Apartment rooms in Rust’s Apartment Complex sit inside a safe zone, but they are not sealed vaults. Anyone holding a Master Key can force a rented room open, get temporary access, and clear out whatever storage is inside. The whole system turns on one rule. A key is single-use, so you only spend it when the room is worth more than the key cost you.
Quick answer: Buy a Master Key from the Bandit Camp Produce Exchange (base 1,000 Scrap), rent any apartment room, open the basement apartment computer, pick an occupied Medium or High Value room, walk to that door, and hold interact until temporary access is granted. Loot the densest items first, then leave. The key is destroyed after one break-in.
What you need before a Master Key raid
Two things unlock the process. You need the Master Key to open a door, and you need to rent a room yourself so you can use the apartment computer that lists targets. The cheapest room is enough if all you want is to scout.
| Room type | Rent cost | 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 |
Rent is paid in scrap, and missing a full day of upkeep costs you the room. If you forget your room number, ask the apartment NPC again before you start hauling loot around the building.
Master Key cost, restock, and the profit math
The Master Key is sold at the Bandit Camp Produce Exchange. Its base price is 1,000 Scrap and it restocks every 12 real-life hours, not in-game hours. Price climbs with demand, and it has been seen pushed close to 3,000 Scrap when stock gets 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 break-in, the price you paid should decide 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 rent a room, the basement 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 a door blind.
| Room value | Likely contents | Raid 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.
Breaking into an occupied apartment room
Note: If the hallway is busy, wait for it to empty before you start the unlock. Being rooted in place at a locked room is how you get spotted and rushed.
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 scrap 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 use 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 a single 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 turns it into 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.
