Student housing in Bern: shared flat, studio or residence?

As a student in Bern, you have three options: a room in a shared flat, which Bernese people call a WG (Wohngemeinschaft), a studio all to yourself, or a room in a student residence. Flatsharing is the most common option, because it splits a high Swiss rent. The studio offers independence, but it costs at least 1,200 francs per month. Places in residences, which are cheaper, are scarce and require planning ahead.

The market is very tight. On 1 June 2026, the city of Bern had only 351 vacant homes, a vacancy rate of 0.44%, unchanged from a year earlier, according to Statistik Stadt Bern. Only 34 one-room studios were available that day, in a city of 147,124 inhabitants in mid-2026.

Here is how to compare the three options, which neighbourhoods to look at and how to put together an application that stands up to the competition.

Shared flat, studio or residence: comparing the options

Flatsharing (WG)

For a flatshare, you most often rent a 3.5 or 4.5-room apartment. In an ordinary neighbourhood, a 3.5-room apartment rents for between 2,300 and 3,000 francs per month, excluding charges. With three people, each person's share therefore comes to around 770 to 1,000 francs, to which are added the charges (Nebenkosten: water, heating, maintenance), of 100 to 300 francs per month for the whole home.

Two arrangements coexist: joining an existing WG, which is looking for a flatmate to replace someone leaving, or founding your own by renting an apartment with several people. In the first case, you often have an interview with the current flatmates. In the second, put the split of rent and charges in writing, and check who signs the lease.

The studio

A studio on the outskirts starts at around 1,200 francs per month, and a 2.5-room apartment in a mid-range neighbourhood rents for between 1,800 and 2,300 francs. It is the most expensive option for a student, and the most contested: small homes are the scarcest on the Bern market.

The student residence

Foundations and cooperatives offer furnished rooms reserved for students, often cheaper than the private market. Places are limited and allocated well in advance: ask your university's student office as soon as you are admitted, and plan a flatshare as a fallback.

What the city's statistics say

The rent index of the city of Bern rose 1.4% between November 2024 and November 2025, according to Statistik Stadt Bern. Be careful when reading these statistics: they cover all current leases, many of them old, and not the homes offered for rent. The average rents they give are therefore markedly lower than the listing prices you will see.