Hector Georgiou
For thousands of students starting university each year, finding a place to live is one of the biggest challenges they face. Their families also feel the pressure, as soaring rents and the rising cost of living mean digging deeper into their pockets than ever before.
With inflation continuing to squeeze household budgets, rental prices remain high while available properties are limited. Finding an affordable apartment, especially one close to campus, has become increasingly difficult.
Location, distance from the university, apartment size, and the age of the building all play a role in determining how much a student will pay for their own place.
And the monthly rent is only part of the cost. Students also need to budget for a security deposit, electricity, water, internet, communal building fees, and any additional charges that may apply.
As the new academic year approaches, Kathimerini gathered indicative rental prices for student accommodation across the districts where Cyprus' universities are located.
Besides renting an apartment, students also have the option of staying in university or private student residences, which are generally much cheaper. However, the number of available rooms remains limited.
Limassol remains the most expensive
Limassol's rapid residential development has pushed rents to record levels.
Students aren't only searching within the city itself, where the universities are based, but also in nearby suburbs such as Agios Athanasios and Mesa Geitonia, where rental prices remain similarly high.
According to Kathimerini's research, the average asking rent for a one-bedroom apartment—the most popular choice among students—has reached, and often exceeds, €1,200 per month.
A two-bedroom apartment costs an average of €1,550, while a three-bedroom apartment can reach €2,250, according to the Department of Lands and Surveys' Monthly Affordable Housing Rental Index as of March 1, 2026.
Increasingly, students are turning to shared accommodation as a more affordable option. Splitting a larger apartment helps reduce not only rent but also utility bills.
In Limassol, renting a two-bedroom apartment works out at roughly €780 per person, while sharing a three-bedroom apartment brings the cost down even further.
Even in areas further from the city center, including Kato Polemidia, Germasogeia, and Ypsonas, rents remain similarly high.
Nicosia offers better value
Nicosia is home to the largest number of public and private universities, as well as branches of Greek higher education institutions.
As a result, the capital has the country's largest student population, and demand for accommodation remains extremely strong. Even so, rental prices are still generally lower than those in Limassol.
Demand is expected to increase even further following the arrival of a Greek university campus in the heart of the old city, which is projected to attract an additional 3,000 students over the coming years.
According to available data, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment near university areas, including Agios Dometios, Aglantzia, Engomi and Geri, is around €708 per month.
A two-bedroom apartment averages €942, while a three-bedroom apartment costs approximately €1,317.
As in Limassol, sharing an apartment significantly reduces costs.
Students sharing a two-bedroom apartment would pay around €471 each, while those sharing a three-bedroom apartment would pay approximately €493 per person.
Larnaca and Paphos remain more affordable
Because they have fewer universities, both Larnaca and Paphos continue to offer lower rental prices than Cyprus' two largest university cities.
In Larnaca, a one-bedroom apartment costs around €680 per month, rising to €850 for a two-bedroom apartment and €1,150 for a three-bedroom property.
In Paphos, average rents are about €700 for a one-bedroom apartment, €900 for a two-bedroom apartment, and up to €1,100 for a three-bedroom home.
Student residences remain an attractive alternative
Renting an apartment isn't the only option available to students. University and private student residences provide an alternative that is often more affordable, particularly for first-year students.
In many cases, the room price includes utilities such as electricity, water, and internet.
In fact, for roughly the same amount it costs to rent a one-bedroom apartment in Nicosia, a student can secure a room in a modern residence where utilities are included and amenities such as a gym and swimming pool are available.
The biggest drawback, however, is the shortage of available rooms. With demand far exceeding supply, many students have little choice but to compete in the increasingly expensive private rental market.
