Would you like to know how much it costs to live in a student accommodation?

With the start of the new school year comes the application processes, not only for enrolment but also for staying in a university dorm. It would be a good idea for you to start thinking about what you will have to pay for and where you want to live before you run out of options.

Studying abroad means dedicating part of your time to studying, but also making plans, partying and exploring new places with your new friends. The to-do list may be long, but living in student accommodation will certainly help you save time and money!

Student residences: from the luxury to the basic

Tell me what are you looking for in a dorm and I'll tell you your budget! Of course, if you are looking for student residences by price, you will find an endless number of options in all possible price ranges. There are many factors that influence the prices of this type of student accommodation.

Let's start with something that you will have to take into account: the living cost level of the city. This high or low cost of city life level will directly influence the price of university residences, and there can sometimes be abysmal differences between different countries. We can see a clear example in Europe, where the prices of student accommodation in Prague are much cheaper than student accommodation in Paris, one of the most expensive cities by far.

On the other hand, the prices of a student dorm can vary significantly depending on what services you want to be included, as well as the location. The closer the residence is to the city centre or college, the higher the price will be.

Factors to take into account when choosing a student dormitory

Would you like to completely forget about cooking your own meals, you don't know how to do the laundry and you don't plan to learn how to do it? Cafeterias, gyms, libraries... There are hundreds of types of facilities that you can find in student housing, but remember, every type of comfort is paid for. Think carefully about what your ideal student housing should have!

Choose between single or shared room

Are you a bit reluctant to share your space, or maybe you would love to have someone to share your privacy and hang out with? Sharing a room in a university residence is an experience that many students have gone through, and all of them have had good memories. If this is not your case and you prefer to keep your privacy to yourself, you will have to pay a small supplement for it.

Living in a room in a shared residence could be up to €100 cheaper than living in a single room. There are double rooms, triple rooms, mixed or single-gender rooms... You have all kinds depending on the residence and the city you are looking for.

Room with private bathroom or shared bathroom?

The privilege of having a private bathroom goes unnoticed until you move into a hall of residence - that's when you'll really learn to appreciate it! All university residences have a limited number of rooms with private bathrooms; the rest will have one or two common bathrooms per floor to share with the rest of the students.

Is it necessary? It all depends on how you look at it. Some people think that going to the bathroom is a moment of peace and disconnection, while others see it as a mere formality. Either way, having this privilege can cost up to €100 more than the price of your stay, are you willing to pay that much for your privacy? The decision is up to you!

Full-board, half-board... or no-board

There are people who loves cooking and find it a hobbie, and people who find it a waste of time. Think very carefully about what cooking is for you, because depending on your choice, it will mean a great expense (or a great relief) for your pocket.

Whatever you choose, remember that you will still have to feed yourself and spend part of your monthly budget on food, so you will have to do the maths and think about whether it will be worth investing a little more than expected in saving time and effort, or whether you would rather spend it doing other things while you don't have to worry about cooking morning, day and night.

The difference regarding prices will depend on whether you choose half-board or full-board. Choosing the full-board option can mean a supplement of €200-300 on the base price, while half-board will mean an increase of approximately €150, depending on the destination.

Cleaning and laundry service?

If you are not very handy when it comes to doing the laundry, perhaps you should consider looking for student housing with a cleaning and laundry service. The cleaning staff will be in charge of washing, drying and ironing your clothes on certain days of the week so that you can look your best in class.

On the other hand, there are those who prefer to be self-sufficient and wash their own clothes in the laundry room that the vast majority of residence halls usually have, or those who simply believe that it is an extra that they could save on their monthly expenses.

Bear in mind that this is a service that, in general, is included; that is to say, choosing a student dorm that has this type of services that add greater value to its accommodation implies that the prices will go higher too. You can always find bargains in relation to quality-price!

Sports and leisure facilities

There are residences that have all kinds of services and facilities to offer students an all-inclusive solution to provide them with the best comforts. These types of residences are designed so that students can live without having to move away from their surroundings.

Having the best facilities where you can live and get to know your new hall mates is the key to make you feel at home. The most common are:

• Dining room;
• Study room;
• Library;
• TV and leisure room;
• Gym.

Average price of a student residence by country

The standard of living of each country will directly influence the average price of student housing. The table below shows the favourite destination countries of international students and their average prices for studying housing. As you can see, the cheapest university dorms are in the countries with the lowest standard of living in terms of price: Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland... In fact, the residences are a very popular option in these countries, so if you are thinking of applying for a residence in Poland, make sure you apply in advance!

No doubt that living in a student dorm is an easy way to face student life: you don't have to worry about cooking, cleaning, everything you may need is there... Having everything at your fingertips will not only help you optimise your time and make you feel at home, but it will also help you focus on getting to know the friends you will make for the rest of your life.

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