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

University residence, private residence, shared flat or studio: what each option costs in Bucharest in 2026 and the neighbourhoods to aim for.

The Remoters editorial team

Published on

29 August 2023

Updated on

6 October 2026

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As a student in Bucharest, you have four ways to find housing: a place in a public university residence (cămin), a room in a private residence, a shared flat in a private apartment, or a studio of your own (garsonieră). The cămin is by far the cheapest, at about €50 to €80 per month, but places are lacking. A shared flat is often the best compromise between budget and comfort.

The pressure is real. According to an analysis by Cushman & Wakefield Echinox published in September 2026, Bucharest has 187,677 students for about 37,000 residence beds, public and private combined. That is roughly one bed for every five students, the lowest coverage of Romania's major university centres. On the private market, the capital is also the most expensive city in the country: a studio rents for an average of €400 per month this autumn.

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Residence, shared flat or studio: comparing the options

The cămin, the public university residence

The public sector offers about 32,300 beds in Bucharest. Rates vary by university and room type. For the 2026-2027 year, the Politehnica University of Bucharest announces between 365 and 1,000 lei per month for students on standard subsidies, and between 100 and 735 lei for those receiving additional aid. It has 10,500 places, with rooms for two or three, and 700 new places in a modern residence nearly finished in September 2026. At the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE), a room costs between 250 and 350 lei per month.

These rates apply first to students enrolled in the Romanian system. If you are coming on an exchange or an international programme, ask your university's international relations office about your eligibility and the application timeline, and have a fallback solution.

The private residence

Bucharest has nearly 90% of the private student beds recorded in the country's major university centres, at least 4,700 beds. Allow €100 to €300 per person per month depending on the services. It is a practical option when arriving from abroad: a simple lease, furnished housing, a single point of contact.

The shared flat

Sharing an apartment clearly reduces each person's share. This autumn, a two-room apartment (2 camere, i.e. a bedroom and a living room) rents for an average of €600 per month in Bucharest, and a three-room one (3 camere) for €890. With three people in a three-room, that comes to about €300 per person, excluding charges. Add electricity, gas, water, internet and building fees (întreținere), which come to €50 to €150 per month for the whole home.

The studio on your own

A studio rents for an average of €400 per month, and between €350 and €700 depending on the area and the condition of the property. It is the most comfortable option, but also the most expensive for a student budget.

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The neighbourhoods to look at

Bucharest is divided into six administrative sectors. The Metrorex metro network has five lines, from M1 to M5: before looking for a neighbourhood, find the station closest to your faculty, then search along the same line.

Universitate and Centrul Vechi (sector 3): the historic heart, lively and well served by the metro. Convenient, but rents follow.
Tineretului and Berceni (sector 4): a more affordable option, with metro access and good value for money.
Zone Giurgiului (sector 4): one of the leads for tight budgets, with an average rent of about €430 per month for an apartment.
Militari: one of the cheapest areas in the capital, around €400 per month on average for an apartment.
Drumul Taberei (sector 6): a popular residential neighbourhood, now linked to the centre by line M5, with affordable rents.
Cotroceni (sector 6): quiet and residential, near the Botanical Garden, appreciated for its interwar architecture.
Floreasca, Dorobanți and Primăverii (sector 1): the most expensive neighbourhoods. In Primăverii, the average rent reaches €3,000 per month, for much larger and better-equipped properties: poorly suited to a student budget.

September-October and January-February are the busiest periods on the rental market, in step with the semesters. Start searching several weeks before the start of term.

Application, lease and pitfalls to avoid

Landlords generally ask for ID or a passport, proof of resources (bank statements, scholarship certificate or guarantor) and sometimes references. The lease (contract de închiriere) is most often signed for one year, renewable. It states the rent, in euros or lei, the payment terms, the security deposit and the termination conditions.

Check that the lease is registered: the owner, if an individual, must declare the contract to the tax authority (ANAF) within 30 days of signing, online, at the counter, by post or by email. Once registered, the contract becomes an enforceable title. Rentals of 30 days or less in the year to the same person are exempt. Ask for proof of this registration: it will also serve as proof of address.
Anticipate the sum to pay on move-in: the security deposit is generally one to two months' rent. If you go through an agency, its fees range from half to a full month's rent. Clarify this before the visit.
Pay nothing before you have visited the home, in person or on a live video call with someone on the spot, and checked that the person renting it out has the right to.
Do a photographed inventory, room by room, signed on move-in. It is your protection when getting the deposit back.
Ask about heating: in older buildings, charges can rise sharply in winter.
In a shared flat, put the rules in writing: who signs the lease, how rent and bills are split, what happens if one of you leaves before the end.

Getting help searching from France

Visiting, comparing sectors and negotiating in Romanian from abroad, a few weeks before the start of term, is not easy. A Remoters home finder based in Bucharest can search for you according to your faculty and budget, visit homes, prepare your application and review the lease before signing. The first conversation and the quote are free.