CU Denver Off-Campus Housing Cost: Auraria-Area Rents

CU Denver off-campus housing costs about $900 to $1,300 a month for a shared room near the Auraria campus, and $1,200 to $1,500 for your own one-bedroom downtown, based on Find My Place listings in October 2026. The closest per-bed option, CoLab Apartments on Osage Street, lists a bed in a four-bedroom at $990, 0.3 miles from campus. Go cheaper and you're trading distance: Assembly Student Living, 2 miles north, lists dorm-style doubles from $540.

Key Takeaways

• $990 a month gets you a bed in a four-bedroom at CoLab Apartments, the closest per-bed building to Auraria on Find My Place.
• Your own downtown one-bedroom? Plan on $1,213 to $1,479 at 300 East Seventeenth, Amli Art District, The Casey or Sentral.
• Many low prices on the CU Denver search are actually near the University of Denver, 4 to 5 miles south of Auraria.
• CU Denver's 2026-27 budget puts off-campus food and housing at $17,442, about $1,300 less than living on campus.
• A CoLab bed for 12 months ($11,880) costs about the same as a shared double at Lynx Crossing for two semesters ($11,998).

What CU Denver Off-Campus Housing Costs in 2026

Expect $900 to $1,300 a month for a shared room in the neighborhoods CU Denver students pick most (Capitol Hill, Baker and Five Points), per Find My Place's CU Denver off-campus housing page. Solo apartments there start around $1,200 to $1,600. Here's what specific buildings within about 2 miles of Auraria list right now, with distance from each listing's commute widget:

• CoLab Apartments, 1493 Osage St (0.3 mi): $990 for a bed in a 4x2, $1,055 to $1,120 in a 4x4, $1,245 in a 3x3.
• Sentral, 1777 Wewatta St by Union Station (0.8 mi), lists one-bedrooms from $1,479.
• 300 East Seventeenth Apartments in Uptown (1.1 mi): one-bedrooms from $1,213, the cheapest solo option this close.
• The Casey on Delgany Street (1.1 mi) and Amli Art District on Wewatta (1.4 mi) both list one-bedrooms around $1,455 to $1,475.
• Assembly Student Living, 3900 Elati St (2.0 mi): North Hall doubles from $540, singles and studios $895 to $940.
• Villas on 31st Street (2.2 mi) lists a private bedroom in a three-bedroom at $967.

How to Read Per-Bed Prices Near Auraria

CoLab is the one true per-bed student building next to campus, and its prices prove it. A bed runs $990 in a four-bedroom, $1,245 in a three, $1,370 in a two and $2,090 for a studio. Rent that falls as the bedroom count rises only works if each price covers one person.

Assembly is harder to read. It's dorm-style, and its $540 North Hall double sits next to a $895 one-bedroom and a $895 two-bedroom. We can't confirm the basis from the listing alone, so treat $540 as "lists from" and ask what one person pays for 12 months, in writing.

Everything else downtown is a conventional apartment priced by the unit. Split a $1,454 one-bedroom with a partner and you're near $730 each (if the lease allows two names).

Watch the Distance: Many "CU Denver" Listings Are Near DU

A lot of the cheaper one-bedrooms on the CU Denver search sit near the University of Denver, not Auraria. That's the single biggest trap in this market.

Plaza West on E Asbury Ave lists studios from $895, but its commute widget puts it 5.0 miles from CU Denver and 0.4 miles from DU. Mint Urban Infinity ($968 for a one-bedroom) is 4.8 miles out. Hanover Evans Station is 4.3 miles. Those can still work on the light rail, but they aren't "near campus."

Check the commute widget on every listing before you compare prices. Anything under about 2 miles is realistic to walk, bike or take one quick bus. Our guide to living in downtown Denver as a CU Denver student breaks down the closer neighborhoods.

CU Denver Off-Campus Housing Cost vs. Living on Campus

Off campus is cheaper on paper, by about $1,300 a year. CU Denver's 2026-27 cost of attendance budgets $17,442 for food and housing off campus, against $18,740 on campus.

The building-level math is closer than that. CU Denver's own 2026-27 rates run $4,438 a semester for a City Heights triple, $4,630 for a Lynx Crossing triple and $5,999 for a double in either building. Utilities, Wi-Fi and laundry are included.

So a shared double costs $11,998 for fall and spring. A CoLab 4x2 bed for 12 months is $11,880, and you'd still owe utilities. The difference: CoLab gives you your own bedroom and a summer, while Lynx Crossing gives you a roommate in the room and no utility bills.

Utilities, Fees and Getting to Auraria

None of these Denver listings posts a monthly utility figure, and every card notes fees may apply. Ask about the utility package, parking (downtown garages aren't free) and any amenity or admin fee before you apply.

Transit softens the distance problem. Auraria students can buy an RTD CollegePass through the campus that covers buses and light rail across the metro; our RTD CollegePass explainer covers how it works. Confirm this year's price with the Auraria ID Station before you count on it.

Frequently Asked Questions About CU Denver Off-Campus Housing Cost

How much is rent near CU Denver?

About $900 to $1,300 a month for a shared room and $1,200 to $1,500 for a downtown one-bedroom, based on Find My Place data in October 2026. CoLab Apartments, 0.3 miles from campus, lists beds from $990.

What's the cheapest place to live near the Auraria campus?

Assembly Student Living, with North Hall doubles listed from $540, 2 miles north on Elati Street. For a private room, Villas ($967) and CoLab ($990) are the next tier.

Is it cheaper to live off campus at CU Denver?

Slightly. CU Denver's budget puts off campus about $1,300 a year lower, but a Lynx Crossing double ($11,998 for two semesters) and a 12-month CoLab bed ($11,880) land within $120 of each other.

Does CU Denver have on-campus housing?

Yes. Lynx Crossing and City Heights both house CU Denver students, with 2026-27 rates from $4,438 to $8,320 per person per semester.

Why are some CU Denver listings so far from campus?

Many sit near the University of Denver, 4 to 5 miles south. Plaza West, for example, is 0.4 miles from DU and 5.0 miles from Auraria. Always check the commute widget.