The true cost of starting over after a break-up

Breaking up with a partner can be an emotionally turbulent time, but it can also have real-world consequences. If you’ve moved in with your partner, then finding a new place to live following your split can be a real drain on your wallet. From house hunting to buying furniture, it can be tough to start fresh.

To show how expensive a breakup can be, home and contents insurance comparison service iSelect ranked the most expensive areas in the US, the UK, and Australia for a new start after the end of a relationship. This was based on factors such as the average rent, deposit costs, and the cost of furnishing a flat, as well as how many weeks of income are needed to pay for a post-breakup move.

The most expensive places to start over after a breakup 

For our list, we’ve taken the three most expensive areas in each country we researched and ranked them by total move cost. Here are our rankings:

United States

With the most expensive housing prices in the US, California has the highest costs for post-breakup moves. The state’s median rent price is $2,104 USD ($2,987.68 AUD), with weekly income averaging $1,658 USD ($2,354.36 AUD). When adding furnishing costs and deposits to the equation, this means that a fresh start costs around $4,874 USD ($6,921.08 AUD), or 2.94 weeks of pay on average.

Hawaii has the second-highest upfront costs when renting a new place, but since its average salary is lower than in California, its housing is actually less affordable for a typical worker. It takes an average of 3.33 weeks of pay to start over in Hawaii, compared to 2.94 in California. While the median monthly rent in the state is $1,942 USD ($2,757.64 AUD), the average Hawaiian earns $1,366 USD ($1,939.72 AUD) per week, with the total costs of a post-breakup move equalling 3.33 weeks of pay ($4,550 USD, or $6,461.00 AUD).

Washington, D.C., ranks third, with a fresh start costing an average of $4,528 USD ($6,046.36 AUD). The median monthly rent in the region is $1,931 USD ($2,742.02 AUD), while a typical resident earns $9,265 USD ($13,156.30 AUD) per month, so a move after a breakup costs just 2.12 weeks of pay overall.

Australia

The Australian Capital Territory is the most expensive state in the country to move to after a breakup, with a typical resident paying $5,255 AUD in total for a fresh start. The average monthly gross income in the ACT is $5,213 AUD, with rent typically costing $1,950 AUD per month, and deposits averaging $1,800 AUD. Furnishing costs also raise the total price, meaning a full refresh can cost as much as 4.37 weeks of pay.

New South Wales ranks second overall, with residents typically paying $5,005 AUD to move after a breakup. However, its average salary is much lower than that of the ACT ($3,523 AUD/month), with rent costs remaining high ($1,820 AUD/month on average, with deposits costing $1,680 AUD). This means residents can expect to pay as much as 6.16 weeks of pay in total for their move.

Rounding out the top three, Victoria’s high rent and comparatively low salary mean it’s the third-most expensive state in Australia for moving after a split. The average resident earns $3,480 AUD per month, with median rent prices of $1,603 AUD. With the cost of a deposit and furniture being added to the equation, moving in Victoria can cost as much as $4,588 AUD, or 5.71 weeks of pay.

United Kingdom

The most expensive British city to move to after a breakup is London, with total moving costs of £5,510 ($10,524.10 AUD). Although the capital has the highest average monthly rent in the UK (£2,101, or $4,012.91 AUD), it also has the highest salaries in the country, with a typical resident earning £3,912 ($7,471.92 AUD) per month. That means that a fresh start costs around 6.10 weeks of pay.

Following closely behind in second place is Bristol. The city has a high average rent (£1,891, or $3,611.81 AUD), but with a typical monthly wage in Bristol of £3,382 ($6,459.62 AUD), it’s tough for many workers to meet the demands of a new move. A deposit in the city costs £2,181.90 ($4,167.43 AUD), which, when combined with furnishing costs, totals £5,058 ($9,660.78 AUD), or 6.48 weeks of average pay. Finally, Brighton and Hove places third in our rankings, with a post-breakup move costing around £4,928 ($9,412.48 AUD). Rent in the city costs £1,831 ($3,497.21 AUD) per month, with an average monthly income of £3,317 ($6,335.47 AUD), meaning a full move costs 6.44 weeks of pay overall.

The cheapest places to start fresh after a breakup

Now that we’ve looked at costly areas for a breakup, which parts of the world are the most affordable when starting fresh? Here are the three cheapest areas for moving in each of the countries we researched:

United States

The US state with the lowest moving costs after a breakup is West Virginia. On average, the entire moving process costs just $2,432 USD ($3,453.44 AUD), equivalent to just 2.28 weeks of pay in the area.

North Dakota ranks second, with a move costing $2,626 USD ($3,728.92 AUD), equal to just 1.9 weeks of pay in the state. It’s closely followed by Iowa, where the average move is just $2 USD more expensive ($2,628 USD, or $3,731.76 AUD), which is 2.10 weeks of the state’s typical pay.

Australia

Tasmania is the most affordable state in Australia for moving after a breakup, with a rental and furnishing cost of just $3,922 AUD for a new property. With a typical monthly wage of $3,038 AUD in the state, a full move costs 5.59 weeks’ worth of pay.

With an average total cost of $4,005 AUD, South Australia is the second-most affordable state for a post-breakup move, with a fresh start typically requiring 5.46 weeks of pay. Meanwhile, the Northern Territory ranks third in Australia, with total costs of just $4,213 AUD. Since the average monthly income in the territory is $4,056 AUD, residents can expect to pay 4.50 weeks’ worth of wages to start renting a new property.

United Kingdom

The cheapest city in the UK to rent a property after a split from your partner is Hull, where the average rent is just £676 ($1,291.16 AUD) per month. After a deposit and furnishing costs, a fresh start in the city needs just 3.78 weeks of wages, or £2,441 ($4,662.31 AUD).

In second place, a new rental in Bradford costs just £2,561 ($4,891.51 AUD), equivalent to 3.82 weeks of wages in the city. Meanwhile, Derby ranks third, with a move to a new property costing £2,803 ($5,353.73 AUD). Like in Bradford, this equals 3.82 weeks of pay.

What drives the cost of starting over?

There are multiple factors that can increase the cost of a new property if you’re moving out after a breakup. Not only do you have to cover rent, but you’ll also likely have to pay a deposit to secure the rental. Unfurnished properties can also become expensive over time, as you’ll need to buy essentials for your living room, kitchen, and bedroom.