How Much Does Off-Campus Housing Cost Near UNC Chapel Hill?

UNC off-campus housing cost runs $1,425 to $1,695 a month for a private bedroom in most student buildings within a mile of campus, based on Find My Place listings in October 2026. Sharing a bedroom brings that down to $1,140 to $1,396. The cheapest bed we found is $749 at Chapel Ridge, 2.5 miles out, and a place of your own starts at $1,349 there or $1,728 at Carolina Square on West Franklin Street.

Key Takeaways

• $1,425 a month is the lowest private-bedroom price at a walkable student complex (Union Chapel Hill, 0.6 miles out).
• Shortbread Lofts and Granville Towers rent shared bedrooms from $1,140 and $1,396.
• Chapel Ridge cuts the price roughly in half, at $749 a bed, if you're willing to ride the bus 2.5 miles.
• A campus double costs $4,429 a semester in 2026-27, far less than 12 months of any walkable off-campus bed.
• First-year students must live on campus or at Granville Towers.
• Chapel Hill Transit is fare-free, which is what makes the cheaper places farther out work.

Where These UNC Rent Numbers Come From

We checked every property on the Find My Place page for off-campus housing near UNC in October 2026, plus each listing's floor plans and distance to campus. Prices are base rent. None of these properties lists its monthly fees on FMP yet, and FMP's UNC page estimates utilities at another $40 to $120 a month.

Pricing basis matters a lot in Chapel Hill, because both models exist side by side. At Union Chapel Hill, a private room in a four-bedroom is $1,425 and a one-bedroom is $1,930, so the four-bedroom price is per person. At Carolina Square, the smallest unit starts at $1,728 and a four-bedroom is $6,431, so those are whole-apartment prices. Compare the wrong two numbers and you'll be off by thousands.

UNC Off-Campus Housing Cost Within a Mile of Campus

A private bedroom you can walk to class from costs $1,425 to $1,695 a month at most buildings, and more at Granville Towers. Four student buildings on FMP sit within a mile:

• Union Chapel Hill, 425 Hillsborough Street (0.6 mi): $1,425 a bed in a four-bedroom, $1,490 in a three-bedroom.
• Shortbread Lofts, 333 W Rosemary St (0.6 mi): private rooms from $1,635, shared rooms from $1,140.
• Granville Towers, 2100 Granville Towers South (0.4 mi): shared rooms from $1,396, private rooms from $2,253.
• Lark Chapel Hill, 602 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd (0.5 mi): lists from $1,229 for a four-bedroom.

Shortbread's shared rooms are the cheapest walkable option, but "shared" means sharing a bedroom, not just a kitchen. Lark looks like a bargain at $1,229, though its floor plans don't follow a clean pattern (a three-bedroom lists higher than a two-bedroom). Ask the leasing office whether that's per bed before you compare it to Union.

FMP's UNC page also puts a room in a shared house or apartment near campus at roughly $700 to $1,100 a month per person. That range covers older houses and apartments in neighborhoods like Northside, which the page calls the most central student area.

UNC Off-Campus Housing Cost 2.5 Miles Out

Chapel Ridge, 101 Legacy Terrace, is the budget pick at $749 a bed in a four-bedroom, 2.5 miles from campus. A three-bedroom is $799 and a two-bedroom $949, so this is clearly per-bed pricing. Twelve months comes to about $8,988.

That's $676 a month less than Union Chapel Hill, or about $8,100 a year. The trade-off is the commute. Chapel Hill Transit is fare-free, so the bus costs nothing, but ride the route once before you sign.

What a One-Bedroom or Whole Apartment Costs Near UNC

Living alone near UNC starts at $1,349 a month. Here's what's on FMP:

• Chapel Ridge (2.5 mi): one-bedroom at $1,349.
• Carolina Square, 133 West Franklin Street (0.4 mi): from $1,728 for the smallest units, with two-bedrooms at $3,237.
• Union Chapel Hill (0.6 mi): one-bedrooms from $1,930.

Split two ways, a Carolina Square two-bedroom is about $1,619 each. That's more than a private room at Union, but you get a regular apartment lease right on Franklin Street.

UNC Off-Campus Housing Cost vs Living on Campus

At UNC, campus is the cheaper deal on rent. Carolina Housing's 2026-27 rates list a residence hall double at $4,429 a semester, or $8,858 for the academic year. A single is $5,246 a semester. Ram Village apartments run $5,069 a semester for a shared bedroom and $5,470 for a private one.

Compare that with 12 months off campus: $17,100 for a bed at Union Chapel Hill, or $8,988 at Chapel Ridge. Even the cheapest bed we found costs a little more over a full year than a campus double does for two semesters.

First-year students live on campus or at Granville

UNC's live-on requirement says first-year students must live in on-campus residence halls or at Granville Towers for their entire first academic year. Exemptions include being 21 before the first day of fall classes, living with a spouse, partner or children, or being a military veteran with at least two years of active service.

Timing Matters as Much as Price in Chapel Hill

Sign early if you want a walkable place. FMP's UNC page notes that peak leasing runs November into January, and many students sign around January for a move nine months away. The closest buildings fill first.

If you'd rather trade distance for rent, check the bus first. Our guide to living car-free at UNC Chapel Hill covers routes and parking permits, and you can browse every Chapel Hill student apartment on FMP.

Frequently Asked Questions About UNC Off-Campus Housing Cost

How much is rent near UNC Chapel Hill?

About $1,425 to $1,695 a month for a private bedroom in most student buildings within a mile of campus. Shared bedrooms start at $1,140, and Chapel Ridge, 2.5 miles out, starts at $749 a bed.

What is the cheapest off-campus housing near UNC?

Chapel Ridge, at $749 a bed in a four-bedroom. It's 2.5 miles from campus, so plan on Chapel Hill Transit.

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

On campus, for rent. A 2026-27 double is $8,858 for the academic year. A private room at Union Chapel Hill costs about $17,100 over a 12-month lease.

Can UNC freshmen live off campus?

Generally no. First-year students must live in a residence hall or at Granville Towers unless they qualify for an exemption, such as being 21 before fall classes start.

When should I sign a lease near UNC?

November through January. That's peak leasing season in Chapel Hill, and walkable buildings fill first.