Polish student housing costs rise amid accommodation shortages

Students in Poland are facing rising costs for university accommodation. At Nicolaus Copernicus University (UMK) in Toruń, dormitory rates are increasing starting October 1. Single rooms will cost between 720 and 880 PLN, while double rooms will range from 530 to 660 PLN. Further increases are scheduled for March 1. The university attributed these changes to rising facility maintenance costs.

Nationwide, the student housing market faces a significant supply-demand imbalance. According to the ‘Student Wallet 2026’ report and research by the Warsaw Banking Institute, only 11% of students live in dormitories, while 29% rent private apartments. While dormitories remain generally cheaper than the private market, prices vary widely; for instance, the University of Wrocław can charge up to 1,470 PLN per month.

Infrastructure limitations and the need for modernization contribute to the shortage of available beds in state-supervised dormitories. To address this, the number of beds in private purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) is expected to grow from approximately 16,500 at the end of 2025 to 24,000 by 2030.