Erasmus Student Residences 2026: Prices by City and How to Get a Place

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Fast answer

An Erasmus student residence can be the cheapest or the most expensive option in your city, depending on the country. In Germany, Italy and Central Europe a public student residence usually costs less than a room in a shared flat: EUR 90-160 a month in Zagreb, EUR 250-450 in Hamburg. In Spain and Portugal it is the other way round: a private residence in Barcelona costs EUR 830-1,215, nearly twice a room. Public places go early and almost always through your host university.

Torn between a residence, a room or a whole flat? Start with student accommodation abroad.
Booking from home? Check the budget for your city first.

Most of what is written about Erasmus residences is a list of private buildings. This guide works the other way: which kind of residence exists in each country, what it costs compared with an ordinary room, and how you actually get a place. Prices come from Odisea’s city guides, verified between July and September 2026.

Public or private: the difference that changes your budget

	Public or university residence	Private residence
Run by	The university or a public student body (CROUS, Studierendenwerk, ESU…)	Private companies and international chains
Price	Usually the cheapest option in town	Usually more than a room in a shared flat
How to apply	Often only through your host university’s international office, with a deadline	Directly on their website, all year if rooms are free
What you get	A simple room, sometimes a shared bathroom or kitchen	Bills, internet, cleaning, gym or common areas
The risk	Few places and deadlines that close months ahead	High prices and minimum-stay contracts

Prices by city: residence vs room

City	Residence	Room in a shared flat	Who runs the public option
Barcelona	EUR 830–1,215 (private)	EUR 450–750	Universities and colegios mayores
Valencia	EUR 859–1,180 (private)	EUR 300–550	Universities and colegios mayores
Seville	EUR 700–1,100 (private)	EUR 300–600	Universities and colegios mayores
Granada	EUR 650–1,050 (private)	EUR 250–500	Universities and colegios mayores
Salamanca	EUR 550–950 (private)	EUR 220–450	Universities and colegios mayores
Lisbon	EUR 500–900	EUR 400–650	Each university’s social services
Porto	EUR 350–700	EUR 280–500	Social services (SASUP)
Coimbra	EUR 150–400	EUR 200–350	Social services
Paris	EUR 250–550 (university)	EUR 450–800	CROUS
Padua	EUR 250–400	EUR 300–450	ESU Padova
Venice	EUR 300–450	EUR 400–600	ESU Venezia
Hamburg	EUR 250–450	EUR 400–650	Studierendenwerk Hamburg
Frankfurt	EUR 285–385 + EUR 600 deposit	EUR 400–650	Studentenwerk Frankfurt
Leiden	EUR 425–700	EUR 500–750	DUWO
Vienna	EUR 350–650	—	Student residences
Pilsen	EUR 100–200	EUR 220–320	University dormitories (koleje)
Pécs	EUR 100–135	EUR 200–300	University dormitories (kollégium)
Zagreb	EUR 90–160	EUR 250–400	Public residences (dom)
Ljubljana	EUR 150–200	EUR 250–450	Public student residences

Monthly prices. For Spain the residence column is private: public university residences exist, but they have very few places for exchange students and their prices vary a lot between universities.

How it works in each country

France: CROUS. CROUS residences are the cheapest housing in every French university city. Many universities keep part of them for exchange students and allocate them through the international office, so ask as soon as your place is confirmed. If that route fails, CROUS lists free rooms on its housing platform.

Germany: Studierendenwerk. Each city has a student services body (Studierendenwerk or Studentenwerk) with its own residences. They are the most affordable option, but waiting lists are long in Munich, Berlin or Hamburg. Universities often hold a quota for exchange students: that is the fast lane.

Italy: regional agencies. Each region has its own right-to-study agency (ESU in Veneto, ER.GO in Emilia-Romagna, DSU in Tuscany…). Their places are mainly for local grant holders; Erasmus quotas are limited, so ask your host university from the start.

Netherlands: housing corporations. DUWO, SSH and similar organisations manage the rooms universities reserve for international students. In a country with a serious housing shortage this is the safest route; apply within the dates your university sets.

Portugal: social services. Each university has residences run by its social services (for example SASUP in Porto or SAS at the University of Lisbon). Their own grant holders come first, but many open places to exchange students.

Spain: colegios mayores and university residences. Colegios mayores usually ask for a full academic year, though some accept one semester; public university residences have few places. That is why most Erasmus students in Spain end up in a private residence or, more often, a shared flat.

Central and Eastern Europe. In the Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia or Poland university residences are cheap and take many exchange students. Rooms are often doubles or shared, so check whether yours is single before you accept.

When to apply

As soon as your destination is confirmed, email the host university’s international office and ask whether it has a quota in public residences and what the deadline is.
Three to five months before arrival, apply for the public place and look at alternatives at the same time. Public places close early and are not always confirmed in time.
If the last month arrives without a place, book two or three weeks of temporary accommodation and look for a room on the spot. It is safer than paying blind.

Before you pay a residence

Look at the total for the semester, not only the monthly price: many private residences charge an enrolment fee, bills or a ten-month minimum stay.
Ask for the contract before paying and check dates, deposit and what happens if your stay changes.
Make sure the residence is real: go through the official university or public-body website, not a link someone sent you.
Plan the first payment: deposit, first month and fees can all arrive together. See the first-month costs abroad.

If you want to ask students already in your city, residences and rooms are shared in the Odisea WhatsApp groups. The groups are in English.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does an Erasmus student residence cost?

It depends on the country. A public residence costs EUR 90-200 a month in Croatia, Hungary or the Czech Republic, and EUR 250-450 in Germany or Italy. A private residence in Spain costs EUR 550-1,215 depending on the city.

Is a residence or a shared flat better for Erasmus?

Where a public residence exists, it is usually the cheapest and simplest option. In Spain or Portugal a shared flat is usually cheaper than a private residence, but it needs more paperwork.

How do I get a place in a university residence for Erasmus?

Ask your host university’s international office as soon as your exchange is confirmed. In many countries places for exchange students are only allocated that way, with a deadline.

What is CROUS?

The French public student services body. It runs the cheapest residences in every university city; exchange students usually get a room through their host university.

Can I book a residence for one semester only?

Public residences that keep places for exchange students usually accept it. Many private residences and some colegios mayores ask for a full year or charge more for short stays, so check before booking.

Does the Erasmus grant cover a residence?

Not fully. The grant is a monthly allowance you manage yourself; in a private Spanish residence it rarely covers even the rent. Check how much the grant is and do the maths before choosing.

Sources & References

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