Student residences and shared flats are two favourite accommodation options for university students.

On the one hand, student residences are designed to accommodate students and provide them with all the comforts they need to enjoy their university life. And on the other, shared flats imply a room for each student and the distribution of the living room, dining room and kitchen areas shared equally.

Each one has its particular advantages and characteristics that make students choose one or the other. If you still have not been able to decide which one best suits your needs, here are some of the main differences:

Type of accommodation

The main difference between these two accommodations is their nature. As we mentioned, student residences are designed to accommodate students, so all their spaces and services are conceived to meet their needs.

There, students choose whether they want to live alone or with someone. They also have a private bathroom, study desk and chair, individual mini fridge and other amenities such as a kitchen equipped with a microwave and oven.

On the other hand, when sharing a flat, each student has their own room or shares it with someone, depending on the size of the space. They also have to share common areas such as the dining room, the kitchen, the living room and the bathroom.

Location

Another of the most notable differences between a student residence and a shared apartment is the location. Here’s why:

The residences have a strategic location that positions them near the main universities in the city. Thanks to this, students can walk to their faculty and get to classes within a few minutes.

In addition, residences are usually close to public transport, either in the vicinity of a metro station or a bus stop. The biggest advantage of this is that residents can move to any point in the city from there.

For their part, the flats can be found in any area of ​​the city. Some may be far from your university or public transportation services, so they are not always entirely beneficial.

Co-living

Student residences host students from different universities in the city, as well as from different cultures and even countries. All these residents cross paths daily in the common areas of the building. Therefore, they not only share with their roommates but also with all the other occupants.

For this reason, residences are said to be the best places for students to socialise with others and expand their network of friends. In fact, this is especially useful for those who are new to the city.

In shared flats, students only live with their roommates, so their network of friends is more limited.

Activities and events

In the university residences, activities and events are carried out continuously with the aim that students entertain themselves, have fun, learn new things and even acquire new skills.

These entertainment spaces also serve to make new friends, as well as to clear the mind of university stress.

In shared flats, you don’t have these types of activities. Instead, students can take the initiative to plan a get-together with their university friends or host a board game night for entertainment.

Services

Another of the most marked differences between a student residence and a shared apartment are the services that each one has.

In the student residences, students have a cleaning service and a dining room. For that reason, they should not worry about cleaning their spaces or preparing their meals.

In shared flats, each occupant must take charge of cleaning their room, as well as collaborating in cleaning the common spaces and preparing their meals on a daily basis.

In this sense, the good thing about staying in a residence is that you will not have to occupy your time in tasks that are not related to your studies.

Installations

The student residence buildings offer common areas for young people to rest, study, and have fun. Most of them have facilities such as:

• Game, living and study rooms
• Gym
• Rooftop
• Pool
• Gardens
• Cafeteria

Meanwhile, students living in shared flats often do not have this type of facilities.

Rental costs

In comparison, the cost of sharing a flat is lower than that of living in a student residence. However, it is worth mentioning that there are also fewer amenities offered in a shared flat.

There the students do not have cleaning services, dining room, common areas for entertainment or leisure activities. Therefore, by investing in a student residence, you will be investing in everything you need to lead a comfortable and distraction-free university life.