UT Austin Off-Campus Housing Cost by Area (2026)

A bed in a shared West Campus apartment near UT Austin lists from about $779 to $1,649 a month on Find My Place right now, while Riverside student complexes list beds from $575 to $715 and North Campus whole apartments start around $850 to $1,500. That's the honest answer to what UT Austin off-campus housing costs in 2026. Where you land inside those ranges comes down to three things: how close you are to Guadalupe, how many roommates share the unit, and how many bathrooms they share.

Key Takeaways

• West Campus by-the-bed rent on FMP runs from $779 (Texan 26) to $1,649 for a shared bedroom at The Castilian, with a midpoint of $1,209 across 11 buildings.
• Walk farther, pay less. Buildings 0.8 to 0.9 miles from campus list beds about $400 a month cheaper than towers within 0.4 miles.
• Riverside is the budget floor: Town Lake lists a 4x2 bed at $575 and Ballpark North at $590, but you're riding a shuttle.
• North Campus mostly rents whole apartments, so you pay $850 to $1,500 for the unit (and keep it to yourself).
• Co-ops undercut everything. Pearl Street Co-op lists fall shared rooms at $455.
• Budget $40 to $120 a month for utilities on top of base rent, per FMP's UT Austin page.

UT Austin Off-Campus Housing Cost by Area at a Glance

West Campus costs the most, Riverside the least, and North Campus sits in between but charges by the apartment instead of by the bed. Those numbers come from live floor plans on the best off-campus housing near UT Austin page, checked on October 28, 2026. FMP's own guidance for the school puts West Campus by-the-bed spots at roughly $900 to $1,400 per person and Riverside at $600 to $900 per person.

• West Campus: beds list from $779 to $1,649; most amenity towers start between $1,100 and $1,300.
• Riverside: beds from $575 to $715 in student complexes; whole apartments at Edison Austin start at $1,199.
• North Campus: whole studios and one-bedrooms from $850 to about $1,500.
• Co-ops in West Campus: shared rooms from $455 for the school year.

Want the vibe of each area instead of the price tag? That's covered in our UT Austin neighborhood guide. This page sticks to money.

West Campus Rent: $779 to $1,649 a Bed

West Campus beds start at $779 and top out near $1,649 before you reach the private-dorm suites. Every building below has a rent curve that falls as bedrooms rise, which is how you know the number is per bed, not per apartment.

The cheap end clusters on the western blocks. Texan 26 on West 26th lists a bed in a six- or seven-bedroom unit at $779. Sparq on Rio lists a four-bedroom bed at $799, Axis West Campus on Longview starts at $892, and The Nine at West Campus on Leon starts at $937.

Closer to the Drag, the floor jumps. Ion Austin on San Antonio Street lists a four-bedroom bed at $1,119. Skyloft Austin on West 23rd starts at $1,209 and 26 West at $1,214. A shared bedroom at The Castilian lists at $1,649, and The Callaway House Austin lists from $1,878.

The FMP Half-Mile Discount in West Campus

Distance from Guadalupe is the biggest rent lever in West Campus. We call it the FMP Half-Mile Discount.

On FMP's listings, the four buildings 0.8 to 0.9 miles from UT (Texan 26, Sparq, Axis, The Nine) average an $852 starting bed. The three per-bed buildings 0.3 to 0.4 miles out (Ion, Skyloft and Union on San Antonio, which starts at $1,440) average $1,256. That gap is about $400 a month, or roughly $4,800 over a 12-month lease. The price of it? A walk that's about ten minutes longer.

Why bathroom count changes West Campus rent

Your own bathroom adds $45 to $70 a month at the buildings on FMP that price it separately. At 26 West, the 4x2 lists at $1,214 and the 4x4 A at $1,274. Not always, though. The Nine lists its 4/2 and 4/4 floor plans at the same $972, so ask before you assume the shared-bath unit is cheaper.

The cheapest West Campus rooms: co-ops

West Campus co-ops are the lowest rent you'll find within walking distance of UT. Pearl Street Co-op lists fall and spring shared rooms at $455 and private rooms at $805. Laurel Co-op on Nueces lists shared rooms at $610 ($547 at its income-restricted rate) and private rooms at $915. Both sit within half a mile of campus. Co-op living means shared chores and a lot of housemates, so tour first.

Riverside Rent: $575 to $715 a Bed

East Riverside is the cheapest student market in FMP's Austin listings, with beds from $575 to $715. Prices drop by roughly half compared to West Campus towers. The trade is your commute.

Town Lake on South Pleasant Valley Road lists a 4x2 bed at $575, a 4x4 at $645 and a 3x3 at $715 (its one-bedroom is $1,185, which confirms the per-bed math). Ballpark North on Elmont Drive lists a 4x2 bed at $590 and a 3x3 at $695. If you'd rather not share at all, Edison Austin on East Riverside Drive rents whole apartments from $1,199. Heads up: FMP's pages for Town Lake and Ballpark North list Huston-Tillotson as their nearest campus, not UT, so map your shuttle stop before you sign.

Shuttle access is what makes those prices work. UT's shuttle route list shows 670 North Riverside serving Elmont and Crossing Place, and 672 Lake Shore serving South Pleasant Valley with a final campus stop at 23rd and Trinity. Students ride free with a physical UT ID. One catch: CapMetro's August 2026 service changes cut weekday 670 service to every 15 to 20 minutes, down from every 8 to 10.

North Campus Rent: $850 to $1,500 for a Whole Unit

North Campus mostly rents apartments, not beds. You pay more per month than a West Campus bed, but you're paying for the whole place.

Peppertree Apartments on West 37th lists a studio at $850, a one-bedroom at $995 and a two-bedroom at $1,350. Melroy Apartments on Speedway lists from $995, and The Kingston on West 38th from $1,100. Closer to campus, Oakview Condos on San Jacinto lists a one-bedroom at $1,395 and Hyde Park Oaks on East 31st from $1,495.

Split that Peppertree two-bedroom with a friend and you're at $675 each, which beats the cheapest West Campus apartment bed on FMP ($779 at Texan 26). A little farther north in Hyde Park, Hyde Park Apartments on Avenue F lists studios from $950.

UT Austin Off-Campus Housing Cost vs the Dorms

Off-campus rent near UT usually beats the dorm sticker price, even on a 12-month lease. UT's 2026-27 residence hall rates run $14,465 for a shared room with a community bath, covering fall and spring with a meal plan included. That's about $1,607 a month over nine months.

A $799 bed at Sparq on Rio costs $9,588 for a full year. Add $120 a month for utilities and you're near $11,000, which still leaves about $3,400 for groceries before you match the dorm. Towers flip that math. A $1,119 bed at Ion Austin plus the same utilities comes to about $14,900 a year, already past the dorm rate before you buy a single meal.

Find Your Price Range Near UT Austin

Every price in this guide is base rent. Several property pages note the building hasn't posted monthly fees yet, so your real total can run higher. Compare live floor plans on the Austin student housing listings and ask each leasing office for the full monthly cost in writing before you sign.

Frequently Asked Questions About UT Austin Off-Campus Housing Cost

How much is rent near UT Austin per month?

$779 to $1,649 for a bed in a shared West Campus apartment, based on FMP listings this fall. Riverside beds start at $575, and North Campus whole apartments run about $850 to $1,500.

What is the cheapest area for UT Austin students to rent?

East Riverside, if you're fine with the bus. In FMP's Austin listings, Town Lake lists beds from $575 and Ballpark North from $590. Within walking distance, co-ops like Pearl Street Co-op are cheaper still at $455 for a shared room.

Is West Campus worth the extra rent?

Only if you pick the right block. Texan 26 and Sparq on Rio list beds under $800 and still sit about 0.8 miles from UT, so you can live in West Campus without paying tower prices next to the Drag.

Do I need to budget for utilities on top of rent?

Yes. FMP's UT Austin page puts utilities at $40 to $120 a month, and many West Campus complexes cap them and bill overages. Texas summers make that cap matter.