Where University of Miami Students Live Off Campus: Coral Gables, South Miami and Dadeland

The University of Miami off-campus neighborhoods students actually rent in fall into four groups: South Miami right next to campus, Coral Gables itself, the Ludlam Road corridor to the west, and Dadeland two Metrorail stops south. The closest listing on Find My Place is Avalon South Miami at 0.3 miles, where one-bedrooms start at $3,170. The cheapest solo apartments sit along Ludlam Road, 1.8 to 2.6 miles out, at $2,195 to $2,490 for a whole one-bedroom.

Key Takeaways

• Walkers have three choices: Avalon South Miami (0.3 mi), The Cloisters (0.6 mi) and Red Road Commons (1.0 mi).
• Need a bed instead of a whole apartment? The Standard at Coral Gables rents private rooms in 3-bedroom units from $2,000.
• Ludlam Road and Bird Road is the value pocket: whole one-bedrooms at $2,195 to $2,490, $680 to $975 under Avalon's cheapest.
• "Is Dadeland too far?" Not really. Dadeland North is two stops from University station, and full-time students get 50% off the monthly Metrorail pass.
• First-year students who aren't local have to live on campus for two semesters, so most people start this search as freshmen for sophomore year.

How We Mapped These Areas

Every building below comes from the Find My Place page for University of Miami off-campus housing, which listed 22 properties when we checked in October 2026. Distances are what each property page reports for the trip to UM's Coral Gables campus. Prices are base rents before fees, and most of these listings haven't posted fees yet. Ask.

One naming quirk trips up new students. The campus sits inside the City of Coral Gables, but the walkable apartments are mostly across the line in South Miami. Locals use both names loosely, and so will this guide.

1. South Miami and Red Road: Best for Walking to Class

If you want to walk, this is the only real answer. Three listings sit within a mile of campus here, all on the south and west edge near Red Road (SW 57th Avenue) and Sunset Drive. Prices are steep, because you're paying for the location.

• Avalon South Miami, 0.3 miles, in the SoMi district: one-bedrooms at $3,170 to $3,270. Closest listing to UM on the site, and priced like it.
• The Cloisters, 5830 SW 57th Ave, 0.6 miles: two-bedrooms list from $2,500, three-bedrooms from $5,700. Its five-bedroom Everglade plan lists at $1,920, which only makes sense as a per-person price, so confirm that before you count on it. Rated 3.4 from five reviews.
• Red Road Commons, 6620 SW 57th Ave, 1.0 mile: two-bedroom, two-bath plans list from $2,876 to $3,792.

Best for: students with early classes, no car, or a hard rule about never sitting in US-1 traffic. (That rule is reasonable.)

2. Coral Gables on San Remo Avenue: Best If You Want to Rent by the Bed

The Standard at Coral Gables is the pick here, and the reason is simple. It's the clearest rent-by-the-bed option on the UM page, so you don't need three friends and a joint lease to get in. It sits at 1515 San Remo Avenue, 1.1 miles from campus.

• The Standard at Coral Gables: private rooms in 3-bedroom units run $2,000 to $2,350, rooms in 2-bedroom units $2,400 to $2,600, and a 1-bedroom $4,000 to $4,200.

How do we know those are per-bed prices? Watch the curve. Rent goes down as the unit gets bigger, and a four-thousand-dollar one-bedroom sitting above a two-thousand-dollar room in a three-bedroom only works if each price is for one person. The site labels it "$2,000+/person" too.

Best for: transfer students, upperclassmen whose friend group scattered, and anyone who'd pay more for a lease that covers only their own room.

3. Ludlam Road and Bird Road: Best Value for a Solo Apartment

West of campus, around Ludlam Road (SW 67th Avenue) from Coral Way down past Bird Road, whole one-bedrooms drop to about $2,200. That's the lowest price for a place of your own anywhere on the UM page. You give up the walk. Figure on 1.8 to 2.6 miles, which means a bike, a car or a bus.

• Ludlam Point, 6880 SW 44th St (1.8 mi): one-bedrooms at $2,309 to $2,389 and a two-bedroom at $2,373, which is about $1,187 each if you split it.
• 4146 SW 70th Ct (2.0 mi): a one-bedroom at $2,195, the cheapest whole unit in this pocket.
• 2201 Ludlam Rd (2.5 mi): a one-bedroom at $2,215.
• 6541 SW 21st St (2.5 mi) lists a one-bedroom at $2,210; around the corner, 6551 SW 20th St (2.6 mi) asks $2,490.

That Ludlam Point two-bedroom deserves a second look. At $2,373 it costs $64 more than the same building's one-bedroom, so splitting it is the cheapest private-bedroom setup we found near UM, full stop. Ludlam Point prices rise with bedroom count, so these are whole-unit rents.

Best for: students with a car, grad students, and anyone who'd rather spend money on space than on proximity.

4. Dadeland: Best for a Car-Free Commute by Metrorail

Dadeland looks far on a map. On the train it isn't. Metrorail runs straight down US-1, and University station sits on the campus edge at Ponce de Leon Boulevard and Mariposa Court. Heading south, the next stop is South Miami, then Dadeland North, so a Dadeland building is two stops from class.

• The Palmer Dadeland, 8215 SW 72nd Ave (2.6 mi): a two-bedroom at $3,153. It's also the best-reviewed building in this guide, a 4.2 FMP score from five reviews (one reviewer singled out the concierge by name).
• AMLI Dadeland, 8250 SW 72nd Ct (2.8 mi): one-bedrooms from $2,173 to $2,228, two-bedrooms at $3,115 to $3,294. Split the cheapest two-bedroom and you're near $1,558 each.

The math gets better with the student discount. UM's public transit page says full-time students get 50% off the monthly Metrorail and Metrobus mobile pass. Compare that with paying for a car, insurance and a UM parking permit, and a $2,173 Dadeland one-bedroom starts to look like the smart version of living alone.

Best for: students who'd rather read on a train than circle a garage, and anyone who wants Dadeland Mall and the restaurants on Kendall Drive within walking distance.

When UM Students Start Looking Off Campus

Most start during freshman year. UM's admitted-student housing page says "all non-local first-year students are required to live in University housing for two academic semesters, as long as space is available." Students living with parents or guardians in Miami-Dade or Broward are exempt.

After year one, campus housing isn't guaranteed. That's why so many sophomores end up signing in South Miami or Dadeland in the spring. Our breakdown of what off-campus housing costs near UM has the full budget, utilities and move-in costs included.

Frequently Asked Questions About UM Off-Campus Neighborhoods

Where do most University of Miami students live off campus?

South Miami, for the walk. Avalon South Miami, The Cloisters and Red Road Commons all sit within a mile of campus on Find My Place. Students on a tighter budget move west toward Ludlam Road or south to Dadeland and ride Metrorail in.

What is the cheapest neighborhood near UM?

Ludlam Road, roughly 2 miles west. Whole one-bedrooms there list at $2,195 to $2,490, and the Ludlam Point two-bedroom splits to about $1,187 a person. Walkable South Miami starts closer to $3,170 for a one-bedroom.

Can you live in Dadeland without a car as a UM student?

Yes, if your building is near the station. AMLI Dadeland and The Palmer Dadeland sit 2.6 to 2.8 miles from campus, two Metrorail stops south of University station. Full-time students pay half price for a monthly pass.

Do I have to live on campus at the University of Miami?

For your first year, probably. Non-local first-year students must live in University housing for two semesters if space is available. Students living with parents or guardians in Miami-Dade or Broward don't have to.