The surge in rental prices has forced many students like her to live farther from campus and endure cramped conditions to ease the financial burden on their families.

Surveys in major university areas such as the old Cau Giay, Thanh Xuan, and Hai Ba Trung districts show that rent now averages around VND2 million per person per month, excluding other expenses. 

If counting parking, Wi-Fi, and cleaning fees, students living in mid-range rooms typically spend VND3–4 million per month. This financial pressure has pushed many to find ways to cope - moving to cheaper, more distant areas, sharing rooms, or taking part-time jobs such as café servers, tutors, or online sellers.

Moving farther, sharing rooms, and working part-time 

Luong Phuong Anh, 20, from Ninh Binh, a third-year student at the Academy of Journalism and Communication, said she used to rent a room near campus for convenience. 

Her former 20-sqm fifth-floor room in My Dinh cost over VND4 million per month at first. After several price increases, by early this year, including utilities and service fees, the total rent had risen to more than VND6 million per month.

Sharing the room with her sister, Phuong Anh said rent alone took up nearly 70 percent of their total monthly spending. In August, the sisters decided to move to Thanh Xuan area, about 6 km from their school.

Their new room costs VND3 million per month, almost half the old rent. In exchange, they now have to wake up nearly an hour earlier to commute, as traffic jams are frequent during rush hours. 

The room, just 15 sqm, has no windows or kitchen area, and every corner is used for storage. The furniture is old, and the decades-old air conditioner consumes a lot of power; each kilowatt-hour costs VND4,500 so the sisters rarely turn it on, even on hot days.

Like Phuong Anh, many students from other provinces studying in big cities such as Hanoi or HCMC are struggling with high rental costs while living expenses and tuition fees continue to rise.

Unwilling to move farther away due to fears of traffic congestion and higher fuel costs, Do Bich Ngoc, a student at the University of Economics - Technology for Industries, decided to take a part-time job after her rent increased from VND3.5 million to VND4 million per month in September.

Her current 25 sqm Bach Mai room houses two. Beyond rent, monthly costs include VND4,000/kWh electricity, VND30,000/m³ water, VND50,000 Wi-Fi, plus food, transport, and study materials, totaling VND4.5-5 million.

Her parents, who work as small traders in Cao Bang, have unstable incomes and still need to support a younger sibling in school. To avoid burdening them, Ngoc works at a café part time from 3 pm to 10 pm, earning just over VND2 million per month, barely enough to cover rent.

However, after two months of juggling work and study, she often feels exhausted and anxious about the financial independence she’ll need after graduation.

Le Kim Loan, 21, from Phu Tho, who rents a 15-sqm room for VND3.6 million per month in Tuong Mai, has chosen to share it with two friends to cut costs.

“Even so, my total monthly expenses are around VND5–6 million, with nearly VND3 million going to rent and utilities. I don’t want to burden my parents, but my part-time job only pays VND2 million, which isn’t enough, so I still have to call home for help,” Loan said.

Do Duc Long, MA, a lecturer in Sociology and Development at the Academy of Journalism and Communication, confirmed that student rental prices are fluctuating sharply. In areas near universities and junior colleges, rents have increased by 20-

40 percent in just a few months, while living conditions have not improved. 

Many students have no choice but to share rooms, live farther from school, or endure poor housing conditions to save money, which affects their health, morale, and study performance.

Long suggested that universities and local authorities should coordinate to ensure stable and affordable housing for students. He proposed that schools build or expand standard dormitories with reasonable rent, good security, and basic living facilities. Meanwhile, local authorities could allocate land and encourage private investment in quality housing projects designed specifically for students.

Phuong Anh