How Much Does Off-Campus Housing Cost Near Drexel? (2026)
Drexel off-campus housing costs about $1,000 to $1,450 a month per person for a room in a University City student building, based on Find My Place listings tied to Drexel in October 2026. Older rowhome splits in Powelton Village and Mantua run cheaper, roughly $580 to $950 a person.
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Drexel off-campus housing costs about $1,000 to $1,450 a month per person for a room in a University City student building, based on Find My Place listings tied to Drexel in October 2026. Older rowhome splits in Powelton Village and Mantua run cheaper, roughly $580 to $950 a person, while a well-reviewed one-bedroom of your own near campus starts around $1,121 and climbs past $2,200. Drexel's own aid budget assumes $12,564 for off-campus housing over three terms.
Those numbers come from the properties linked to our Drexel University off-campus housing page. We only used listings in Powelton Village, Mantua and University City, and we opened each one to check whether its price is for a room or the whole apartment.
Key Takeaways
- Per-room rents in the big University City buildings start near $1,000. Evo at Cira Centre South ($983) and Hamilton Court ($999) are the low end.
- Splitting an older rowhome is the cheapest route. A three-bedroom at 675 N 39th St in Mantua lists at $1,750 for the whole unit, about $583 each.
- Your own place costs more. Chestnut Hall one-bedrooms start at $1,121, and Avira studios at $2,265.
- Drexel budgets $4,188 a term for off-campus housing (about $1,047 a month once you stretch it over a 12-month lease).
- Sophomores have limits: Drexel's two-year residency rule only allows certain buildings in year two.
- Co-op is the hidden cost. Six months away still means paying rent unless your lease bends.
Drexel Off-Campus Housing Cost by Neighborhood
Powelton and Mantua are cheaper per person; University City is newer and closer to class. Here's how the October 2026 listings break down.
| Area | Distance to Drexel | Room in a shared unit | Own apartment |
|---|---|---|---|
| University City (Market to Walnut, 31st to 40th) | 0.1 to 0.6 mi | $983 to $1,435 per person | From $1,121 (Chestnut Hall 1BR) to $2,265+ (Avira studio) |
| Powelton Village (Market to Spring Garden, 32nd to 40th) | 0.3 to 0.7 mi | $725 to $950 split; $1,169+ private room | $1,700 (1BR) |
| Mantua (north of Spring Garden) | About 0.8 mi | About $583 split | Few listed |
Two caveats. Rowhome numbers are our division of a whole-unit rent, so they assume every bedroom is filled. And many listings say the landlord "hasn't listed its monthly fees yet," so budget a little above base rent.
University City Rents Near Drexel: Paying for the Short Walk
A room in a University City student building costs about $1,000 to $1,450 a month. These are the mid-rises along Chestnut, Walnut and JFK Boulevard between 31st and 40th Streets.
- Evo at Cira Centre South at 29th and Chestnut lists private rooms from $983, with a 4.2 FMP score.
- Hamilton Court Apartments at 101 S 39th St lists three- and four-bedroom rooms at $999. Its two-bedrooms list at $1,149 and one-bedrooms at $1,999, so those lower numbers are clearly per person.
- The Mark Philadelphia on the 3600 block of Chestnut lists four-bedroom plans from $1,050 and holds a 5.0 score. Its pricing doesn't follow a clean bedroom pattern, so ask whether that's per person.
- The Accolade on Chestnut lists private rooms from $1,435.
Want your own place? Chestnut Hall Apartments at 3900 Chestnut lists one-bedrooms from $1,121 to $2,035 and carries a 5.0 FMP score across 5 reviews. Few solo leases this close to campus pair that price with reviews that strong. For a building-by-building walkability list, see our roundup of apartments near Drexel within walking distance.
Powelton Village Rents: Victorian Twins and Lancaster Avenue Rooms
Powelton Village is where Drexel upperclassmen split big old houses. It runs from Market Street up to Spring Garden Street, between roughly 32nd and 40th, and it's mostly Victorian twins carved into apartments.
Rowhome splits here land around $725 to $950 a person. A three-bedroom at 327 N 40th St lists at $2,175, or $725 each. On Powelton's western edge, the 40/Spring Lofts at 437 N 40th St list a two-bedroom at $1,900 ($950 each) and a one-bedroom at $1,700.
Prefer a newer building? Paloma University City at 36th and Lancaster lists private rooms from $1,169, with a 4.6 score. You pay about $450 more than a rowhome share, mostly for a newer building with on-site management instead of a landlord who doubles as your plumber.
Mantua Rents: The Cheapest Split Near Drexel
Mantua, directly north of Powelton across Spring Garden Street, has the lowest per-person rents near Drexel. A three-bedroom, three-bath house at 675 N 39th St lists at $1,750 a month for the whole unit. Three roommates pay about $583 each, roughly half the cost of a University City bed.
Mantua is a longtime residential neighborhood, not a student district. An estimated 500 to 1,000 college-age renters live there, and inventory on our site is thin. Walk the route to campus at night before you sign, and ask the landlord for their Philadelphia rental license number (more on that below).
Does Drexel's Housing Budget Cover Off-Campus Rent?
It covers a room, not an apartment. Drexel Central sets the 2026-27 off-campus housing allowance at $4,188 a term, or $12,564 for fall, winter and spring. That's about $1,396 a month over nine months.
Most leases near Drexel run 12 months, though. Stretched over a full year, $12,564 works out to roughly $1,047 a month. That pays for a $999 room at Hamilton Court or a Powelton split. It doesn't pay for Chestnut Hall plus utilities.
Co-op, Sophomore Rules and Other Costs That Change the Math
The co-op gap
Drexel's co-op cycle is the cost most students forget. If your six-month placement is in New York or Pittsburgh, a 12-month Philadelphia lease keeps billing you. Ask about subleasing before you sign. Drexel notes that both Drexel and American Campus Communities offer flexible lease options for co-op and study abroad.
Drexel's two-year residency rule
Second-year students can't just sign anywhere. Drexel's two-year residency policy limits sophomores to Drexel residence halls, Greek housing, or three ACC buildings: University Crossings, The Summit and Chestnut Square. The rowhome savings above are mostly a junior-year move.
Philadelphia's rental license rule
Every Philadelphia landlord needs a rental license to rent you a unit or a room, per the city's Department of Licenses and Inspections. Big buildings have one. A small rowhome landlord might not, so ask for the number before you hand over a deposit.
Frequently Asked Questions About Drexel Off-Campus Housing Cost
How much is rent near Drexel University?
About $1,000 to $1,450 a month for a room in a University City student building, as of October 2026. Splitting an older Powelton or Mantua rowhome brings that down to roughly $580 to $950 a person, and a well-reviewed one-bedroom of your own starts near $1,121.
Is Powelton Village cheaper than University City?
Yes, often by a few hundred dollars a person. A three-bedroom at 327 N 40th St splits to $725 each, while University City building rooms start near $1,000. The trade-off is older houses and a landlord you'll call more often.
What is the cheapest place to live near Drexel?
Mantua. A three-bedroom at 675 N 39th St lists at $1,750, about $583 per person if you fill every room. It's roughly 0.8 miles from campus.
Is it cheaper to live on or off campus at Drexel?
Close to even. Drexel budgets $12,045 for on-campus housing and $12,564 for off-campus housing across three terms. Off campus wins if you split a rowhome, and loses if you take a solo one-bedroom on a 12-month lease.
How much should a Drexel student budget for off-campus housing?
Plan on $1,100 to $1,600 a month all in for a room in a University City building, or $800 to $1,100 for a rowhome share once you add utilities. Add a security deposit up front.
Find My Place — By Students, For Students
Colton Hibbert is the founder and CEO of Find My Place. He started it after getting burned by the usual student housing routine: hidden fees, staged photos, and a leasing office that stopped answering the second the lease was signed. So he built the platform he wished he'd had. Today he sets the strategy and keeps the whole company pointed at one job, making off-campus housing something students can actually trust. He writes here about where the student housing market is headed and why FMP is built the way it is.
