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Housing in Lisbon

Moving to a new country to start a year abroad is an amazing experience! However, we are also aware of how tricky finding accomodation in Lisbon can be sometimes. So we decided to gather here some information that might help you find your new home in our city!

Types of Accomodation

There are three major types of accomodation that you can find in Lisbon:

  • University Dorms
  • Private Residences
  • Shared Apartments

University Dorms

Some universities have their own dormitories for students, such as Universidade de Lisboa, Universidade Nova de Lisboa or ISCTE. Check with your host university to see if they offer rooms and their conditions.

Private Residences

There are a few private residences around town, as well as full appartments or buildings rented out exclusively for students. You can check, for instance, Cooliving or Livensa Living to find a place while taking advantage of the discounts offered by our ESNcard.

Shared Apartments

In addition to this, you can also find a room by renting, either via an agency (for instance, Inlife or Spotahome) or by checking on different portals (Idealista, OLX or Facebook Housing groups).
By the end of each semester, a lot of students also leave their previous room and the landlord might be looking for a new renter. It's not uncommon to find people advertising their rooms on our ESN groups so you can also check them to see if you can find something: ESN Housing Group or ESN General Group.

Tips for Accomodation

  • The normal price range for a room in the city center should go from 350€ to 450€, for a mid-sized room with a window. If somebody is asking you much more than that for a room in not a good condition, far away from the center, think about it twice before taking it. T0's are always over 600€ and T1's over 700€.
  • Don't send large amounts of money to an unverified source. Gather as much information about the owner as you can, or use verified portals like Spotahome to avoid any problems. Ask for pictures of the house, information on flatmates, and check the address on Google Maps.
  • Ask your owner for a contract or some written document as proof of the housing arrangement. Sometimes they won't provide one, but it does not hurt to ask. In a similar way, it is better if you make payments by bank, rather than by hand, to keep some track.
  • Facebook groups can be a good resource to find a house, because some other flatmates may be posting the ad on behalf of the owner, so you will have some feedback on the house. However, be careful, and don't just take a stranger's word unless they give you the actual contact with the owner.
  • We know you may feel a bit in a rush if you are house hunting in Lisbon months like August or January. Even if you want to save as much money as possible, it is probably better to use a verified portal and pay the service fee than risking being tricked if you feel that something is not completely right about a house offer.
  • Alternatively, you can also come earlier and check in a hostel for a few days to house hunt in person.
  • It is still relatively common for owners to rent their apartments without contract. This is illegal, so it is up to you to decide if you accept this type of arrangement or not.
  • It is also illegal, according to Portuguese law, to rent out rooms without windows.

What to ask for?


  • Contract

    A contract makes the renting arrangement legal and you will have some protection if some issue comes up


  • Windows

    It is very illegal to rent rooms without windows, so try to avoid this kind of rooms


  • What is included?

    Get a clear picture of what is included in the price (expenses, cleaning services, shared spaces)


  • Number of bathrooms

    Consider the number of bathrooms/room ratio.


  • Location

    The location of the apartment also has some influence in its price. Living further away from the center might not be a bad choice, but check out the transports and especially the night lines


  • Heating

    Lisbon has a priviledged weather, but houses often lack heating of any type. Check (especially for autumn/winter semester) to know if you should buy a portable heater, an extra blanket, or put some extra sweater in your suitcase.


  • Number of flatmates

    The bigger the apartment the more noisy it can be, however this should be compensated in the price. Compare the price/flatmates/quality ratio before making a decision.


  • Friends

    Some landlords are quite strict in letting you bring visitors to your house. So check this beforehand in case you are planing to have visits during the semester.

Pay Attention!

  • Always check the honesty of the homeowners: for example, check that, upon your arrival, everything is in working order, that any repairs are at the owner's expense, that he gives you the bills in order to pay for actual consumption, etc.
  • Do not trust prices that are too low, because they will almost always be accompanied by some problems.
  • Usually, owners ask for a 1 or 2 month rent deposit that will be returned by the end of the contract if everything is in order (so if something was already broken when you arrived, be sure to have some proof of it).
  • Some scammers design fake contracts and give fake ids, so try to find out if the property is actually theirs and available to rent during the contract period and if possible ask someone to visit the property beforehand.
  • Never sign a contract if you don't fully understand what it's stated there. The contract might be in Portuguese, so ask the landlord if they can translate it to you or reach out to us at housing@esnlisboa.org, in our Whatsapp groups or ask some portuguese-speaking friend to help you with it.