It is possible to find cheap accommodation in Poland if you are not fussy about the quality of the flat and don’t mind sharing your personal space with other people. In addition to saving you money, shared living helps you get to know new people and is a good way of building up social contacts.
If you are looking for cheap accommodation, it is relatively easy to find a room or an apartment-to-share online, in local ads or on notice-boards. However, the easiest way of finding a place to stay is getting assistance from your Polish university.
Students have the right to live in student residences called dom studenta or, more commonly, akademik. In many cases, this is a good choice for the first time after your arrival in Poland as it is a good way to socialize and to meet new people.
Most student residences are places with a busy social life going on in the corridors. People are open, get to know each other, help each other out and throw parties regularly. All in all, dorms provide an environment which helps adapting to the new culture.
Living in a students’ dormitory is very cheap, with prices for a shared room at around 300 Zloty and 400 Zloty for your own room. Prices do vary between regions and universities.
If you do not want to live in a dorm, you can live in a shared flat with other students (stancja). This is an increasingly popular solution for many students and is not usually too expensive either.
Unlike many other countries it is sometimes difficult to find people advertising shared flats at universities. You will probably have to look for ads in local newspapers. Prices for a room vary, depending on the city, from 400 Zloty in places like Olsztyn or Torun, up to 900 PLN in Warsaw or Cracow.
Bear in mind that it is always useful to look for a room by asking friends. The more people who know that you are looking for an apartment, the better your chances of finding someone who can help you.