Student rent prices in Athens increased by 5% to 7% for fully renovated properties as affordable options narrow, according to industry professionals. Higher category housing availability is expanding, but cheaper small apartments have become difficult to find.
According to the newspaper Eleftheros Typos, nearly seven out of ten available apartments up to 50 square meters in central Athens now require rents above 500 euros per month. In 2022, only three out of ten properties in that category reached that price level.
Regional rent prices and supply distribution
Data from Spitogatos Insights showed a 6.6% annual rent increase for student housing in central Athens during the second quarter of 2026. The average requested rent in the Municipality of Athens stands at 13.3 euros per square meter. Rents in the southern suburbs average 13.7 euros per square meter following a 5.5% annual increase, while northern suburbs recorded a 1.5% rise to 15.5 euros per square meter.
In the western suburbs, requested rents reached 11.5 euros per square meter after an annual increase of 6.7%. Rents in Piraeus grew by 5% to 12.6 euros per square meter, while the suburbs of Piraeus rose by 5.4% to 11.0 euros per square meter. Minor price reductions occurred mainly in older, unrenovated or partially renovated properties, whereas energy upgraded and furnished apartments maintained higher prices.
Spitogatos Insights reported that the most affordable student areas include Nikaia at 10.5 euros per square meter, Kypseli at 11.8 euros per square meter, and the Patision-Acharnon streets area at 11.9 euros per square meter. Central Athens accounts for 46.5% of total student housing supply, followed by the southern suburbs at 28%, western suburbs at 8.4%, Piraeus at 7.6%, Piraeus suburbs at 4.6%, northern suburbs at 4.0%, and eastern suburbs at 0.9%.
Long term trends and shared housing
Themistoklis Bakas, president of the Nationwide E-RealEstates Network, stated that asking prices in most areas remain 60% to over 100% higher than in 2019. Bakas said that shared housing is growing each year because splitting rent and fixed utility costs has become a financial necessity for many families. Students are increasingly choosing two-bedroom apartments to split costs with hometown friends or university classmates.
Bakas noted that shared housing in Greece faces legal drawbacks because leases usually cover the entire property and require all tenants to sign. If one tenant leaves or fails to pay, the remaining roommates become responsible for the full rent. By contrast, landlords in England lease individual rooms under separate contracts, limiting each student's liability to their own rent.
Co-living expenses and state allowances
In the broader center of Athens, two-bedroom apartments over 60 square meters suitable for shared living rent from 580 euros to between 750 and 800 euros per month. When shared between two students, the individual cost is equivalent to or lower than renting a small studio in popular neighborhoods.
The basic state housing allowance provides 1,500 euros annually for university students in Attica or the Regional Unit of Thessaloniki, and 2,000 euros for those studying in the rest of Greece. For students sharing a residence, the annual grant rises to 2,000 euros each in Attica or Thessaloniki, and 2,500 euros each in regional universities.
The newspaper Eleftheros Typos published a table listing alternative areas for student housing search in Attica.
