you'll usually pay:
- First month's rent.
- The first month of any mandatory monthly fees. Amenity, parking, pet rent, trash. They're due with the rent, so they're due at move-in too.
- The security deposit. Once.
- The application fee. For the screening that comes with an application.
- One-time move-in fees. Admin, key or move-in fees, if the listing names any.
Estimated move-in cost = first month's rent + first month's fees + deposit + application fee + move-in fees
That's the estimate PropFit shows on every home. Take a $1,950 apartment with $125 in monthly fees, a one-month deposit and a $50 application fee: $1,950 + $125 + $1,950 + $50 = $4,075, more than double the advertised rent.
What sometimes comes on top
- Last month's rent, paid in advance. More common outside New York.
- A broker fee, where one applies and the law lets them charge you.
- Moving costs: movers or a truck, and anything the new place needs on day one.
Count each item once
The most common mistake is counting the deposit twice: once as "deposit" and once inside a "move-in total" a listing quotes. Another is forgetting that monthly fees start with the first month. Read the list of charges, not the headline number, and add each item exactly once.
The monthly cost is part of the picture
Fees don't stop after move-in. That $1,950 apartment costs $2,075 every month, and if the home counts fees toward its income rule, the income you need at 3× rises from $5,850 to $6,225 a month. Budget for the total, not the rent.
Where you rent changes the rules
New York
- A deposit or advance can't be more than one month's rent (General Obligations Law § 7-108(1-a)).
- An application fee for a background and credit check can't be more than $20, or the actual cost if lower (Real Property Law § 238-a).
- In New York City, since June 11, 2025, you pay a broker only if you hired them (the FARE Act).
Florida, including Orlando
- No cap on deposits or advance rent, so first month, last month and a deposit together is possible.
- After you move out, the landlord has 15 days to return the deposit, or 30 days to claim part of it in writing (Florida Statutes § 83.49).
- A landlord may offer a monthly fee instead of a deposit, but it has to be your choice (§ 83.491).
Before you pay anything
- Ask for the full list of charges due at signing, in writing.
- Ask which monthly fees are mandatory and which are optional.
- Check the deposit against your state's cap, and ask how and when it's returned.
- Know whether you meet the home's criteria before paying an application fee.
This article explains general rules of thumb and how PropFit works. It isn't financial or legal advice.