Study abroad in Santiago de Compostela
Housing, Erasmus groups, universities, costs and student life for exchange students in Santiago de Compostela.
Country
SpainStudent Budget
EUR 700 โ 950/month
Transport Card
The city is small and most students walk. City buses link both campuses with the Ensanche; Numbeo reports about EUR 1.10 for a single ticket. Check the Concello for student and youth discounts on the bus card.
Population
Just over 100,000 residents (official figures, 1 January 2025), many of them students
Study abroad in Santiago de Compostela: student life
Studying in Santiago de Compostela means the historic USC in a small, safe and very studenty town at the end of the Camino.
Who loves this city?
Students who want a compact, safe, very studenty town with a historic centre, cheap rents and Galician food, and who can live with a lot of rain.
What makes it special
The cathedral at the end of the Camino, a UNESCO old town of granite arcades, and nights of tapas on Rรบa do Franco, all within a ten-minute walk of the faculties.
Newcomer shocks
- It rains often and for days; a good raincoat matters more than an umbrella.
- Galician (galego) is used next to Spanish at the university and in daily life.
- The old town fills with pilgrims and tour groups, especially in summer.
Student housing in Santiago de Compostela
Most students rent in the Ensanche or the old town; the USC offers 100 hall places for international students at EUR 292 a month in 2026โ27.
Ensanche (Zona Nova)
MediumThe main student district: flats, supermarkets and bars between the old town and Campus Sur.
Old town (Casco Histรณrico)
Medium-highLiving among stone arcades, near the History and Geography faculties and the tapas streets.
Campus Norte and San Caetano
MediumClose to Burgo das Naciรณns halls and the north campus faculties.
Santa Marta and Campus Vida
Low-mediumScience, medicine and pharmacy students on the South Campus.
Conxo
LowCheaper flats a little further out, south of the Ensanche.
Official contacts
USC University Residence Service (SUR)
USC halls and the yearly call for international students; contact sur@usc.es.
USC call for accommodation places for international students
100 places for 2026โ27 at EUR 292 a month, room only, first come first served.
USC list of private residences
Colegios mayores and private halls in Santiago (Arosa, Xelmรญrez, La Estila, San Agustรญn and others).
Student residences
Burgo das Naciรณns university residence (USC)
426 places on Campus Norte, about 500 m from the old town.
Private platforms
Idealista
The largest Spanish listings site; filter rooms (habitaciones) in Santiago de Compostela.
Fotocasa
Second big Spanish portal, mostly whole flats.
Uniplaces
Rooms for students with online booking; check what the booking fee covers.
Badi
App for rooms in shared flats in Spanish cities.
Student groups
ESN Santiago de Compostela
Erasmus Student Network section: events, trips, ESNcard and a buddy programme in Santiago and Lugo.
Documents to prepare
Passport or national ID card
Admission or Learning Agreement letter from the host university
NIE (foreigner identity number): EU citizens staying more than three months register for it; non-EU students get it with their student visa or TIE card
Proof of income, a scholarship letter or a guarantor if the landlord asks
A Spanish or EU bank account for direct debits, if possible
Timing
The USC international hall call opens once a year; apply as soon as it opens, because places go first come, first served.
Shared flats in the Ensanche are easiest to find from July for September.
Halls may close at Christmas, Easter and in summer; check before booking flights.
Deposit & contract notes
Spanish law sets the deposit (fianza) for a flat at one monthโs rent; the landlord may ask for an extra guarantee of up to two more months, so never more than three months in total.
Since the 2023 Housing Law, agency and contract fees for a long-term rental are paid by the landlord, not the tenant.
Get a written contract that says which bills (water, electricity, gas, internet) are included, and keep photos of the room on the day you move in.
Red flags
Asking for a deposit or โreservationโ before you have seen the room or a video call of it.
Payment by Western Union, gift cards or crypto.
No written contract, or a contract that does not name the landlord.
Agency fees charged to you for a long-term flat (the landlord pays them by law).
A rent far below similar rooms on Idealista or Fotocasa.
Before you rent: practical guides
- Student Accommodation Abroad 2026: Types, Costs and How To Avoid Scams
- Erasmus Student Residences 2026: Prices by City and How to Get a Place
- Room, Residence or Shared Flat: What to Choose for an Exchange
- When to Look for Student Housing Abroad: Month by Month
- Where to Live on Exchange: How to Choose a Neighbourhood (with City Examples)
- Before You Sign: 12 Questions and the Student Rental Contract Checklist
Weather in Santiago de Compostela & what to pack
Santiago is mild and wet: about 12ยฐC by day in January and 25ยฐC in July, with frequent rain in winter.
| Month | Conditions | Note |
|---|---|---|
| January 12ยฐ / 5ยฐ | ||
| February 13ยฐ / 6ยฐ | ||
| March 16ยฐ / 7ยฐ | ||
| April 17ยฐ / 8ยฐ | ||
| May 20ยฐ / 10ยฐ | ||
| June 23ยฐ / 13ยฐ | ||
| July 25ยฐ / 14ยฐ | ||
| August 25ยฐ / 15ยฐ | ||
| September 23ยฐ / 13ยฐ | ||
| October 20ยฐ / 11ยฐ | ||
| November 15ยฐ / 8ยฐ | ||
| December 13ยฐ / 6ยฐ |
Mild but very wet: about 12ยฐC by day in January and 25ยฐC in July, with rain on many days from October to April.
Packing checklist
- A real raincoat and waterproof shoes.
- Warm layers: old buildings and flats can be cold and damp in winter.
- Light summer clothes for warm, drier months.
Cost of living for students in Santiago de Compostela
Plan on about EUR 700โ950 a month with a room in a shared flat, one of the lowest budgets in Spain.
| Category | Range / mo | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shared room - private market | EUR 263 โ 317 | A room in a three-bedroom flat: Numbeo lists EUR 788 (outside the centre) to EUR 950 (centre) for a 3-bedroom (October 2026), divided by three. Numbeo flags few contributors for Santiago, so treat this as a rough guide; USC halls charge EUR 292 a month room only in 2026โ27. |
| Private Apartment 1bed | EUR 458 โ 650 | One-bedroom outside vs. in the centre, Numbeo, October 2026 (few contributors). |
| Utilities And Mobile | EUR 65 โ 90 | Your share of utilities for an 85 mยฒ flat (about EUR 137 in total, split three ways), a phone plan (about EUR 19) and your share of broadband (about EUR 30), Numbeo, October 2026. Heating in winter can raise bills. |
Private-market baseline
Use the standard student budget as a private-market planning range. Shared housing can cost less than a private apartment, especially outside the centre.
University and public housing
Campus halls, CROUS or an equivalent public option may cost substantially less. Prices, shared-room conditions and eligibility depend on the institution, and availability is never assumed in the standard range.
Going out & dining
Source: Numbeo · Prices approximate, updated periodically.
Is Santiago de Compostela safe for students?
Santiago is one of the safest cities in Spain.
One of the safest cities in Spain. The main nuisances are crowds of pilgrims and tourists in the old town in summer and slippery granite streets in the rain.
Top risks
- Slippery granite streets in the rain.
- Pickpocketing in crowded old-town streets in summer.
- Damp and mould in older flats; check before signing.
Getting around Santiago de Compostela
The city is walkable, and buses link both campuses with the Ensanche.
๐ถ Walking
The old town, the Ensanche and both main campuses are within about 20โ30 minutes on foot.
๐ City buses
Lines link Campus Norte, the Ensanche, Campus Sur and the train and bus stations.
Ask the Concello about youth and student fares on the bus card.
๐ Trains and airport buses
Fast trains to A Coruรฑa and Vigo, and buses to SantiagoโRosalรญa de Castro airport.
Install a travel eSIM before departure and connect as soon as you land. Use code ODISEA10 for 10% off. Check Saily eSIM plans
Connectivity partner ยท affiliate link
Things to do in Santiago de Compostela as a student
The cathedral and the Botafumeiro, the Mercado de Abastos, the City of Culture and trips to Fisterra.
Santiago de Compostela Cathedral
Year-round
Free to enter; paid museum and roof tours
The end of the Camino, with the Obradoiro faรงade and the Romanesque Portico of Glory.
The Botafumeiro
On set dates and some masses
Free
A giant incense burner swung across the cathedral by eight men.
Mercado de Abastos
MondayโSaturday
Free to visit
The city market: buy seafood at a stall and have it cooked at the bar next door.
Alameda park
Year-round
Free
The central park with the classic view of the cathedral and the statue of the Two Marรญas.
City of Culture of Galicia
Year-round
Free to walk around; some exhibitions paid
Peter Eisenmanโs hilltop cultural complex with a library, museum and walking trails.
medium
Monte Pedroso
Year-round
Free
A short hike from the old town to a viewpoint over the whole city.
Pazo de Fonseca
Year-round
Free
The 16th-century home of the university, with a Renaissance cloister and library, in the old town.
Day trip to Fisterra
Year-round
Bus ticket
The rocky cape the Romans called the end of the world, about 90 km west, with sunsets over the Atlantic.
Universities in Santiago de Compostela for exchange students
The University of Santiago de Compostela takes Erasmus and bilateral exchange students on its Santiago campuses.
University of Santiago de Compostela
Galicia's university since 1495, with most of its 20,000-plus degree students in Santiago and a smaller campus in Lugo. Erasmus+ nominations close on 30 May and 30 October; teaching is in Spanish and Galician, and B1 Spanish is required to apply.
Student social life in Santiago de Compostela
Student life centres on the old town tapas streets and the Ensanche, with ESN Santiago running events and trips.
What Students Usually Get Wrong
Student Associations
ESN Santiago de Compostela
Events, trips, ESNcard and buddy programme for USC exchange students.
Asociaciรณn Erasmus Compostela
Second student association recommended by the USC Mobility Office for exchange students.
Meeting Places 4
Public Groups 2
r/GoingToSpain
Forum for people moving to Spain: NIE, empadronamiento, renting and bank questions.
r/Santiago_de_Compostela
Local forum, useful for housing and paperwork questions.