2026 academic year in Lisbon and Porto: Homestays as a solution to the housing shortage

At the dawn of this new academic year, the quest for a roof over one's head is once again becoming a real challenge for thousands of young people. Finding student accommodation in Lisbon or Porto is proving to be a feat today, given the soaring demand and the increasingly scarce supply. At Roomlala, we are closely monitoring this strained situation and understand the anxiety felt by students and their parents. The start of the 2026 academic year in Portugal promises to be particularly complex in terms of real estate, with rents continuing to climb in major cities. Yet, solutions do exist. Faced with this critical shortage of traditional university housing, long-term homestays and shared housing are establishing themselves not just as simple alternatives, but as the most viable, affordable, and human responses to counter this student housing crisis.

An unprecedented student housing crisis for the start of the 2026 academic year

The situation is clear this August 2026: Portugal is going through a student housing crisis of unprecedented scale. The figures speak for themselves and illustrate extreme tension in the property market. The country currently suffers from a structural deficit estimated at 119,000 beds for students. This glaring lack of infrastructure is forcing almost all young people to turn to an already saturated private rental market. Universities, although aware of the problem, are struggling to build new buildings quickly enough to meet the constant influx of new enrolments.

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Public student residences, historically designed to ease the burden on low-income families, are now largely insufficient. Nationally, barely 7% of Portuguese university students have access to a place in a public residence. This already alarming figure hides even more worrying regional disparities: it falls to only 5% in Lisbon and 10% in Porto. In other words, 95% of students in the capital must fend for themselves to find a place to live, study, and thrive.

This shortage is hitting an increasingly mobile student population hard. Today, there are approximately 147,000 so-called "displaced" Portuguese students—those studying outside their home city—to which are added nearly 80,000 international students who have come seeking academic excellence and the Portuguese way of life. These two groups find themselves in direct competition in a market where supply is not keeping up. In the second quarter of 2026, the demand for rooms for rent in Portugal jumped by 27%, while supply, paradoxically, fell by 11%.

At Roomlala, we receive daily testimonies from distraught students who see the start of the academic year approaching without having anywhere to stay. This situation generates immense stress that can impact academic success. This is why it is crucial to understand current price dynamics and turn to supportive and sustainable alternatives to ensure a serene 2026 academic year in Portugal.

Prices are soaring: Private residences vs. the traditional market

The real cost of student accommodation in Lisbon and Porto

The scarcity of supply has inevitably led to a vertiginous rise in prices. In August 2026, the median rent for a classic student room is 550 euros per month in Lisbon and 450 euros in Porto. While high for a young person's budget, these amounts are now the baseline rate for hoping to find a place in these attractive cities. It is important to note that these prices mainly concern the homestay or traditional shared housing market, which remain the most affordable options.

At the same time, the market has seen the emergence of many private student residences (PBSA - Purpose Built Student Accommodation). While these complexes offer high-end amenities (gyms, co-working spaces, 24/7 security), their rates are completely disconnected from the economic reality of the majority of students. In Lisbon, rents in these private residences soar between 740 and 1,500 euros per month! A financial abyss that is inaccessible to most families.

This dichotomy between the traditional market and ultra-modern private residences highlights the crucial importance of the homestay. For a student looking for student accommodation in Lisbon on a realistic budget, PBSAs are simply not an option. It is therefore vital to make the distinction and focus searches on peer-to-peer platforms to find fair prices, located in the 450-550 euro range.

Let's take a concrete example: Tiago, an engineering student from Faro, was admitted to the University of Lisbon. Faced with private residences at 900 euros, his parents almost gave up on his enrolment. It was by turning to a homestay at 500 euros, bills included, that they were able to make his study project viable. This use case perfectly illustrates the need for these affordable alternatives.

State aid: Valuable but capped support

Aware of the social urgency, the Portuguese state has implemented support measures for the start of the 2026 academic year. Housing subsidies are specifically intended for scholarship students who, due to a lack of places in public residences, are forced to rent in the private sector. It is an essential breath of fresh air, but one that comes with strict limits that must be understood to balance one's budget.

These government subsidies are indeed capped to reflect the reality (or at least part of the reality) of market prices. For the 2026-2027 academic year, the aid ceiling is set at 500 euros per month for Lisbon and 419 euros for Porto. These amounts have been calculated to help young people cope with the median rents mentioned above, but they obviously do not cover the extravagance of private residences (PBSA).

The equation is therefore simple: for a scholarship student to find housing without any (or with minimal) out-of-pocket costs, they must focus on a homestay or shared housing with a rent that corresponds to these ceilings. Renting a room at 550 euros in Lisbon with a 500-euro subsidy leaves an out-of-pocket cost of 50 euros, which is manageable. On the other hand, aiming for a private residence at 800 euros makes the subsidy insufficient.

At Roomlala, we strongly encourage eligible students to prepare their aid application file as early as possible. Administrative procedures can take time, and having a rental promise or a proper homestay contract is essential to release these funds. Our hosts are used to providing the necessary documents to facilitate these procedures.

Shared housing and homestays: Sustainable alternatives

Why choose a homestay?

Faced with the student housing crisis, the homestay is no longer a plan B; it is a real solution for the future. The principle is simple: a host with a spare room in their main residence rents it to a student. Financially, it is the assurance of finding rents that respect the market median (450-550 euros), often with all bills included (water, electricity, internet), which avoids unpleasant surprises at the end of the month.

But beyond the economic aspect, it is the human experience that prevails. For a student leaving the family nest, sometimes for the first time, or for an international student arriving in an unknown country, living with a host offers a reassuring environment. Hosts are often great sources of advice for discovering the neighbourhood, explaining how public transport works, or helping with cultural and linguistic integration.

At Roomlala, we make it a point of honour to secure these connections. We verify profiles, secure online payments, and offer a trusted framework. Owners, for their part, find in this approach a way to make their unoccupied space profitable and to cope with inflation, while providing a huge service to the younger generation.

Take the case of Maria, a French student on an Erasmus exchange at the University of Porto. Finding no student room in Porto in traditional residences, she rented a room from Dona Rosa via our platform. Not only does she pay 420 euros per month (perfectly within her budget), but she has also made huge progress in Portuguese thanks to dinners shared with her host, turning a logistical constraint into an unforgettable experience.

The rise of shared housing in Portugal

Alongside the homestay, shared housing in Portugal is experiencing dazzling success. Renting a large flat with others allows you to split the cost of rent, but also all additional expenses: internet subscriptions, home insurance, and even food shopping if housemates organise themselves well. It is an extremely resilient economic model in the face of skyrocketing property prices.

Shared housing also meets a fundamental need for socialisation. University studies can be stressful, and coming home in the evening to an empty flat can weigh on morale. In shared housing, you create a substitute family. You share moments of conviviality, help each other with revision, and forge ties that often last well beyond your study years.

However, finding the right shared flat requires a method. It is not just about finding a room, but about finding people with whom you share the same pace of life and the same values (cleanliness, noise, organisation of tasks). Many flats in Lisbon (in districts like Alameda or Arroios) or in Porto (towards Paranhos, near the university campus) are historically dedicated to this way of life.

We always advise our users to talk thoroughly with the existing housemates before committing. A video call or a meeting over coffee makes it possible to ensure that the fit is good. On Roomlala, shared housing listings often detail the vibe of the flat, which greatly helps in making the right choice and ensuring a harmonious academic year.

Our tips for finding your room before the start of the term

The key to success in finding accommodation in a context of shortage is anticipation. Even if demand has increased by 27% and supply has dropped by 11%, there is always movement in the market. New listings are published every day on Roomlala. If you are doing it at the last minute, don't panic: stay connected, activate alerts, and be extremely responsive when a room matching your criteria is posted online.

Preparing your rental file is a step that should definitely not be neglected. Owners receive numerous requests and give priority to organised candidates. Make sure you have a digital version of all your documents ready to be sent: ID, proof of university enrolment, proof of income from your guarantors, and possibly a scholarship certificate if you are counting on state aid. A well-completed Roomlala profile, with a smiling photo and a short description of yourself, often makes the difference.

Show geographical flexibility. Everyone dreams of living in the historic centre of Lisbon or by the Douro in Porto, but that is where prices are the most inaccessible. Expand your search area to neighbouring municipalities with good public transport links. In Lisbon, towns like Almada (across the Tagus) or Odivelas offer much more affordable homestays, just 20 or 30 minutes by metro or ferry from the university.

Finally, the security of your process must be your absolute priority. Unfortunately, the housing crisis also attracts scammers on social networks or unmoderated classifieds sites. Never send money by direct bank transfer before visiting or signing a contract. By using a secure platform like Roomlala, your payments are protected and are only released to the host after your successful arrival. Here is a little checklist for an effective search:

• Define a strict budget including bills and taking into account state aid (ceiling of €500 in Lisbon, €419 in Porto).
• Prepare a complete, clear file that is translated if necessary (for international students).
• Expand your scope by carefully studying metro, bus, or suburban train lines.
• Prioritise human contact by writing personalised messages to hosts to explain your study project.
• Secure your transactions by using Roomlala's payment system exclusively.

In conclusion, although the start of the 2026 academic year in Lisbon and Porto presents major challenges in terms of housing, the homestay and shared housing stand as effective shields against student hardship. At Roomlala, we are proud to facilitate these intergenerational and intercultural encounters that allow young people to focus on the essential: their academic success.