Student housing in Tel Aviv: shared flat, studio or residence?

University residence, shared flat or studio: the options for a student in Tel Aviv, recent rents and neighborhoods to look at.

The Remoters editorial team

Published on

3 August 2023

Updated on

6 October 2026

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As a student in Tel Aviv, you have three options: a place in a university residence, a room in a shared flat, or an apartment for yourself. The residence is the most economical but places are limited. A shared flat is the most common solution, because renting alone costs a great deal in one of the most expensive cities in Israel.

The average rent in Tel Aviv reached 7,280 shekels (ILS) per month in the fourth quarter of 2025 according to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), about €1,820. And the rise continues: nationwide, the CBS housing services index, which includes rents, rose by 3.6% over one year in August 2026, while home sale prices were falling. The market is tight, good apartments go fast, and almost everything is done in Hebrew.

This page compares the three options, presents the neighborhoods students look at and details the precautions to take before signing a lease.

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Residence, shared flat or studio: comparing the options

The university residence

Tel Aviv University has two residence complexes, Einstein and Broshim. The first is opposite the main campus entrance. Rents there are subsidised for the university's students, with no other aid beyond that subsidy. They include internet and cable, but not electricity, water or the municipal tax (arnona). The apartments have a bathroom, a fitted kitchen and air conditioning. At Einstein, rooms house two students.

The number of places is limited: the university states that not all applications can be accepted and that admission does not guarantee housing. For the 2026 intake, registration was open from 1 June to 15 July. The lease is signed directly with the company that manages the residences. Ask for your place as soon as you are admitted and plan a fallback.

The shared flat

This is the most common option among students and young professionals. In Tel Aviv, rooms are counted including the living room: a "three-room" apartment has two bedrooms. Among the listings recorded by the Times of Israel, a three-room apartment rented for ILS 11,000 per month in August 2026 and another for ILS 9,300 in October, that is ILS 4,650 to 5,500 per person between two. A four-room apartment at ILS 14,900 works out at a little under ILS 5,000 per person between three. Add your share of the charges: arnona, building charges (vaad bayit), water and electricity.

Living alone

A studio or one-room apartment in a less central neighbourhood rents from about ILS 6,500 per month. In the most sought-after neighbourhoods, a two- or three-room apartment is more likely to go for between ILS 9,000 and ILS 13,000, and a furnished home generally costs ILS 600 to ILS 1,200 more per month than an unfurnished one. On a student budget, renting alone is only realistic with comfortable resources.

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The neighbourhoods students look at

Florentin: bohemian and slightly cheaper

Florentin is appreciated for its artistic atmosphere, its galleries and its nightlife. Its rents are a little more affordable than those of the centre, which makes it one of the favourite neighbourhoods of students and young professionals in shared flats. The flip side: noise in the evening.

Jaffa (Yafo): multicultural and more affordable

A historic city merged into Tel Aviv, Jaffa offers a multicultural atmosphere and rents generally lower than in the centre, with quick access to the seafront. Check the travel time to your campus.

The Old North (Hatsafon Hayachan): quiet and well connected

Residential, green and well linked by transport, the Old North suits students who prefer calm. Rents there remain high, but a shared flat makes it accessible.

Kerem HaTeimanim: near the market and the sea

This historic Yemenite neighbourhood, very close to the Carmel Market and the beach, is in high demand and its rents are rising. Small units go quickly.

Neve Tzedek and Rothschild Boulevard: the most expensive

Old lanes in Neve Tzedek, White City Bauhaus buildings around Rothschild Boulevard: these are the most sought-after and most expensive addresses in the city, rarely compatible with a student budget.

Application, lease and scams to avoid

Landlords generally ask for an ID, proof of resources (grant certificate, bank statements, commitment from your parents) and sometimes references from former landlords. Without a bank history in Israel, expect to be asked for a local guarantor or a higher guarantee.

Have the lease reviewed. It is almost always written in Hebrew. The Tel Aviv-Jaffa municipality offers a recommended model lease, written in plain language: ask the landlord to use it. Having a lawyer review the contract before signing remains prudent.
The security deposit is capped by law at three months' rent. Have the conditions for its return specified in the lease.
Count the charges. Arnona is payable by the tenant and varies by size and neighbourhood. Building charges, water and electricity come on top. Ask for the amounts before signing.
Pay nothing before viewing, in person or by video call with someone on the ground. Retouched photos are common on listing sites such as Yad2 or Madlan, and a rent far below the market should raise alarms.
Do an inventory with photos at move-in so you can get your deposit back at move-out.
In a shared flat, put the split of rent and bills in writing, and check who signs the lease.
Plan ahead: demand is strongest from August to October, at the start of the academic year. Start searching four to six weeks before you arrive.

Getting help to search remotely

From France, keeping up with such a fast market, viewing homes and understanding a lease in Hebrew is difficult. A Remoters home finder based in Tel Aviv can search according to your campus and budget, view homes, prepare your application and review the lease before you sign. The first conversation and the quote are free.