Guide · Costs

How much does student accommodation cost in South Africa?

There is no single price for student accommodation in South Africa. The same budget gets you a private studio in one city and a bed in a sharing room in another. What you can do is understand what drives the price, know the extra costs that are not in the advert, and compare options on the same basis. Prices change every year, so use the figures here as reference points and check live listings for your city.

What drives the price

City and suburb: Cape Town and Stellenbosch are the most expensive student markets; Pretoria, Durban, Bloemfontein and Gqeberha are generally cheaper. Within a city, walking distance to campus costs more.
Room type: a bed in a sharing room is cheapest, then a single room with shared bathroom, then en-suite rooms and studios.
Type of building: managed residences with security, Wi-Fi, study rooms and gyms cost more than a room in a commune.
What is included, which is where most of the confusion comes from.

Some real reference points

Stellenbosch University's published 2026 residence fees run from R61,376 (double) to R76,265 (single) a year before meals, with a full meal quota of R36,400 - see the full breakdown.
We also break down published res costs at UCT, Wits and UJ.
The last confirmed NSFAS caps (2025) for non-catered private accommodation were R52,000 a year in metros and R42,640 elsewhere - see allowance amounts. Many accredited rooms are priced around those caps.
For current private prices, sort live listings by price: Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban, Stellenbosch.

Deposits and upfront costs

Deposit: commonly one month's rent, sometimes up to two. By law it remains your money: the landlord must keep it in an interest-bearing account and refund it with interest after you move out, less the cost of any damage.
First month's rent is usually due with the deposit to secure the room.
Admin, application or key fees: some residences charge them - ask for every fee in writing before you pay.
NSFAS-funded students: ask whether a deposit is required at all; many accredited providers waive it.
More in our lease checklist.

What is (and is not) included

Two rooms at the same rent can differ by well over a thousand rand a month once you add what is missing. Ask about each of these:

Electricity and water: included, capped, or prepaid at your cost?
Wi-Fi: included, and is it uncapped?
Backup power and water: an inverter, generator or solar for load-shedding, and water tanks where supply is unreliable.
Furniture: bed, desk, cupboard, fridge and microwave.
Laundry: free machines, coin or app machines, or none.
Cleaning of rooms or common areas.
Parking, and transport or a shuttle to campus.
How many months you pay for: 10, 11 or 12.

Work out the real monthly cost

Add rent, utilities, Wi-Fi, transport, laundry and food, then multiply by the number of months on the lease. That yearly figure is the only fair way to compare res with a private room, or one private room with another. Our student cost of living guide covers the rest of the budget, and cheap student accommodation shows how to bring it down.

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Frequently asked questions

How much is student accommodation per month in South Africa?

It ranges from a few thousand rand for a bed in a sharing room to well over R10,000 for a private studio in Cape Town or Stellenbosch. City, suburb, room type and what is included matter more than any national average.

How much is a deposit for student accommodation?

Commonly one month's rent, sometimes two. The landlord must hold it in an interest-bearing account and return it with interest after you move out, less the cost of any damage.