What CSU Students Pay to Rent in Fort Collins (2026)

Off-campus rent near Colorado State University runs about $690 to $1,110 per person a month for a bedroom in a shared student apartment, based on the Fort Collins listings on Find My Place in October 2026. Solo, you're looking at roughly $1,650 to $1,700 for a one-bedroom at the student buildings closest to campus. The cheapest path for most CSU students is a four- or five-bedroom plan priced by the bed, which pulls the per-person number well below the cost of living alone. Where you live — Campus West versus Old Town — moves the price more than almost anything else, and the CSU off-campus housing page lists 56 places to compare.

Key Takeaways

• Shared off-campus rent near CSU lands around $690–$1,110 per person, depending on the building and how many roommates you have.
• $689 a month is the cheapest bed we found: a four-bedroom plan at State Fort Collins on Choice Center Drive, 0.8 miles from campus.
• Living on campus isn't automatically cheaper — CSU budgets $8,584 for a double room over the nine-month year, while off-campus leases are almost always a full 12 months.
• Campus West (right by CSU) trades a bit of polish for walkability; Old Town costs more and puts you in the middle of the nightlife.
• Budget beyond rent: none of these Fort Collins listings has posted its monthly fees yet, and a 12-month lease adds three months the dorm calendar doesn't charge.

The Real Per-Person Numbers

Most CSU student buildings price by the bedroom, so the listed rent is what one person pays. You can tell from the curve: at State Fort Collins, a bed in a four-bedroom starts at $689, a two-bedroom at $969, and a one-bedroom at $1,654. Rent only falls as bedrooms rise when each price is per person.

Here's what one bed costs at the main student buildings on the off-campus housing near CSU page right now:

• State Fort Collins, 1721 Choice Center Dr (0.8 mi): $689 to $754 in a four-bedroom, $749 to $844 in a three.
• The Cottages of Fort Collins on Gold Drive (2.0 mi) starts private rooms at $699 in a five-bedroom.
• The District at Campus West, 1308 W Plum St (0.7 mi): four-bedroom rooms from $749.
• Out on Lupine Drive (2.2 mi), The Outpost Fort Collins lists five-bedroom rooms at $779 to $799.
• The Social at Stadium Walk, 914 W Lake St, is the closest of these at 0.5 miles, and it shows: $1,110 for a room in a two-bedroom.

A one-bedroom to yourself is the expensive option: about $1,650 to $1,700 a month at State Fort Collins and The Social at Stadium Walk, all on you. Great for privacy, rough on a student budget.

On-Campus vs. Off-Campus: The Calendar Trap

Students assume off-campus is automatically cheaper. It often is per month, but the calendar is where people get burned. CSU's 2026-27 cost of attendance budgets $8,584 for on-campus housing (a double room) across the nine-month academic year — about $954 a month. A standard off-campus lease runs twelve. That's three extra months of rent you're covering, summer included, whether or not you stay in Fort Collins.

Run the full-year comparison, not the monthly one. A $689 bed at State Fort Collins comes to $8,268 over 12 months, just under the dorm figure. A $749 room at The District is $8,988, just over it. Some students sublet over summer to close that gap, which is worth planning for before you sign.

Where You Live Changes the Price

Fort Collins isn't one market — it's a few, and the gap between them is real.

Campus West sits right against CSU along Elizabeth Street. It's the classic student zone: walkable to class, older housing stock, and generally the most affordable rents close to campus. If shaving your commute to a five-minute walk matters, this is where the value is.

Old Town is Fort Collins' walkable historic core — breweries, restaurants, the vibe everyone posts about. You pay for it. Rents here run higher, and you're trading a longer commute (or a MAX bus ride) for being in the middle of everything.

Farther out, toward the north and east edges of town, you'll find newer cottage-style complexes like The Cottages and The Outpost with lower per-bed rents — but at two-plus miles out, you'll want a Transfort bus or a bike to get to campus reliably.

Costs Beyond the Rent Check

The monthly number isn't the whole picture. Fort Collins off-campus living usually adds utility startup and deposits, an application fee per person, and furniture if the place comes empty. Every property named above shows base rent only and says it hasn't posted its monthly fees yet, so ask what electricity, internet and heat will add (winter heating climbs here) before you compare buildings.

Leasing season for CSU housing kicks off early. Fort Collins landlords list for fall between January and March, and the best-located, best-priced units near campus are taken by late winter, so starting your search in late fall or early winter for the following year is normal here. When you're comparing options, Find My Place's Fort Collins listings show per-bedroom pricing, so you can see the actual per-person cost instead of guessing from a whole-unit price.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fort Collins Rent for CSU Students

How much is rent near Colorado State University?

Shared, expect about $690 to $1,110 per person a month, based on Find My Place listings in October 2026. A one-bedroom of your own at the student buildings near campus runs about $1,650 to $1,700. A four- or five-bedroom plan priced by the bed is how most CSU students land at the low end.

Is it cheaper to live on or off campus at CSU?

Per month, off-campus usually wins if you take a bed under about $950. Over the full year, the math tightens because CSU budgets $8,584 for nine months of on-campus housing and off-campus leases run twelve. Compare the annual totals, and factor in whether you can sublet over summer.

What's the cheapest area to live near CSU?

Campus West, the student-heavy neighborhood along Elizabeth Street, generally has the most affordable rents within walking distance of campus. Cottage-style complexes two miles out, like The Cottages ($699) and The Outpost ($779), compete on price, but you'll rely on the bus or a bike to get to class.

When should CSU students start looking for a Fort Collins lease?

Earlier than you'd think. Landlords list for fall between January and March, and the best-priced units near campus are gone by late winter. Start in late fall or early winter for the next academic year. Wait until spring and you're picking from what's left.

Are utilities included in Fort Collins student apartments?

Sometimes, but none of the buildings above says so on its listing, and none has posted its monthly fees. Ask for electricity, internet, water and heat as line items, and expect higher bills in winter when heating climbs.