Student accommodation options: Living alone or with others

As a student, you will have plenty of housing options available – however, whether you choose to live alone or with others may affect your options. For those looking to live alone, studio flats or one-bed apartments can be a fantastic and often affordable option; however, you may be unlikely to be able to afford to live in a house alone. If you wish to live with other students, you will have to opt for a shared house, or a shared flat; also, the number of housemates you have may limit your housing options.

Here, we take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of living alone versus living with others in shared accommodation. The pros and cons can be both personal and financial, meaning you should really take everything into consideration before making an accommodation decision.

Advantages of living alone

When living alone, you can enjoy a lot more personal space. If you enjoy your privacy, a one-bed flat or a studio apartment could be a really good option for you. You may also want to choose to live alone if you expect to be spending a lot of your time studying and you need to be free of distraction at home. Living alone also means no compromises on location, amenities, or budget.

Disadvantages of living alone

Living alone can be more isolating for students and it can be harder to build social connections; many students build long-term friendships from living with others in shared housing. That being said, there are always opportunities for students to socialise at university with people from their course or from societies. Depending on the size of the property, you may also find that the rent and bills could be higher than if you were sharing.

Advantages of shared accommodation

In shared accommodation, you can enjoy a more sociable atmosphere, which can make it easier to form strong friendships. You will also find that this option is usually more affordable, and that you can enjoy more living space – although you will have to share it.

Disadvantages of shared accommodation

When living in shared accommodation, you will have your own bedroom, but you may have a shared bathroom and you will be sharing a kitchen and any communal areas. Additionally, you can’t always choose who you live with (especially as a first year), so there is no guarantee that you will get on with your housemates. Even if you are seeking to share with an existing friend or friendship group, you may need to compromise on your accommodation expectations to suit a range of preferences and needs.

Whether you wish to live alone or with others, you will have plenty of options. Your accommodation decision may depend on a few factors including your budget, your level of study and the amount you anticipate socialising or studying at home.

Living alone

Choosing to live alone really comes down to one main component – being comfortable with living away from other students while you attend university. You may also want to look at your priorities – if you want to focus on your studies, or you like studying at home, you may want to choose solo living to avoid distractions. You may also want to choose solo living if you haven’t yet found a group of friends that you would be comfortable sharing a flat/house with. Beyond that, if you have a reasonable budget, you may be able to afford a 1-bed flat and if not, a studio flat would probably be the best option for you.

Living with others

Living with housemates is ideal for more sociable students looking to make new friends, or if you already have a friend/group that you could move in with. Most students will choose to share accommodation since sharing a communal space is what they’re familiar with at home. Sharing accommodation also gives you a broader range of properties to choose from, including a student house a shared apartment or a studio for two. Living with other students is also ideal for a typical student budget as you will usually spend less on rent and bills because you will be sharing the living cost.

Whether you wish to live alone or with others in shared accommodation, Mansion Student could be the perfect option for you. We have private rented accommodation available near campus and in the heart of a range of major university cities in the UK, catering to undergraduate, postgraduate, and international students.

If you are looking to live alone, our one-bedroom apartments and studio flats are affordable, with excellent amenities including high-speed Wi-Fi, security features, study spaces and spaces for socialising. These single-occupancy apartments have everything you need, while still allowing you to be part of a wider network of students.

If you’re seeking shared living, then we also offer lots of options. Our Woodhouse Flats in Leeds offer ensuite accommodation with shared living areas. Alternatively, multi-occupancy flats gives generous living space, ideal for sharing with friends or with new people. With bills included in your rent payments, you can manage your finances more easily, even if you choose to share.

At Mansion Student, our purpose-built student accommodation has high-quality amenities such as cinema rooms, broadband, security features and social spaces. Even if you wish to live alone, you can still enjoy meeting people and making connections at your own pace. We also have dedicated study areas perfect for peaceful co-working, allowing you to focus on your studies while also spending time with other students.