Living with roommates is a big decision when you first move out of your parents place. 99% of the time you'll find the most usual choice is to team up with other students and rooming together.
Whether having a roommate is right for you is a lot based on what you can afford - Are you paying for your college and want the most authentic college experience possible? Get some roommates. Do you have a great job in town, need to study or aren't looking for that "college experience"? Consider a one bedroom. This is a decision most usually influenced by your wallet and a major one at that. One bedroom can range from slightly more expensive to multiple times as expensive. It's a choice that you really have to consider the cost and benefits for.
I laid out the major price difference between the apartment units by randomly selecting 10 units and averaging out their 4 bedrooms (4BR), 2 bedrooms (2BR) and 1 bedroom (1BR) prices to get a rough difference that you should expect to encounter. Note: The best way to figure out the difference is go to our apartment list and filter results by apartment number (left side of the screen after you click the link).
1 Bedrooms Average: $932 ($760 - 1,029)
2 Bedrooms Average: $576 ($420 - 699)
4 Bedrooms Average: $469 ($389 - 559)
These numbers are for a total of 10 randomly selected complexes in Gainesville that offer 1BR/2BR/4BR units. There are also 3BR options and even the rare 5BR option for some apartments that are consistent with these numbers so shop around.
When you're considering the price and what you gain or lose by having roommates think - Can I afford it and will it be worth it? These are great questions to ask yourself and the best way to find out is to set yourself a budget of what you expect to make and minus your apartment expenses. Location public transit, management can be as important (if not more) sometimes, so consider all your choices!
My recommendation
Go for the 3BR/4BR your first year out on your own. It's a great way to meet friends away from campus and most apartment complexes are more than accommodating towards inexperienced renters. Go for the 2BR if you're a 3rd/4th year and have a good friend that you know you're mature enough to live with. Go for the 1BR option if you're a 4th year/grad student or you making enough money at a job and need to focus on your studies.