Hoas room, studio or private shared flat: the options for a student in Helsinki, 2026 rents, neighborhoods and the conditions to meet.
As a student in Helsinki, you have three options: a room in a shared apartment from the student foundation Hoas, a studio (with Hoas or on the private market), or a shared flat between private individuals. The Hoas room is by far the cheapest and the quickest to get. The private studio costs noticeably more: its median rent in Helsinki was €730 per month in spring and summer 2026, which makes the capital the most expensive university city in Finland according to Yle.
Good news for students: the rental market in the region is relaxed. According to Statistics Finland, rents of non-subsidized homes fell by 0.3% over one year in Greater Helsinki between April and June 2026, while they rose by 0.4% in the rest of the country. The supply of homes there is plentiful. Here is how to choose your option and get organized.
Hoas is a non-profit foundation that has housed students since 1969 and manages about 11,000 student homes in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen, in cooperation with the student unions of the University of Helsinki and Aalto University. Its shared apartments generally have two to four lockable rooms, with a shared kitchen and bathroom.
The studio offers independence, at a higher price. On the private market, the median rent of a non-subsidized studio in Helsinki was €730 per month in 2026 according to Yle. In the center, count more like €850 to €1,300 per month. Hoas also rents studios, which are more in demand and therefore take longer to get than rooms.
Sharing an apartment rented on the private market is another route, especially if you do not meet Hoas's conditions. A two-room apartment (T2) rents for between €1,100 and €1,700 per month: with two people, each person's share is therefore between €550 and €850 (indicative calculation). Check who signs the lease and how utilities are split: water and heating are sometimes included, sometimes billed separately depending on the contract.
North of the center, Kallio has a young atmosphere, rents more accessible than in the chic neighborhoods and good transport links. It is the typical neighborhood for students who want to live in the city.
A recent neighborhood, organized around a university campus, Arabianranta has mid-range rents. A good compromise between calm and access to the center.
Töölö is residential and calm, with moderately high rents. Lauttasaari, a green island linked by the metro, suits those looking for tranquility.
Punavuori, the design district, and Eira, by the sea, have the highest rents in the city. On a student budget, they are rarely realistic outside a shared flat.
These outlying neighborhoods have rents 20 to 30% lower than the average in the center. The HSL regional transport network (metro, trains, trams, buses) links them to the center: check the trip to your campus before signing.
To apply, your studies must be full-time, lead to a degree and in principle qualify for student financial aid from Kela, the Finnish social security institution, and your institution must be in the capital region (Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen). A foreign student who has come to study generally has no right to this aid, but Hoas states they can apply if their program is eligible. Exchange students at a partner institution go through a dedicated procedure. An official ID is also required.
For most Hoas leases signed since 1 June 2023, no deposit is required. It is required in case of payment incidents or for an exchange student's home: €260 for a room in a shared apartment, €500 for other homes, sometimes with a rent paid in advance. Hoas also automatically checks applicants' credit history: a payment incident does not prevent you from applying, but leads to stricter conditions in the contract.
On the private market, the security deposit is capped by law at three months' rent, and the lease must be in writing. Owners ask for ID, proof of resources or a scholarship and, often, a certificate of enrollment.
Start with Hoas as soon as you are admitted: the application is made online, and you can add the available homes that interest you. If you are aiming for a studio, allow more time and keep a room in a shared apartment as a fallback. For the private market, the Oikotie.fi and Vuokraovi.com platforms are the most used, alongside institutional landlords such as SATO and HEKA.
If you are preparing your arrival from France and you are aiming for private housing, it is difficult to visit and check a lease remotely. A Remoters home finder based in Helsinki can search for you according to your campus and your budget, visit, prepare the application and review the lease before signing. The first conversation and the quote are free.
Short answers to the questions our readers ask, written to stand on their own.
Sources cited in this article
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