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

ASU summer housing in Tempe runs $600 to $1,800 a month across four real options in 2026. Subletting from a departing ASU student is the cheapest at $600 to $900 for a private room; ASU University Housing sits next if you applied early; short-term furnished leases are the middle; and extended stay hotels are the priciest fallback. The catch is timing, not choice, because most of the affordable inventory is gone by the first week of May.

Quick Answer: Summer Housing Costs Near ASU Tempe (2026)

• Sublets from departing students: $600 to $900 a month for a private bedroom. Cheapest, but listings move fast in March and April.
• ASU University Housing summer contracts: $800 to $1,100 (double) or $1,000 to $1,300 (single). Apply by mid-March.
• Short-term furnished apartments along Apache Boulevard, Rural Road, and University Drive: $900 to $1,300 for a one-bedroom.
• Extended stay hotels near I-10 and US-60: $1,200 to $1,800. No credit check, no commitment, no break 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 (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 to $650. The pricing isn't generous because the tenant is generous, it's because they need someone in the room more than they need top dollar.

Most of these sublets come 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 to $1,000 versus furnishing a bare unit. The hard part is timing: the widest selection sits between mid-March and mid-April, and by the first week of May anything affordable and walkable is gone.

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 the academic year, since most halls close and the ones that stay open fill up. ASU's official winter and summer housing page lists which halls open and when applications go live.

Contracts typically run eight to ten weeks aligned with Session A or Session B. Doubles run $800 to $1,100 a month; singles in university facilities run $1,000 to $1,300. Some contracts include optional rather than mandatory meal plans, a real savings versus the academic year. Applications open in late February or early March, and the popular halls fill within two weeks, so treat the open date like a deadline.

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 Phoenix-area companies.

One-bedrooms run $900 to $1,300 a month; two-bedrooms run $1,200 to $1,600. Higher than a sublet, lower than a hotel, and you get a real lease and a real address. Watch the utility line: a Tempe one-bedroom with a 78-degree thermostat in July can run $150 to $220 in electric alone, so if utilities aren't bundled, ask for the average summer bill on that floorplan first. Distance to the Valley Metro light rail moves pricing more than square footage does.

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. You pay, you stay, you leave when you want.

Monthly rates near Tempe run $1,200 to $1,800, the priciest category by a comfortable margin. The premium buys flexibility and zero commitment risk, which sometimes pencils out if your plans are uncertain (waiting on an assistantship, between internships). Tempe extended stay properties cluster near I-10 and US-60; some are light-rail accessible, but check a map before booking because proximity to campus varies more here than anywhere else.

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

If you already hold a Tempe lease that runs through summer, staying put is almost always cheaper than the alternatives. You're paying that rent regardless, so a second housing cost on top makes an internship or research role 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 cost while you're gone: your subtenant covers your rent. Either way, talk to your landlord before April, since some Tempe landlords have specific rules about summer subletting (occupancy limits, approval, deposit handling). Clarity in March beats surprises in May.

Side-by-Side Cost Comparison

Option	Monthly cost (private room)	Notes
Sublet from departing student	$600 - $900	Cheapest; limited after April
Sublet your room, live elsewhere	Net often lowest	Works if the math lines up
ASU University Housing	$800 - $1,100	Enrolled students, early app
Short-term furnished 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 window for summer housing in Tempe. Before mid-February, summer listings are sparse; after May 1, the affordable inventory is largely gone.

Internship confirmations land in February and March for ASU students in business, engineering, and science. Start the search the week the internship is confirmed, not after, which is the most common timing mistake. Summer Session A begins in late May, so accelerated-program students should lock housing four to six weeks out, putting the ideal commit date around mid-April for Session A and mid-May for Session B. Checking FMP listings weekly between mid-March and late April is the simplest way to catch a deal before it disappears.

Searching in July? Here's Your Play

Landed here in July with nothing locked down? The cheap walkable sublets are mostly gone, but you're not stuck. Two moves still work. First, pivot to a lease takeover for the fall: departing students post contract transfers all summer, and July is peak posting season as leases turn over for the August move-in. Second, for the last stretch of summer itself, extended stay hotels and the short-term furnished leases along Apache and Rural still have inventory because they turn over weekly. Skip the hunt for a three-month sublet that no longer exists and put your energy where the beds actually are.

If your real goal is fall, this is honestly good timing. The fall lease-transfer market is wide open right now, and taking over someone's contract often means skipping the application fee and getting a unit that's already furnished. Check FMP's Tempe transfer listings a couple times a week through July and early August.

Frequently Asked Questions About ASU Summer Housing

Is summer housing in Tempe cheaper than the academic year?

For sublets, yes, usually 20% to 35% cheaper than the same unit during fall or spring. University housing and short-term furnished leases are similar or slightly higher month-over-month, and hotels are always priciest. The savings live in the sublet market specifically.

I'm searching in July — is it too late for a summer sublet?

For a cheap, walkable one, basically yes. By July the departing-student sublets that make this market worth it are gone. Your realistic options for the rest of the summer are extended stay hotels and short-term furnished leases, both of which keep inventory because they turn weekly. If you're actually looking toward fall, though, July is prime time for a lease takeover — pivot there.

Can I sublet to a non-ASU student?

Most leases allow it, but you need written landlord approval before the subtenant moves in. Skip that step and you're 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, since the original lease holder already cleared underwriting. ASU University Housing summer contracts carry over your existing application, and extended stay hotels need 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 to $220 a month in electric for a one-bedroom running AC at 78 degrees in June and July. Bundled-utility leases or sublets that include utilities save real money in 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 remote, oddly expensive, or both. Searching in mid-May? Focus on extended stay hotels or short-term leases.

How long are ASU summer sublets usually?

Most run the length of one summer session, roughly eight to twelve weeks, matching when the original tenant is away. Some flex to a full May-through-August stretch if the tenant's lease runs that long, so ask about exact dates before you commit.