Of the 68 teams in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, only four remain: the Auburn Tigers, the Florida Gators, the Houston Cougars, and the Duke Blue Devils. On Saturday, April 5, these four teams will pair off to determine which two will make it to the championship.
This year, the semifinals will be at the Alamodome in San Antonio. According to Ticketmaster, the most expensive ticket to the NCAA men's basketball semifinal games is in club-level seating for a resale price of $10,543. How much rent could this buy in each team’s home city?
Meet the Teams
The teams that will face off first are the Auburn Tigers and the Florida Gators. The Houston Cougars and the Duke Blue Devils will follow.
Auburn, AL
The Tigers traveled to San Antonio from Auburn, Alabama, a historic college town that dates back to the 1830s. With a buzzing downtown area and the events and facilities at Auburn University, Auburn has the small-town charm you’ll only find in southern college towns while offering plenty of big-city amenities within a 5-mile radius.
Cost of living in Auburn
The cost of living in Auburn is 7.9% lower than the national average, and living in Auburn requires a pre-tax income of about $49,000 annually. The average rent in Auburn is $1,020/month, which is about 35% lower than the national average rent of $1,560/month.
The most expensive ticket to the semifinals is equivalent to about 10 months of rent in Auburn. According to the San Antonio Current, the Alamodome’s court for the tournament is 9,800 square feet. This is 14.75 times bigger than Auburn’s average apartment size of 664 square feet.
Gainesville, FL
Gainesville, Florida, is the home of the Gators. About midway between the Gulf Coast and the Atlantic Coast, Gainesville is an urban center surrounded by nature preserves, making it easy to enjoy the area’s natural beauty. The city is bike-friendly, especially around Downtown Gainesville and the University of Florida campus.
Cost of living in Gainesville
The cost of living in Gainesville is 5.5% lower than the national average, and living in Gainesville requires a pre-tax income of about $57,000 annually. The average rent in Gainesville is $1,237/month, which is about 21% lower than the national average of $1,560/month.
The most expensive ticket to the semifinals is equivalent to about 8 months of rent in Gainesville. The Alamodome’s court is 14.63 times bigger than the average apartment size of 670 square feet.
Winner: Auburn, AL
Auburn, Alabama, wins the first round of the rental market semifinals and will advance to the championship. With a lower average rent price, the most expensive ticket to the NCAA men's basketball semifinal games can buy a 10-month lease in Auburn, as opposed to an 8-month lease in Gainesville. However, the average apartment sizes in the two cities are nearly the same, meaning you’ll get more bang for your buck in Auburn than in Gainesville. Auburn’s low cost of living, paired with its quintessential college town feel, makes it an affordable yet well-rounded place to live.
Find Your Champion
If you’re looking to follow the winners, find your perfect place with Apartments.com. Our customizable filters can help you narrow your search to rentals that fit your needs. If you don’t want to pay club-level seating prices, adjust the search within a price range that works for you.
Apartment rent data provided by CoStar Group’s March 2025 reports.
