Apartment rooms in Rust sit inside a safe zone, but they are not untouchable. Any player holding a Master Key can force their way into an occupied room and empty the storage inside. The whole system rewards one habit: only spend a key when the room is worth more than the key itself.
Quick answer: Buy a Master Key from the Produce Exchange at Bandit Camp (base price 1,000 Scrap), rent any apartment room, check the apartment computer for a Medium or High Value occupied room, walk to that door, and hold interact until temporary access is granted. Loot fast, then leave. The key is destroyed after one break-in.
What you need before raiding an apartment
Two things unlock the whole process. You need the Master Key to open the door, and you need to rent a room yourself so you can access the apartment computer that lists raid targets. The cheapest room is enough if all you want is scouting.
| Room type | Rent | Daily upkeep | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basement | 100 Scrap | 25 Scrap/day | Cheapest access, basic storage |
| Standard | 200 Scrap | 50 Scrap/day | Mid-tier storage |
| Penthouse | 400 Scrap | 100 Scrap/day | Larger, pricier storage |
You rent through the Concierge at the front desk in the lobby. Miss a full 24 hours of rent and you lose access to the room, so keep upkeep paid if you plan to store anything. If you forget your room number, ask the Concierge again before you start carrying loot around the building.
Master Key cost, restock, and profit math
The Master Key is sold at the Bandit Camp Produce Exchange, the stall marked “STUFF.” Its base price is 1,000 Scrap, paid in the Exchange’s Gears currency, and it restocks every 12 real-life hours. Price climbs with demand, and it has been seen pushed to nearly 3,000 Scrap when the stock is heavily bought out.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Where to buy | Bandit Camp Produce Exchange |
| Base cost | 1,000 Scrap |
| Restock | Every 12 real-life hours |
| Uses | One break-in, then consumed |
Because the key disappears after a single successful raid, the price you paid should set how picky you are. A cheap key lets you gamble on a Medium room. An expensive key needs a confirmed payoff.
| Key price | Only raid |
|---|---|
| 1,000 Scrap | Medium or High Value rooms |
| 2,000 Scrap | High Medium or High Value rooms |
| 3,000+ Scrap | High Value or known loot only |
How to read room value on the apartment computer
Once you have rented a room, the apartment computer lists every room in the building. It shows which are occupied, which are available, the room type, the storage slots, and an estimated value rating. That rating is your filter. Never raid blind.
| Room value | Likely contents | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Null / No Value | Empty or low-value items | Skip |
| Low | Scrap or light valuables | Only if the key was cheap |
| Medium | HQM, weapons, rockets, mixed loot | Worth checking |
| High | Explosives or high-tier loot | Best target |
A High Value tag is the strongest signal you get, but it is not a guarantee of profit. Treat it as the best available read, not a promise.
Image credit: Facepunch Studios / Quick Tips
Breaking into an occupied room
Note: The unlock takes time and roots you in place at someone else’s door. If players are moving through the hallway, wait for it to empty. Standing still at a locked room is an obvious tell.
What to grab first after the door opens
Temporary access means every second counts, so pull the densest value before anything else. Work down this order and do not stop to organize your inventory.
- C4 and other explosives
- Rockets
- Scrap
- HQM
- Weapons
- Components
- Armor
- Basic resources
One limit to know going in: the upkeep storage tied to a room appears to be protected. You can take everything from normal storage, but the rent scrap held for upkeep is likely not stealable.
What raises room value and what to keep out
The value system does not weigh every item the same. Explosives and high-tier materials move the rating far more than stacks of stone or metal. The moment your own room tips into Medium or High, it becomes a target for anyone scouting the building.
| Stored loot | Value impact | Risk if raided |
|---|---|---|
| Stone / metal fragments | Low | Low |
| Scrap | Low to Medium | Medium |
| HQM | Medium | Medium-High |
| Weapons | Medium | Medium |
| Rockets | Medium-High | High |
| C4 / explosives | High | Very High |
| Keycards / armor | Inconsistent | Low-Medium |
If you are using a room for storage, play around the rating. Keep explosives, rockets, large HQM stacks, big scrap piles, and your best weapons out of apartments entirely. Split loot across rooms so one break-in cannot clean you out, and check your room’s value after each deposit. If it reads High Value, move the expensive items back to your base.
Raiding apartments is straightforward, but the cost of the key is what makes it a decision rather than a reflex. A cheap Master Key rewards aggression against Medium rooms. An expensive one rewards patience and a confirmed High Value target. Scout first, match your standard to the price you paid, and treat any room you rent as short-term storage rather than a vault.
