Student accommodation in Thessaloniki

A short guide to student housing in Thessaloniki

According to the Greek Ministry of Education, there are approximately 330,000 students in Greek public universities at any given time. Thessaloniki accounts for almost 1/3 of the total number of students in Greece with an estimated 100,000 students (including those attending private universities and other higher education establishments).

For a city of 800,000 inhabitants (2011 city population), this means a particularly high proportion of students, which is evident from the lively atmosphere and nightlife. Most of the students come from other Greek cities, from Europe through exchange programs and from the Balkan countries to study at high-quality private universities. Estimating that, on average, a full-time student spends around 4 years in Thessaloniki (excluding exchange students), this means that there are approximately 25,000 new students in the city every year. And everyone needs a place to stay…

This article will provide a brief guide on the types of student accommodation available, areas, prices and things to consider when it comes to student accommodation in Thessaloniki.

1. Types of student accommodation

1a. Public university residences.

The University of Thessaloniki offers dormitories to students, depending on the needs and mainly on economic criteria. They are provided free of charge. In practice, this means that it is quite difficult to get a bedroom, even if you qualify. Most of the dormitories are located near the university campus, but their quality is very low, and maintenance is a big problem, along with security issues, etc.

1 B. University Student Hostels.

These are private properties (entire buildings) that are sublet by the University and are mainly provided to exchange students who require accommodation for a few weeks or months. They are usually ERASMUS students. As of 2011 there are two student hostels, “Matsi Street 7” and “Kassandrou Street 134”, both very close to the university. They offer fully furnished “dormitory style” rooms with private bathroom and kitchenette (Kassandrou 134), single and double rooms, laundry area and wireless Internet access.

1C Private hostels.

For students who wish to stay for only a few days or weeks, these hostels are more appropriate and a better solution than a hotel. However, these are hard to find as private hostels that rent out rooms/beds by the day/week are not legal in Greece unless they are non-profit organizations.

1d. Private rental apartments.

These are independent apartments (studio, 1 or 2 bedrooms) located throughout the city that students can rent from individuals. You can usually find them through real estate agents (beware) or online ads. You will have to find the right one that suits your needs. Most of them are unfurnished or partially furnished and are more suitable for students who plan to stay in Thessaloniki for a few years (since you would have to buy appliances, fridge, stove, etc.).

When you move in you will need to sign a contract with the electricity company DEI, the water and sewage company EYATH and the gas company for heating (or oil if there is oil central heating). Please note that in addition to rent, you will need to pay monthly “common” expenses (ie elevator maintenance, cleaning, community lighting, repairs, etc.), so check the approximate monthly amount beforehand as it may vary a lot. Obviously, this is not the best solution for a student coming to Thessaloniki for a few months or a year, as the hassle is too much.

1st Studio rental for students.

This is a new generation of student accommodation that is very popular with both full-time and exchange students. This trend started in the late 90’s with a few companies offering this type of hosting. The main concept is that of a rental studio building, where each student has their own fully furnished private room with en-suite bathroom and fully equipped kitchen. This in effect creates a high quality private bedroom with single bed studios. The student atmosphere is maintained along with the feeling of privacy and security.

Some companies offer additional services such as laundry area, gym, storage for bulky items, bicycle parking, etc. This solves the main problems a student would have if they rented a studio from a private owner. In addition, some companies offer an ALL INCLUSIVE rental that includes heating, electricity, water, community fees, etc. even a fixed line ADSL internet connection. This way, students will not have to deal with the Greek public authorities to get a contract for everything. This is especially suitable for exchange students who don’t have the time or knowledge to deal with this.

Finally, some companies also offer a series of additional security measures (fire alarms, access control cards, etc.). There is usually a doorman in these buildings for anything students may need. However, be careful which company you choose, as few offer all of the above.

2. Student accommodation areas

Since the university campus is located in the city center of Thessaloniki, the most popular student housing areas are also located there. However, since the city center is expensive, most students look for properties to rent near the university on Egnatia street and mainly around Agiou Dimitriou and Kassandrou streets. Here are also many student shops and cafeterias.

Other areas popular with students are towards the eastern side of the city, such as Depo, Toumpa, Harilaou, etc. However, these are far from the center on foot and lack the distinctive “student feel” of areas near the university. Also, traffic can be very bad at certain times of the day to the university.

In general, both the city center and the areas to the east are very safe throughout the day.

Lastly, there are the areas west of the city center like Stavroupoli, Evosmos, etc. where rental prices are lower but these areas are not favored by students. They are very densely populated and traffic is also a problem, plus many students (and especially their parents) don’t choose these areas because they have a reputation for higher crime rates.

3. Accommodation prices

Rental prices range from 200 euros per month for an independent studio in Evosmos to 650 euros per month for a 2-bedroom apartment in the city center. Community fees can also range from 15 euros for a studio without central heating to 80 euros per month for an apartment with central heating. Of course, rental prices may fluctuate depending on the state of the flat/studio.

On average, a student will pay about 350 euros for an unfurnished studio near the university plus 30 euros per month for community fees. Do not forget to add to this the monthly cost of electricity, water, heating, telephone/internet, etc.

ALL INCLUSIVE prices for organized student studios that offer all kinds of amenities and include bills for electricity, water, heating, hot water, internet, laundry, gym, etc. It can range from 390 to 460 euros per month for a furnished studio near the university. For the average student who wants to have the privacy of their own place, but also live the student life, this is the cheapest option that also saves you the hassle and stress of dealing with the Greek public sector. One last advantage is that you can plan your budget in advance, since you know how much your life will cost, so there will be no surprises at the end of the month…

4. Legal issues

To rent a private property, you must know the following:

If you are an EU citizen, you will need to obtain a Tax Registration Number (ΑΦΜ) from your local tax office. This is an easy process that takes 5 minutes and only requires your passport. If you are not a EU citizen, you must first obtain a residence permit and then obtain the previous Tax Registration Number. This is absolutely necessary to legally rent a property in Greece.

If you stay in a hotel, you should know that you cannot stay more than 3 months.

If you rent a property, you have to sign a lease.

Do not agree to stay in rented rooms without signing a lease, as this could cause problems for you. You should know that it is illegal to stay anywhere without a lease, unless it is a hotel.

Always insist that the landlord return a copy of the lease “stamped” by the tax office. It is not uncommon for landlords to rent properties without a lease or without an official “stamped” lease; this is illegal. Don’t put yourself in a position where you could get into trouble. Always demand to sign a formal lease.