Escalating housing prices, Ho Chi Minh City students turn to renting mini apartments

For the new school year, student accommodation prices in Ho Chi Minh City have increased across the board, with many places approaching the price of mini apartments. Instead of struggling to make ends meet, a number of students have chosen to rent apartments to share, both saving money and ensuring convenience.

Students hope to find clean, tidy boarding houses at reasonable prices.

"Fake" introduction, high rental price

At the beginning of the new school year, the demand for renting accommodation around universities in Ho Chi Minh City has increased sharply, causing room prices to skyrocket. Surveys on online rental platforms and student groups show that in Thu Duc, a 20-25 m² room currently costs from 3-3.8 million VND/month. In central districts such as Binh Thanh and Go Vap, the price is even higher, ranging from 4-4.5 million VND/month. Even rooms of about 50 m² are up to 5-6 million VND/month, almost equivalent to the rental price of a studio apartment in a mini apartment building or serviced apartment.

Not only is it expensive, the quality of the rooms also disappoints many students. Nguyen Thanh Luan, a first-year student at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City National University, said: “I started looking for a place to stay right before the first day of school. When I went to see the room, it was completely different from the photo, small, damp, and old. It took me a long time to find a decent place to stay.”

In fact, many students have reported that the advertisements for the rooms are “inflated”, with photos taken with wide-angle lenses, edited to be shiny, and even using AI tools to make the rooms look more spacious and cleaner. When they arrived, many places had moldy walls, water-stained ceilings, and even “windows” that opened onto brick walls. Many landlords even urged students to sign contracts and deposit 1.5 - 2 months for rooms that were already run down.

A room for rent advertised on social media. Screenshot

Luong Thai Phong, a third-year student at the University of Economics and Finance in Ho Chi Minh City, said: “I have looked at many rooms. Some are cramped, some are run-down, but the prices are too high. If I rent privately, the cost will be beyond my means, forcing me to find a roommate.”

Not only new students, but also students who have rented for a long time are under pressure to increase prices. Tong Thi Bao Yen, a fourth-year student at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, shared: "Last year, my room was rented for 4 million VND, this year the owner increased it to 4.5 million VND because the cost of electricity, water, and services have all increased. Because I need a stable place to live in my final year, I had to accept it."

Faced with that pressure, many student groups have begun to turn to renting mini apartments or serviced apartments to share accommodation. Nguyen Viet Am, a student at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Ho Chi Minh City, said: “My friends and I rent a 25 m² studio apartment for 18 million/month, divided among 6 people, each person only pays about 2 million. Living in an apartment is clean, secure, airy, and the management board provides more professional support than a regular rental.”

Connect to support new students

While many students are struggling with the problem of accommodation, universities and social organizations have quickly stepped in to reduce the pressure. A representative of the Ho Chi Minh City National University Dormitory Center said that this school year, the unit has arranged more than 12,000 accommodations, with many types of rooms from 2 to 8 people, meeting diverse needs.

In addition, schools such as Saigon University, Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technical Education, etc. also coordinate with landlords and apartment owners to introduce suitable addresses for students.

Mr. Le Xuan Dung, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Student Support Center, informed that at the beginning of the school year, the Center received more than 2,500 accommodations from 800 addresses, and connected a system of 15 dormitories belonging to universities and colleges. The average price is 2.5 - 4 million VND/room/month for 2 - 3 people, depending on the area and facilities.

Universities in Ho Chi Minh City have departments to support students at the beginning of the school year.

According to Mr. Le Xuan Dung, not only that, the Center also deployed an online system to support students in finding accommodation through the website sac.vn/nha-tro, the application app.sac.vn/nhatro and the specialized page sukien.sac.vn/vlnt. Here, landlords and students can post their rental needs or search for accommodation according to desired criteria, minimizing the risk of false information.

At the same time, many universities such as Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technical Education, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport... have maintained teams of student volunteers. Their task is to survey and advise on safe and reputable accommodation for new students at the beginning of the school year.

The price of boarding houses is close to mini apartments so it is chosen by many students.

These efforts have helped students to some extent to reduce their difficulties, but the reality is that supply and demand are still not balanced. The number of affordable boarding houses and apartments is limited and mainly concentrated far from the city center, while students prioritize accommodation that is convenient for studying and living.

According to real estate experts, without a long-term solution, the shortage of affordable housing will continue to put pressure on and affect students' psychology and quality of study.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/van-de-quan-tam/gia-nha-tro-leo-thang-sinh-vien-tp-ho-chi-minh-chuyen-huong-thue-can-ho-mini-20250919142730881.htm