Apartment Painting Costs 2024: What You'll Really Pay

What You'll Actually End Up Paying to Paint Your Apartment

Look, you're trying to figure out what painting your apartment's gonna cost. And honestly? Good luck finding anyone who'll give you a straight number upfront.

Painters come through, wander around your place a bit, then toss out figures that feel... I don't know, kinda random? But here's the thing—they're not making it up. They're calculating what they're about to deal with.

Square Footage? Yeah, That's Where It All Begins

How much wall space are we talking about here?

Every single painter I know starts with square footage. They'll measure it out (or just eyeball everything if they've done this for 20 years). That becomes their baseline number. Everything else? That gets layered on top.

More walls mean more money. I know, brilliant insight there.

Bigger apartments obviously cost more. But think about it—the more rooms you want done, the higher your bill climbs. More square footage means more paint, more materials, more hours of someone actually doing the work.

⚠️ Common Mistake to Avoid

Don't just focus on color—obsess over the paint sheen. So many painters default to cheap, flat paint to hide wall imperfections. Huge mistake.

Flat paint scuffs if you look at it wrong. Zero washability. That means you'll be touching things up constantly or repainting way sooner than you should have to. Always insist on at least an eggshell or satin finish. The slight gloss? That provides the durability that actually saves you money down the road.

Our Pro Recommendation

While the article mentions top-tier paints like Aura and Duration, the smarter money for most apartments gets spent one tier down. The real choice is between Benjamin Moore's Regal Select and Sherwin-Williams' Cashmere. Both are excellent, but we recommend Regal Select.

Its self-leveling properties are legendary. Creates this exceptionally smooth, professional finish that hides roller marks way better than Cashmere. It makes a good paint job look flawless and it's forgiving of less-than-perfect walls (which is ideal for typical apartment conditions, let's be honest).

What Most Guides Won't Tell You

Stop chasing the lowest bid. Instead, hire the painter with the most *detailed* quote, even if it's not the cheapest.

A line-item breakdown of prep work, primer type, specific paint line, and labor per room? That signals a true professional. Vague quotes are basically a gateway to cut corners and surprise upcharges. I've seen it happen probably a hundred times.

What Actually Makes Your Price Jump Around

A handful of things really push the cost up or down:

• **Total wall area:** Just the raw square footage of paintable surface
• **How beat up your walls are:** The prep work needed makes a huge difference
• **Coat count:** Two coats versus three? That adds time and materials
• **Actually comparing prices:** Calling multiple painters shows you what's reasonable

The big ones to watch? Square footage, how much wall repair you need, how many coats they're planning, and—this matters—what quality paint they're using.

The Whole Paint Quality Thing

Worth thinking about.

Sherwin-Williams has this Duration line that holds up incredibly well. Benjamin Moore's Aura does too—both resist fading better than cheaper stuff.

Consumer Reports actually tests exterior paints every year and publishes which ones last and which ones don't. Pretty useful if you're trying to make this decision (and you should be).

⚠️ This Trap Gets Everyone

I've seen this happen so many times. Drives me nuts.

A painter quotes you for "painting the room." Sounds complete, right?

Except sometimes their number only includes walls. Ceiling? Not included. Trim? Extra. Doors? Also extra.

You need to confirm exactly which surfaces they're counting. Get them to list it all out. Don't just assume "the room" means every surface inside that room. Because it probably doesn't.

If You're Painting an Apartment Specifically

Choosing paint for apartment walls? Think about how people actually use the space.

Hallways get scuffed constantly. Kitchen walls catch grease and fingerprints. High traffic spots take constant abuse.

Your final cost depends on a bunch of factors—home size, wall condition, paint grade, coat count. Bigger places with damaged walls obviously cost more. Durability matters when you're selecting paint. Cheap paint in a high-use area? You'll be repainting sooner than you want. Trust me on this.

Something Nobody Really Mentions

Chasing the absolute lowest quote can backfire on you.

Instead, make every painter explain their wall prep process in detail. Those super-low bids sometimes mean they're skipping steps—steps that actually matter for how the final job looks.

Here's what you need to know: prep work drives a big chunk of labor costs. The painter's skill level matters too. Experience level, how much fixing they're doing, how complex your space is—all of it affects what they charge.

Your Wall Condition? Yeah, That Changes Everything

Wall condition plays a massive role in pricing.

Larger spaces and damaged surfaces eat up more time and materials. If your walls look rough—holes, cracks, texture issues—expect the quote to reflect all that extra work. Honestly? That's fair. Nobody wants to spend hours patching walls for the same price as rolling paint on smooth ones.

What Most Painting Guides Skip Over

Getting quotes from multiple painters helps you figure out what's fair. Labor costs shift based on experience, prep requirements, and how tricky your project is.

Compare those quotes carefully. Just remember the cheapest option isn't automatically the best deal. Sometimes it's actually the worst one.

⚠️ Ask About 'Prep Work' Specifically

A painter saying their quote "includes prep" is way too vague. You need specifics.

Prep work impacts labor costs significantly. Always—and I mean always—ask them to spell out exactly what prep they're including. Are they filling holes? Sanding rough spots? Priming? Get details. Write them down if you have to.

Making Choices That Actually Make Sense

Benjamin Moore Aura gets talked about a lot for good reason. But Sherwin-Williams Duration? That stuff holds up incredibly well and resists fading—which matters in apartments where walls get bumped constantly.

Paint quality affects your total cost, obviously. Choosing something durable that matches how you actually use your space makes way more sense long-term than just buying whatever's cheapest.