Student Housing Prices in Poland: How Much a Place in a Private Dormitory Costs in 2026
Student housing prices in Poland are becoming one of the key factors in choosing a university — almost six in ten students admit that the availability of affordable housing influenced their choice of school. These figures come from the consultancy CBRE, based on a survey of 520 students from eight large Polish cities: Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław, Gdańsk, Poznań, Łódź, Lublin and Katowice.
Key fact: The median cost of a student dormitory place in Poland in 2026 is PLN 1,999/month — only 8% of students have a university dorm place.
The number of students in Poland has been growing for the fourth year in a row. In 2025 the country had 1.31 million students — 3.3% more than a year earlier. According to demographic forecasts, this growth will continue at least until the end of the decade, which means steady and rising demand for student housing.
How much does a place in a private student dormitory cost in 2026?
According to CBRE, in the 2026/2027 academic year the average monthly cost of a place in a private student dormitory is PLN 2,070, with a median of PLN 1,999. Prices vary considerably by room type:
- Single room — median PLN 2,479 a month (more than half of the 2026 gross minimum wage of PLN 4,806).
- Place in a double room — median PLN 1,680.
- Place in a room for three or more — median PLN 1,050.
The rent usually already includes utilities, internet, security, gym access, common rooms and study areas. This is what fundamentally distinguishes private dormitories from renting a flat on the market, where each expense is paid separately.
How big is the shortage of student housing?
In 2025 Poland’s 429 university dormitories offered just over 110,000 places — 1.5% fewer than a year earlier. With 1.31 million students in total, this means a place in a public dormitory is theoretically available to at most 8% of all students.
Private student halls partly make up for the shortage, but here too supply lags far behind potential demand. As of August 2026, the eight key student cities in Poland had 74 private buildings with 21,300 places. Six new buildings (1,856 beds) opened in 2026, and another six are under construction (2,386 places).
| City | Market saturation (private dormitory places per student) |
|---|---|
| Kraków | 3.8% |
| Łódź | 3.6% |
| Lublin | 3.3% |
| Average for the 8 cities | 2.5% |
| Warsaw | 1.9% |
| Poznań | 1.3% |
Tellingly, Warsaw — Poland’s largest academic centre — ranks only sixth in market saturation, despite a record number of new openings. Poznań remains the least well-supplied city.
What matters to students when choosing a private dormitory?
Students willing to consider moving into a private student hall name three main criteria:
- Low price — 61.1% of respondents.
- Location close to the university or the city centre — 55.7%.
- High standard of rooms — 46.7%.
At the same time, 64% of students would consider moving into a private dormitory if the rent were comparable to the market rent for a room or flat. Yet only 2.1% actually live in private student halls today — the gap between intention and action is huge, and it is directly linked to the price barrier.
How does housing affect the choice of university and city of study?
58.8% of students say outright that the availability of housing influenced their choice of university or their decision to change it. Among those living with their parents, one in four gave up the chance to study in their preferred city. Among those renting on the market, 15.3% actually gave up their chosen university and another 28.6% seriously considered it.
At Mokko Real Estate we regularly see parents of students decide to buy a small flat in a Polish university city instead of paying rent every year. At current rents in the student districts of Warsaw, Kraków and Wrocław, this strategy often pays for itself within three to four years of study. The key is to choose the right property in terms of location and resale potential.
According to CBRE, 68.3% of students believe the supply of dormitories in Poland needs to improve, and 40.2% see a serious shortage. The student housing market remains structurally insufficient, and this gap creates both social problems and clear investment opportunities.
If you are interested in buying a flat in a student district of a Polish city — to rent out or to house your own child during their studies — the Mokko Real Estate team is ready to help with the search, valuation and the transaction. Contact us for a consultation.
Source: Rzeczpospolita — Nieruchomości.
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