Student Accommodation in London: Costs and Options Compared
Homestay, halls, or private rental — how to choose
Search for student accommodation in London and you’ll find prices from £180 to £500+ a week. Those numbers tell you very little on their own. A halls room at £300 a week with bills and no food is a different product from a homestay at £245 with dinner every night, and both are different again from a £227 house-share room where you buy everything yourself.
This page compares the four main options like for like: what you pay, what’s actually included, and who each one suits.
The comparison at a glance
| Option | Typical weekly cost (2026) | Bills | Meals | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University halls | £190–£400+ | Included | Usually self-catered | 39–51 weeks |
| Private halls (Unite, Urbanest, Chapter…) | £300–£470+ | Included | Self-catered | Usually 44–51 weeks |
| Private house share | £210–£265 (Zones 2–4) | Often extra | Self-catered | 6–12 months + deposit |
| Homestay | £205–£325 | Included | B&B or half board included | From 4 weeks, no year commitment |
The like-for-like rule: for any self-catered option, add £100–£130 a week for food and (in house shares) bills before comparing it with a homestay or catered option. A “£230/week” room rarely costs £230 a week to live in.
University halls
Rates vary widely by institution and room type. UCL’s 2026/27 portal lists urbanest Canary Wharf at around £340 a week for a single en-suite on a 51-week contract; first-year rooms across its full portfolio have historically ranged from about £270 to £400+. KCL’s standard rooms start around £290–£300, though its Affordable Accommodation Scheme prices roughly 20% of rooms at £155–£169. LSE self-catered rooms run from about £190 to £350+.
Halls suit first-years who want the classic university experience and everything in one building. The catch is the contract: on a £300/week room over 39 weeks you’re committing £11,700 before you’ve seen the city.
Private halls (PBSA)
Purpose-built student blocks from operators like Unite Students, Chapter and Urbanest run £300–£470+ a week in central London. You get a private studio or en-suite, a gym, study spaces and no surprise bills. They’re the most expensive mainstream option, and contracts usually run 44–51 weeks whether you stay or not.
Private house shares
London’s average room rent is £985 a month (around £227 a week) according to SpareRoom’s Q4 2025 index of 370,000+ listings. For Zones 2–4, where most students realistically look, expect £210–£265 depending on the borough — then add bills, food, a tenancy deposit and usually a 6–12 month commitment. House shares suit students staying a full year or more who want maximum independence and are comfortable dealing with landlords, contracts and flatmates.
Homestay: living with a London host family
Our 2026 rates start at £205 a week for a Standard Zone 3+ placement with bed and breakfast, rising to £325 a week for an Executive Zone 1/2 half-board placement. The price includes your room, bills, Wi-Fi, breakfast (and dinner on half board) — there’s a one-off £50 booking fee, and a £150 supplement for stays under four weeks.
Two things make homestay different in practice. First, the like-for-like cost: once you add food and bills to a “cheaper” room, a half-board homestay is usually the lowest real weekly spend of any catered living arrangement in London. Second, there’s no academic-year contract — stays run from four weeks, which suits language students, exchange students and anyone who wants to arrive, settle, and decide about long-term housing later.
It’s not for everyone. You’re living in someone’s home, with house rules and shared spaces. If you want to come and go at 3am or need a private bathroom guaranteed, a student residence or house share will suit you better — and we’ll say so.
Studying somewhere specific? Pick your school or university and see the areas we recommend, with commute times and local guides.
How to choose
- First year of a degree, want the full campus experience: university halls, applied through your university.
- Want a private studio and a gym, budget isn’t the constraint: private halls.
- Staying a year+, want full independence: house share — budget honestly for bills and food.
- Language course, exchange, internship, or your first months in London: homestay — lowest real cost, no year-long commitment, and someone who knows the city from day one.
Read next
- What is a homestay? — how it works day to day
- Homestay prices in detail — zones, meal plans and a worked example
- Which accommodation is right for me? — a quick decision guide
- Student accommodation costs in London 2026 — the full research this page draws on
Cost figures: university and private hall rates from published 2026/27 accommodation portals; house-share averages from SpareRoom’s Q4 2025 Rental Index; homestay rates are our own 2026 pricing.
In their words...
“We have been working with London Homestays since 2011. With their support, we have managed to achieve a high level of customer satisfaction. We strongly recommend London Homestays to anyone who’s looking for quality, reliability and exceptional customer service.”
Alex Fernandes, Accommodation & Visa Compliance Manager, Malvern House London
“Having worked with them since 2013, I can state that London Homestays have always taken care to match our students with suitable host families. They have a very friendly yet professional approach to their work. Our students have enjoyed staying at their homestays. Overall, students say that their host families are attentive and welcoming.”
Carl Roberton, Principal, Stafford House School of English
“We at Burlington School have worked with London Homestays since 2014, and I professionally know the team since 2009 when I worked for another company in the education and accommodation industry. Having had the opportunity to work with London Homestays since the company started operations in London, all of the enquiries have been dealt with in a dedicated and timely manner, the team members are customer-oriented and always provide an exceptional accommodation experience to our students. I have no hesitation to recommend London Homestays as excellent accommodation providers and business partners.”
Eliane Tomasi, Accommodation & Welfare Officer, Burlington School
“Cooperation with London Homestays is always great! We highly appreciate proactive approach and effort to ensure the best possible services for our groups. We always had a great clean accommodation, friendly family and smart local organisers. Students of our groups were satisfied and they enjoyed staying in London very much. We would like to recommend this agency. The whole team is very kind.”
Miroslava Foltýnová, Owner, CK Bus Tours.
“We offer internships in London to European students and looked for a reliable partner to provide accommodation to our candidates. We have been very happy with the services provided by London Homestays, as have our candidates, as they have always received quickly information on families, the possibility to book a room in a short delay and also a good quality of families. I would recommend without any doubt this agency. The team is very professional, efficient and friendly :). We hope to send new trainees soon!”
Stéphanie Frassanito, Program Manager, Work Overseas
“Our school from the Czech Republic has had great experiences with London Homestays. The host families were generally welcoming, kind, and accommodating. The service provided by the coordinator Kate O’Connor and other admin staff is second to none.”
Kate Powers, Vice Principal for English Studies, Sunny Canadian International School
It was an amazing experience, I’ve found a new home where I feel as comfortable as I do in my own home!
Laura, student from France: Homestay booking in Zone 2
“When my children went off to university and got married, my husband and I were empty nesters rattling around. We have an empty bedroom and I quite enjoy keeping it fresh for new students who come to stay with us both short and long term. Invariably, they show us a lot of respect. Coming to London to study or to work as interns is a big adventure for them and I enjoy settling them in and seeing them flourish. Some return or recommend to their friends to come and stay with us. London Homestays are a great organisation to deal with – good at communicating and highly ethical.”
Cathy, Homestay host in Colindale, London
“My first student has just left to return home and I have thoroughly enjoyed hosting her. It has been a lovely experience for me to help her with her English and learn about her Japanese culture.
I was nervous and apprehensive at first but it was so worthwhile and I look forward to continue hosting in the future. It has given me a boost knowing that I can give someone an opportunity that they may not have been able to afford without using London Homestays”
Audrey, Homestay host in Tooting, London
My homestay host Debra transformed my stay into the most amazing experience of my whole life!
Florian, student from Belgium: Homestay booking in Zone 3-
“London Homestays has been an excellent accommodation partner for our students. The team is always helpful, responsive and highly professional. They consistently match students with the right hosts based on individual requirements, ensuring a positive and comfortable homestay experience.”
Ellie Fordham, Student Services Manager, Stafford House 
My homestay host is a lovely lady, she was very helpful and genuine. London Homestays offer an excellent, fast service and quality accommodation. I would definitely recommend to my friends!
Shelaine, student from Canada: Homestay booking in Zone 2
Daphne was a really nice and welcoming host, I really enjoyed my stay with her and her family. Thank you London Homestays for connecting me with her!
Ben, researcher from USA: Superior homestay booking
My stay with my host family makes my time at UK much more fun and exciting! Life is happening!
Bao, student from China: Homestay booking in Zone 4+
“Really, we are very happy with our room at the residence. James in the residences team has helped us with all aspects of our booking and we would like to say, big thank you from the bottom of our hearts!”
Dmitriy and Maria, two students from Russia: Residence booking
“I felt completely at ease and very comfortable with my host! She was really kind…many thanks!”
Doris, student from Italy: Superior homestay in Zone 2
“Shanghai Chelsea International Consulting (SCIC) has worked with Home from Home many times and they have provided a very professional service.”
Chan Sen, Director at Shanghai Chelsea International Consulting
“I highly recommend London Homestays! We have been working with them for a while now, and their professionalism and the quality of their homestays have always been exceptional. One of the homestays we collaborated with was so impressive that we even shared it on our YouTube channel to give our students a glimpse of the warm and welcoming environment they can expect. Thank you, London Homestays, for providing such amazing services. We look forward to continuing our partnership!”
Tuba Akca, Owner at Tubik Academy
The London Homestays portal is amazing. You can manage availability, update photos, and see when you’ve been paid — something I’m always chasing the other agencies. Can’t recommend it highly enough!
Sharon, host in Finchley“I have been a host for London Homestays for over 8 years. The team is professional, friendly and always quick to respond. They do a great job matching students with hosts and making the whole process smooth and straightforward. The students I’ve hosted have been respectful and lovely to have in my home. I would happily recommend London Homestays to anyone considering becoming a host.”
Sarah-Jayne, Walthamstow — host since 2018
“London Homestays are very pleasant and put you at ease.”
Pat & Clyde, hosts in Tooting, London“The team — especially James and Ellie — were incredibly responsive, patient and kind. They answered all my questions and checked with hosts about everything from commute times to where I’d store my bicycle. They even sent a Chinese translation of their first email. I felt truly welcomed.”
Ruoxi, student from China
