High floor or low floor: how to choose based on your lifestyle

When choosing an apartment within the same building, the floor is one of the first decisions. There is no single correct answer — only what suits your way of living. Here’s what differs between a high floor and a low floor.

High floor

Typical advantages:

• more light and better views;
• usually less noise from the street;
• a greater sense of privacy.

The main trade-off is dependence on the elevator. For this reason, on high floors it matters that the elevator works reliably and, ideally, that there is more than one per entrance — especially for families with children or elderly residents.

Low floor

Typical advantages:

• accessibility — easy to use even without an elevator;
• practical for families with young children or people with limited mobility.

The possible trade-offs are more noise from the street and, in some cases, less privacy and light.

How to decide

Ask yourself a few simple questions: how often will you use the stairs, how much do views and quiet matter to you, and how reliable is the building’s elevator. If you live or plan to live with elderly people, accessibility weighs more heavily.

The number of apartments and elevators per floor affects this choice as much as the floor itself — see 5 apartments per floor vs 9. The floor is only one of the factors; for the choice between new and old construction, see new build vs old.