How to find a student room in South Africa

First, what is a “digs”?

In South Africa, “digs” is student slang for the place you rent while you study — usually a room in a shared house or flat near campus, but the word gets used for anything from a single room to a private student residence. On DigsConnect, every listing is a digs; the filters tell you which kind.

The main types of student accommodation

Most listings fall into one of four types. Price, privacy and how much you have to organise yourself all move together.

• Room in a shared house or flat (“digs” in the classic sense) — your own bedroom, shared kitchen and bathroom, housemates who are usually also students. Cheapest option with the most freedom, and the most admin: you deal with the landlord and split bills.
• Student residence (private res) — purpose-built buildings run by an operator, with single or shared rooms, communal kitchens, Wi-Fi, security and often a study area. Rent usually includes water, electricity and internet. Many are NSFAS-accredited.
• Studio or bachelor flat — self-contained: your own kitchenette and bathroom. The most privacy and the highest rent per person.
• Homestay or room in a family home — a room with a family, sometimes with meals. Quieter and often cheaper; house rules apply.

Where to look

Start with distance to campus, then trade it against price. The suburbs right next to a campus (Hatfield for UP, Rondebosch for UCT, Braamfontein and Auckland Park for Wits and UJ) cost the most and go first; one or two suburbs further out is often 20–30% cheaper for the same room, so check what transport actually exists — a campus shuttle route, a Gautrain or MyCiTi stop, or a taxi rank you would use at night.

On DigsConnect you can search by suburb, city or campus, and every listing shows the estimated travel time to nearby universities.

What a student room costs

Prices vary a lot by city and suburb, but as a rough guide for 2026: a shared room in a house starts around R3,000–R4,000 a month, a private room in a shared house or res sits around R4,500–R7,500, and a studio close to a major campus runs R8,000–R12,000. Cape Town and Stellenbosch are at the top of those ranges, Pretoria and Durban nearer the bottom.

Always ask what is included. Water, electricity, Wi-Fi and a cleaning service can add R500–R1,500 a month if they are not, and a slightly pricier “all-in” room is often the cheaper one.

The viewing checklist

View the room before you pay anything — in person if you can, on a live video call if you are moving from another city. While you are there, check:

• Security — perimeter fencing, gate access, burglar bars, who else has keys, and how the street feels after dark.
• Connectivity — is there fibre or uncapped Wi-Fi, and is it included? Ask to run a speed test on your phone.
• Power and water — load-shedding backup (inverter, gas stove, geyser timer) and whether electricity is prepaid, metered or included.
• The room itself — a desk and chair, a lockable door, natural light, damp or mould on walls and ceilings, and working plugs.
• Shared spaces — how many people share the kitchen and bathroom, and who cleans them.
• Transport — walk the route to campus or the shuttle stop once, at the time of day you would actually use it.
• The people — meet the landlord or manager, and if it is a shared house, the housemates.

Before you sign or pay

Get everything in writing. A proper lease states the rent, what is included, the deposit amount and how it is returned, the lease length and notice period, and the house rules. A deposit equal to one month’s rent is normal; two months is high but not unheard of for furnished places. Pay by EFT to an account in the landlord’s or company’s name, never cash, and keep the proof of payment.

Be careful of anyone who wants a deposit before a viewing, pressures you to pay “today or lose it”, or cannot show you the actual room. On DigsConnect you message landlords through the platform first, trusted badges show who has been checked, and our team is one WhatsApp away if something feels off.

Funded by NSFAS?

If your accommodation will be paid from an NSFAS allowance, you generally need an NSFAS-accredited provider. Use the NSFAS filter on any search, and read our guide to NSFAS-accredited accommodation for what accreditation means and what to confirm with your financial aid office.