ASU Summer Housing in Tempe (2026): Sublets, Short-Term Leases, and How to Save

If you're staying in Tempe this summer, you have four real options and they range from $600 to $1,800 a month. Subletting from an ASU student who's leaving town is the cheapest path, ASU's own summer housing comes second if you applied early, short-term furnished leases sit in the middle, and extended stay hotels are the priciest fallback. The catch: most of the affordable inventory is gone by mid-May, so the timing of your search matters more than the option you pick.

TL;DR — Summer Housing Costs Near ASU Tempe (2026)

• Sublets from departing students: $600–$900 a month for a private bedroom. Cheapest, but the listings move fast in March and April.
• ASU University Housing summer contracts: $800–$1,100 (double) or $1,000–$1,300 (single). Apply by mid-March.
• Short-term furnished apartments along Apache Boulevard, Rural Road, and University Drive: $900–$1,300 for a one-bedroom.
• Extended stay hotels near I-10 and US-60: $1,200–$1,800. No credit check, no commitment, no chill on the price.
• Find My Place lists summer sublets and lease transfers near Arizona State as students post them through spring.

1. Subletting From a Departing ASU Student (The Best Deal If You Move Fast)

Thousands of ASU students leave Tempe for the summer with leases that legally run through July or August. They can't terminate, and they don't want to eat three months of rent on an empty unit. That's your opening.

Summer sublets near campus run $600 to $900 a month for a private bedroom. Shared bedrooms drop to $450–$650. The pricing isn't generous because the original tenant is generous — it's because they need someone in the room more than they need top dollar.

Most of these sublets show up furnished. Students leaving for the summer don't haul their bed, couch, and kitchen stuff back home, so you walk into a fully equipped apartment without buying any of it. That alone is worth $500–$1,000 versus furnishing a bare unit.

The hard part is timing. The widest selection is up between mid-March and mid-April. By the first week of May, anything affordable and walkable is already gone — what's left is either far from campus or weirdly priced. Find My Place lists summer sublets near ASU as students post them, so checking weekly through spring beats waiting until finals end.

2. ASU University Housing (Limited but Convenient)

Arizona State University runs summer contracts in select residence halls for enrolled students. Availability is a fraction of what it is during the academic year — most halls close, and the ones that stay open fill up.

Summer contracts typically run eight to ten weeks aligned with Session A or Session B. Doubles run $800–$1,100 a month. Singles in university facilities run $1,000–$1,300. Some contracts include optional meal plans rather than mandatory ones, which is a real savings versus the academic year.

Applications open in late February or early March. Popular halls are full within two weeks. If university housing is your preferred route, treat the open date like a deadline and submit as early as you can — late March is often too late for the better halls.

3. Short-Term Furnished Apartment Leases (The Middle Ground)

Several Tempe communities along Apache Boulevard, Rural Road, and University Drive offer summer-specific three-month furnished leases. They're built for ASU students who didn't sublet, plus the wave of summer interns at companies in the Phoenix area.

One-bedrooms run $900–$1,300 a month. Two-bedrooms run $1,200–$1,600. That's higher than a sublet, but lower than a hotel — and you get a real lease, a real address, and a real refrigerator.

Watch the utility line carefully before signing. Some short-term leases bundle electric, which matters more than it sounds: a Tempe one-bedroom with a 78-degree thermostat in July can run $150–$220 a month in electric alone. If utilities aren't bundled, ask the leasing office for the average summer electric bill on that floorplan before you commit.

Distance to campus and proximity to the Valley Metro light rail line affects pricing more than square footage does. A unit two blocks from a light rail stop and ten minutes to ASU's Tempe campus rents at a premium versus a similar floorplan a mile farther out.

4. Extended Stay Hotels (Most Expensive, Most Flexible)

Extended stay hotels offer weekly and monthly rates without a lease. No credit check. No income verification. No co-signer required. You pay, you stay, you leave when you want.

Monthly rates near Tempe run $1,200–$1,800 — the most expensive category by a comfortable margin. The premium pays for flexibility and zero commitment risk. If your summer plans are uncertain — waiting on a research assistantship to confirm, between internships, or unsure how long you'll be in town — the math sometimes works in favor of paying more for the option to leave.

Tempe extended stay properties cluster near I-10 and US-60. Some are accessible by light rail, but you'll need to factor in commute time. Proximity to ASU's Tempe campus varies more in this category than in the others, so check a map before booking.

5. Staying Put in Your Current Apartment (Often the Cheapest of All)

If you already have a Tempe lease that runs through the summer, staying put is almost always cheaper than the alternatives. You're paying that rent regardless. Adding a second housing cost on top of it makes a summer internship or research role significantly more expensive than it needs to be.

Going the other way — leaving for the summer and subletting your unit — can effectively wipe out your housing costs while you're gone. Your subtenant covers your rent. You pay for housing wherever you are. Both sides come out ahead.

If you want to stay or sublet, talk to your landlord before April. Some Tempe landlords have specific rules about summer subletting (occupancy limits, approval requirements, security deposit handling). Getting clarity in March beats discovering the rules in May.

Side-by-Side Cost Comparison

Monthly costs for a private bedroom near ASU's Tempe campus, ranked cheapest to priciest:

• Sublet from a departing student: $600–$900. Cheapest. Limited inventory after April.
• Stay in current apartment + sublet your old room: net cost varies, often the lowest if math works.
• ASU University Housing summer contract: $800–$1,100. Convenient. Enrolled students only, with early application.
• Short-term furnished apartment lease: $900–$1,300. More options, mid-tier price.
• Extended stay hotel: $1,200–$1,800. Most expensive, most flexible.

The Search Timeline That Actually Works

Mid-February through mid-April is the prime search window for summer housing in Tempe. Before mid-February, summer listings are sparse. After May 1, the affordable inventory is largely gone.

Summer internship confirmations arrive in February and March for ASU students in business, engineering, and science programs. The right move is to start the housing search the week the internship is confirmed, not after — which is the most common timing mistake we see.

Summer Session A at Arizona State begins in late May. Students in accelerated programs need housing locked in at least four to six weeks before the session start, which puts the ideal commitment date around mid-April for Session A and mid-May for Session B.

Find My Place updates summer housing listings near ASU throughout the spring as students post sublets, transfers, and short-term openings in Tempe. Checking the listings weekly between mid-March and late April is the simplest way to spot a deal before it disappears.

Frequently Asked Questions About ASU Summer Housing

Is summer housing in Tempe cheaper than the academic year?

For sublets, yes — usually 20%–35% cheaper than the same unit during fall or spring. For university housing and short-term furnished leases, summer pricing is similar or slightly higher month-over-month. Hotels are always priciest. The savings come from the sublet market specifically.

Can I sublet to a non-ASU student?

Most leases allow it, but you need written landlord approval before the subtenant moves in. Skipping that step puts you in violation of your lease and on the hook for damages. Get it in writing every time.

Do I need a co-signer for a summer-only lease?

For sublets and short-term leases, often no — the original lease holder already cleared underwriting. For ASU University Housing summer contracts, your existing housing application carries over. For extended stay hotels, no co-signer at all. The lift is lighter than a fall lease almost everywhere.

What about utilities during a Tempe summer?

Tempe summers are brutal. Plan on $150–$220 a month in electric for a one-bedroom running AC at 78 degrees in June and July. Bundled-utility leases or sublets where utilities are included can save real money during these months.

When is the absolute latest I can find a summer sublet?

The first week of May is the practical cutoff. After that, the affordable, walkable inventory is gone, and what's left is either remote, weirdly expensive, or both. If you're searching in mid-May, focus on extended stay hotels or short-term leases — sublets are mostly off the board.