How do I calculate the cost of college if I am not living on campus?

If you are living at your family’s home, use only the tuition and fees for your college and then add $4,000 instead of room and board costs. This is the commuter allowance, which recognizes that there are extra costs for commuters, even though they don’t pay rent or buy food. If you are living off-campus or if you are an independent student, you still use the school’s costs for room and board as a way to approximate the costs you have for living on your own.