An efficiency apartment is a small apartment unit that, true to its name, combines the functionality of multiple rooms into one. An efficiency apartment typically combines the bedroom, living room and kitchen all into one single room. Only the bathroom is private.
Efficiency apartments are often considered the same as studio or bachelor apartments. The main difference is that in some situations, landlords may classify an efficiency apartment as even smaller and more efficient than a studio or bachelor. This can be accomplished by using a kitchenette rather than a full kitchen.
Depending on your life situation, an efficiency apartment might be the best option to afford a neighborhood that's otherwise too pricey for a regular apartment. It's also ideal for single people who don't have a lot of possessions or need a lot of space.
Just like a studio apartment, an efficiency apartment is characterized by lack of separating walls between main rooms, as shown in the image below.
Most efficiency apartments can be found in cities where unit sizes tend to be smaller, such as New York or San Francisco. However, there are apartment complexes across the country that also offer efficiency apartments as an affordable option for renters.
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