The national average rent is 415 euros, but prices in Lisbon are prohibitive, starting at 500 euros.
Journalist, August 25, 2025 at 01:30
João Saramago
It has never been more expensive for a student to rent a room while pursuing a university degree away from home. The national average stands at 415 euros per month. According to the latest data from the Student Accommodation Observatory, nearly six thousand rooms were available last month, with over half located in the Lisbon region, which hosts around 50,000 non-local students.
Beyond high prices, many accommodations lack basic living standards—some rooms pack multiple beds, and even balconies have been converted into bedrooms. According to the National Student Accommodation Observatory, the average monthly rent for a room in Lisbon is 500 euros, with some reaching 714 euros. Lisbon has 2,768 rental rooms, more than half of the national total of 5,514. While Lisbon is the most expensive, rents in most district capital cities pose a significant burden on students’ families. In Porto, the average is 400 euros; in Faro, 380 euros.
The situation is equally severe in autonomous regions: in Funchal, rents average 465 euros, and in Ponta Delgada, 400 euros. The government plans to add two thousand new student dormitory beds by September.
High housing costs deter applicants
This year's first phase of the national higher education admission exam saw nine thousand fewer applicants. Student leaders believe this decline may be linked to rising accommodation costs. Pedro Neto Monteiro, president of the Lisbon Academic Federation, said: “A family will certainly face great difficulty in supporting their children’s studies away from home.”