Accommodation and living costs in Europe

Austria is not a cheap country. According to OeAD (based on the Austrian student social survey, Studierenden-Sozialerhebung 2025), a student spends on average around €1,300 a month:

• a room in a student residence – around €450–700,
• food – around €300,
• studies, transport, culture and everything else – around €500.

Vienna, Graz and Salzburg are more expensive than smaller towns. Student canteens (Mensa), discount supermarkets and student discounts – on public transport and in museums, cinemas and theatres – all help.

You have to find accommodation yourself – universities do not assign rooms automatically. You can choose between student residences, OeAD housing (oeadstudenthousing.at), a room in a shared flat (WG) or renting on your own. Also have a look at home4students.at and the website of the students' union ÖH.

According to the official study portals, living in Belgium costs:

• Flanders and Brussels – €800–1,000 a month (Study in Flanders), including €300–500 for accommodation,
• Wallonia and Brussels – €1,000–1,200 a month (Wallonie-Bruxelles Campus): accommodation €300–500, food €300, study materials €50, insurance €30, transport €50, leisure €50 and other expenses €170.

A room in a student residence (in Belgium called a "kot") costs on average €350 a month including utilities in the French Community, and €350–500 on the private market. The deposit is usually one or two months' rent. Look for housing through your institution's housing office or on HousingAnywhere. Your first month will cost more – you pay the deposit and often temporary accommodation too.

Since 1 January 2026 Bulgaria has used the euro, so budgeting is easy. Study in Europe estimates student expenses at €500–900 a month, of which housing is around €200–400.

You can choose between a university student residence and private rental. Ask the student affairs office about a place in a residence as soon as you are accepted. A room in a shared flat is a good way to cut costs.

If you choose medicine in English, tuition will be the biggest item in your budget – around €10,000 a year (see: Tuition fees), much more than a year's rent.

According to Study in Croatia, you will need €500–800 a month to live (the European Commission gives €400–800). Zagreb and the coastal cities are the most expensive.

A place in a student residence costs around €35–130 a month, depending on the city. Residences are run by the Student Centres (Studentski centar), which allocate places according to quotas – there are few places for foreigners. You can look for a private room on sites such as Njuskalo.hr or Oglasnik.hr.

If you are an EU citizen studying full-time, you can eat cheaply in student canteens (menza) – you pay with your student card (iksica), which is topped up with a set subsidy every month. Any unused amount expires at the end of the month.

The University of Cyprus warns that living in Nicosia can be expensive, and you'll spend more than usual in the first few weeks. Ask the international student support office of your chosen university for an estimated monthly budget.

Your options are:

• on-campus residences – at UCY these are single rooms with their own kitchen, but places are limited,
• off-campus flats – the university's Housing Office helps you find one,
• renting on your own.

There are restaurants and cafeterias with controlled prices on the UCY campus.

According to Study in Czechia, you will usually need €500–800 a month to live. Some typical prices:

• student residence (kolej) – €160–330 for a bed in a shared room, €250–450 for a single room,
• a room in a shared flat – €250–500,
• food – around €150–230 a month; lunch in a student canteen (menza) – around €4,
• annual student pass for public transport – around €50–100.

Prague is the most expensive city. You usually apply for a room in a student residence through your university – do it as soon as you are admitted. More details on studyin.gov.cz.

Denmark is not a cheap country. According to Study in Europe, students usually spend €1,000–1,700 a month, depending on the city and their lifestyle. Study in Denmark breaks down a monthly budget like this:

• accommodation – DKK 3,000–6,500, usually including bills,
• food – DKK 2,000–3,500,
• books and materials – DKK 400–650,
• transport – DKK 300, phone – DKK 250, insurance – around DKK 300,
• other expenses – around DKK 2,000.

As a rough guide: €1 is about DKK 7.5.

Start looking for accommodation several months before you arrive. In the big cities it is very hard to find a room in August and September, and Study in Denmark advises against arriving without confirmed housing. As soon as you are admitted, contact your institution – it will help you get a place in a student residence (kollegium) or point you to local options.

According to Study in Estonia, a student usually spends €300–500 a month – but this is based on a 2019 survey, so budget with a margin. Roughly:

• student residence – €150–350 a month,
• private flat – €350–750,
• food – around €300; a lunch deal in a café – €5–8,
• transport – free in Tallinn; in Tartu a monthly pass with a student card costs €7.67; a bus from Tallinn to Tartu costs €8.10–12.

Student residences are run by the universities themselves, e.g. TalTech and the University of Tartu – you apply for a place through their portals. They are usually two double rooms with a kitchenette and bathroom for up to 4 people; you bring your own bedding and dishes. For flats, try kv.ee and city24.ee. If you rent privately, expect a deposit of up to three months' rent.

Study in Finland estimates a student's living costs at around €900–1,200 a month for housing, food and transport. The official minimum that non-EU students must show for their residence permit is €800 a month.

The cheapest option is student housing foundations: a room in a shared flat usually costs around €200–380 a month. Studios and family flats cost more, and the queues for them are longer. You will find a list of foundations on the website of SOA (Finnish Student Housing).

Apply for housing as soon as your admission is confirmed – there are lots of applicants before the academic year starts, and the earlier you apply, the better your chances of getting a room.

Study in Europe estimates that a student in France spends on average €800–1,200 a month. Housing costs the most, especially in Paris. According to Campus France:

• a room in a CROUS student residence – around €450 in Paris and on average around €350 in the rest of the country,
• a studio on the private market – at least €800 in Paris, on average about half that in other cities,
• food – French people spend on average around €300 a month; since 4 May 2026 a meal in a CROUS canteen costs €1 for all students (you need an active Izly account),
• transport – an annual student pass costs €374.40 in Paris and €250–300 elsewhere.

You book a room in a CROUS residence on trouverunlogement.lescrous.fr – in 2026 from 7 July. The deposit cannot be higher than one month's rent. Housing benefit (APL or ALS) is paid by the CAF, and the Visale scheme can act as your rent guarantor.

According to the Study in Europe portal, a student in Germany spends on average €1,150 a month on living costs. Rent is the biggest item, and prices vary a lot between cities – Munich, Frankfurt and Hamburg are much more expensive than smaller towns.

The cheapest option is a Studierendenwerk student residence: around 197,000 places in more than 1,700 residences, on average €318 a month including bills. But there are not enough places, so apply as soon as you have decided where to study. Other options are a room in a shared flat (WG) or renting privately.

The Studierendenwerke also run canteens (Mensa) and offer advice and support to students. You can find yours at studierendenwerke.de.

Study in Europe estimates that a student in Greece spends around €700–1,200 a month, depending on the city and lifestyle. To give you an idea, Study in Greece says a coffee costs €3–4, a souvlaki around €3.80 and a meal in a restaurant around €15.

Your options are:

• university residences – places are limited,
• private rented flats – more expensive in the city centre than in the suburbs,
• housing services for international students: HouSiG from the Study in Greece portal and its partner StayInGreece.

In Athens, the ATH.ENA student card gives you discounts on public transport – you can apply for it online with the transport operator OASA.

According to the Study in Europe portal, you will need around €500–600 a month for accommodation, food and other expenses. Some typical monthly prices from studyinhungary.hu:

• student residence – HUF 40,000 in Győr, HUF 36,000 in Budapest, HUF 32,000 in Pécs, HUF 22,000 in Miskolc, HUF 18,000 in Debrecen, HUF 13,000 in Szeged,
• a room in a shared flat – HUF 140,000 in Budapest, HUF 95,000 in Győr, HUF 80,000 in Debrecen, Miskolc, Pécs and Szeged.

So renting in Budapest is the biggest cost. You can work out your own budget with the calculator on studyinhungary.hu. Ask your university about a place in a student residence as soon as you are admitted.

Iceland is expensive. The European Commission's portal estimates a student budget at €1,300–1,900 a month, depending on your lifestyle and housing.

Housing:

• University of Iceland students can apply for a room in the residences run by Félagsstofnun stúdenta (Icelandic Student Services),
• near Keflavík Airport, on the site of the former NATO base, flats are rented out by the Keilir centre,
• your university's international office can help you look for accommodation – contact it as soon as you are admitted.

Without a place in a student residence, you will have to rent privately. In that case, check whether you are entitled to housing benefit.

Ireland, and Dublin in particular, is expensive. Study in Europe estimates monthly costs in big cities such as Dublin at around €950–1,500 or more – including housing, food, transport and going out.

Housing is the biggest cost, so start looking as early as possible – ideally as soon as you get your offer. Ask your institution's accommodation office about campus residences, and also look at rooms in shared flats.

Don't count on a SUSI maintenance grant if you haven't lived in Ireland before – it is only for people who meet the Irish residence condition (see: Scholarships). Plan your own budget for the whole year. For non-EU students, the €10,000 required for immigration is a minimum, not a full budget.

Study in Europe estimates that a student in Italy spends around €700–1,100 a month, depending on the city.

Your options are:

• university residences and guest rooms,
• colleges and halls of residence (collegi, residenze), including colleges for high-achieving students (collegi di merito),
• places in residences of the regional right-to-study agencies (DSU, e.g. ER.GO in Emilia-Romagna) – Universitaly lists 45,843 of them in total,
• a room in a rented flat – many universities run databases of offers.

You apply for a DSU residence place together with your scholarship application – watch the deadlines, as they often close in the summer.

Latvia is quite affordable. Study in Latvia estimates that a student spends on average €450–700 a month. Roughly:

• student residence or student hostel – €70–120 a month,
• room in a shared flat – €100–200; a flat of your own – €250–350,
• utilities and bills – €100–170,
• a meal in the city centre – €5–9; a lunch deal in a café – €3–5,
• student monthly transport pass – €5–15; single ticket – €2.

You can live in a university residence or rent privately. Start looking early and ask your university's coordinator for international students – they will help you with the formalities.

Liechtenstein is expensive. The university estimates living costs at around CHF 1,500 a month:

• rent including bills – around CHF 680,
• food – around CHF 450,
• health insurance – around CHF 100,
• clothes, laundry, toiletries – around CHF 100,
• phone – around CHF 20,
• free time and pocket money – around CHF 150.

The university has its own student residence right next to the campus – a room costs CHF 400–600 a month. It also helps you find a private room through its own housing exchange.

Study in Europe estimates living costs in Lithuania at €500–800 a month.

Student residences: most universities offer a place in a residence – some close to campus, some further away. You will most likely share a room with one or two other students; a bed, wardrobe, table and chairs are provided. Ask your university about conditions, prices and how to book before you arrive.

Renting: look for listings on Aruodas and Domoplius, among others.

Discounts: every student in Lithuania must have a Lithuanian student ID (LSIC) – it gives you big discounts on public transport tickets (daily, monthly and annual). The ISIC card is also accepted for discounts.

Luxembourg is expensive. Uni.lu says you need at least €1,517 a month (2025 data), i.e. €18,211 for an academic year. To get started – registration, insurance, deposit, first rent and food – plan for at least €2,700.

• a room in a university residence – from €450 a month; the deposit is two months' rent, and tenant insurance costs from €55 a year,
• lunch in the canteen – around €5, i.e. around €360 a month for food,
• public transport is free throughout the country.

The university has around 1,000 places in residences, but it does not guarantee a room for everyone – apply as soon as you are admitted. You'll find more about student life on luxembourg.public.lu.

Study in Europe estimates living costs in Malta at around €900–1,400 a month – including housing, food, bills, transport and personal expenses.

Housing takes the biggest share. You can choose between:

• a student residence – near the campuses of UM and other institutions,
• private renting – a room in a shared flat or a flat of your own.

Demand is high, so book your accommodation as early as possible – Study in Europe says so directly. On the University of Malta website you will find practical information on accommodation, visas and opening a bank account.

Study in NL says a student spends on average €1,000–1,500 a month. A sample budget (Nibud, 2024):

• rent – €561,
• groceries – €244,
• books and study materials – €41,
• transport – €67,
• leisure and sport – €239,
• health insurance (if you work) – €133.

Housing is the biggest problem – the Netherlands has a shortage of student rooms. A room costs on average around €550 a month. Start looking before you arrive: ask your institution, and check Kamernet, HousingAnywhere, Pararius and the offers from DUWO and SSH. Never sign a contract for a room you haven't seen, at least on video, and don't pay agency fees.

Official sources do not give a total monthly cost of living for students. UKIM's guide for international students gives these amounts:

• studio flat – €80–120 a month,
• larger flat – €130–200,
• utilities – €50–150 a month,
• hostel for the first days – €7–15 a night.

Treat these amounts as a rough guide and check current listings, especially in Skopje. Student canteens are the cheapest place to eat.

Ask the international students' office at your institution about a place in a student residence.

The currency is the Macedonian denar (MKD). UKIM gives its fees in euros, but you pay in denars at the central bank exchange rate.

Norway is expensive. The official estimate of a student's living costs for 2026/27 is NOK 15,488 a month, or NOK 170,368 a year – the amount students from outside the EU/EEA must document for their study permit. EU/EEA citizens don't have to prove it, but it is a realistic benchmark for your budget.

Housing: start with the student welfare organisation in your university town – your semester fee gives you access to its services, including student housing. In Oslo it is SiO, in Tromsø the Arctic Student Welfare Organisation. Apply for student housing as soon as you are admitted, and if you don't get a place, look for a room on the private market.

According to NAWA, a student in Poland usually spends PLN 1,500–2,000 a month (around €330–430):

• student residence – PLN 400–600,
• food – PLN 700–900,
• public transport – PLN 50–60.

NAWA does not say which year these figures are from – in Warsaw, Kraków or Wrocław, especially if you rent a room, you will spend more. Even so, living in Poland as a student is relatively affordable.

Places in student residences are allocated by the university – you will find the rules and application deadlines on its website. Universities may charge for residences and canteens.

Living costs depend a lot on the city – in big cities such as Lisbon and Porto, rent is the biggest expense. Universities give an estimated monthly budget in their guides for international students – check the website of your chosen institution.

Your options are:

• student residences run by the universities' social services (Serviços de Ação Social, SAS) – cheap, but places are limited,
• a room in a shared flat – the most common option,
• renting a studio flat.

Ask about accommodation as soon as you are admitted, and see the flat before you sign a contract. Student canteens and student discounts on public transport help.

Study in Europe estimates a student's monthly expenses in Romania at €600–900. You pay in lei (RON), but Study in Romania gives prices in euros:

• student residence – from €80 a month,
• room in a shared flat – under €250, a whole flat in a big city – €400–650,
• food (canteen, shopping, eating out) – €150–400,
• gas and electricity – €80–150,
• phone and internet – €20–60,
• public transport – €20–60, entertainment – €100–200.

A student residence (cămin) is the cheapest option – ask the student affairs office about a place as soon as you are accepted.

Living in Serbia is cheaper than in most EU countries, but rents in Belgrade can be a surprise. According to Study in Serbia, you will spend each month:

• €750–1,450 in Novi Sad, Niš or Kragujevac,
• €850–2,000 in Belgrade.

Accommodation: a room in a shared flat in a smaller city costs from around €150, bills not included. In Belgrade, outside the centre, rents start at €300, and a studio in the centre can cost as much as €1,200. Bills are usually paid separately.

Student residences are run by student centres (studentski centar) in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš, Kragujevac and Subotica, among others. Demand is high and places are allocated through an application round.

Food and transport: a meal in a student canteen costs €1–2.60, and around €100–200 a month is enough for food. A monthly student public transport pass costs around €10 or less.

The currency is the Serbian dinar (RSD).

Slovakia is one of the cheaper countries to study in. According to the Study in Europe portal, the minimum budget is around €350 a month, and a comfortable one €500–700. Together with tuition for a programme in English, your annual budget can reach €7,000–15,000.

You can choose between student residences (študentské domovy) and private accommodation. Ask your university about a room in a residence as soon as you are admitted – it is usually the cheapest option. Student canteens (jedáleň) are also a cheap way to eat. Remember that on programmes in English you pay tuition on top of your living costs.

According to the European Commission, you will need €400–800 a month to live in Slovenia. Ljubljana is the most expensive.

A single room in a rented flat costs around €200–350 a month in Ljubljana, €120–150 in Maribor and €200–300 in the Primorska region. A shared double room is cheaper.

Be careful with student residences: if you come for your whole degree as a so-called private international student, you usually won't get a place in a student residence – Maribor is the exception. Residences (€120–250 in Ljubljana) are mainly for exchange students and scholarship holders, so start looking for a room early.

You can eat cheaply with subsidised student meals (boni): the state pays €2.63 towards each meal, and you pay between €0 and €4.37. A monthly student pass for public transport in Ljubljana costs €25.

Living costs depend a lot on the city. Study in Europe says that in Madrid and Barcelona a student spends around €1,000–1,200 a month, and in smaller cities around €700–900.

Your main options are:

• a student residence (residencia universitaria) or a colegio mayor – a hall of residence with meals and its own programme of activities,
• a room in a shared flat (piso compartido) – the most popular option,
• renting a flat on your own.

Places in residences go quickly, so ask the university's office about them as soon as you are admitted.

Sweden is expensive but predictable. A good reference point is the amount the Swedish Migration Agency requires from students from outside the EU/EEA: at least SEK 10,656 a month (2026). Study in Sweden breaks down the previous threshold of SEK 10,584 like this:

• accommodation – SEK 4,900,
• food – SEK 2,770,
• local transport – SEK 550,
• phone and internet – SEK 400,
• other expenses – SEK 1,964.

Rent is usually SEK 3,000–7,000 a month, depending on the city and the location.

Start your search for accommodation with your university – some guarantee housing to international students, and most help you find a room in a student residence (korridorsrum) or with a local student housing company. To get a contract directly from such a company, you usually have to join a housing queue (bostadskö). Watch out for scammers: being asked for money before you have seen the flat is a warning sign.

Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries to study in. ETH Zurich advises budgeting CHF 20,000–26,000 a year for living and studying. A sample student budget on the Study in Switzerland portal is CHF 1,850 a month, including around CHF 700 for housing and CHF 600 for food.

Start looking for accommodation early – there are few rooms in student residences, and prices vary a lot between cities. Student housing cooperatives and housing offices can help, e.g. WOKO in Zurich, WoVe in Basel and SUB in Bern, as well as the institutions' own housing offices.

According to Study in Europe, a student in Turkey spends around €400–800 a month:

• accommodation – €150–400,
• food – €150–250,
• transport – €20–50,
• books and entertainment – from €50.

Istanbul is the most expensive.

Where to live:

• university residences on campus,
• state residences run by KYK in different parts of the city,
• private residences – usually better equipped, but more expensive,
• a rented flat – usually with a living room and 2–4 bedrooms, so often shared with others.

Almost all state and university residences are separate for women and men. The currency is the Turkish lira (TRY).

The UK is expensive, and London is the most expensive of all. The amounts you have to show for your visa are a good guide: £1,529 a month in London and £1,171 outside London. This is the minimum required by the authorities, not a guarantee that it will be enough.

According to UCL, travelling in London in zones 1–2 alone costs £119.90 a month on average. On top of that there is the Immigration Health Surcharge – £776 a year, paid upfront with your visa application.

Most universities have their own halls of residence and help students find a room, especially in the first year. Check the rules and prices on your chosen university's website – bookings usually open once you have accepted an offer.