Although I generally recommend students to live on-campus – especially to those who come from universities that do not provide this type of living arrangements – I must admit that often times it is cheaper to live off-campus.
Nonetheless, there are some important aspects that must be taken into consideration before leasing an apartment. These may not be obvious to someone from another country who is not yet familiar with local customs. For instance, in cold countries heating is very expensive. Thus, it is best to have this service included in the rental price.
It is also important to understand the fees which must be paid if one opts to move out before the end of the lease or if one intends to have guests for lengthy periods. Some landlords are very picky about these things!
Also, before even setting out to look for an apartment or room, it is best to understand what the initial down payment will be, as often three to four months of rent need to be paid upon lease-signing. If working with a real estate agent it is best to agree on the service fees in writing before starting the search.
Before signing any lease you may also want to go over the document with someone local who understands all of the subtleties of the language and who can thus identify any potential dodgy clauses.
If you rent a furnished place, before signing the lease, make sure to have a full inventory of all the items in the apartment/ room and to, together with the landlord, check on their condition. If something is broken or not working correctly make sure to write it down on the lease, as otherwise you may be made to pay its repair or replacement.
Some of my students have managed to do semester-long exchanges without paying a cent for housing. How have they done it? Not by living with relatives or friends, as one would think, but by exchanging light housework, child care or gardening chores for a room. Some students have also lived with elderly people from whom they learnt a lot about the local history and customs, and whose lives they enriched by providing company. Similar opportunities may be found in community message boards such as Australia’s Gumtree (www.gumtree.com.au) or Craigslist (www.craigslist.org). Religious organizations and clubs such as Rotary International may also be good sources for finding these types of accommodation arrangements.
Couch surfing, which means to sleep at a hospitable stranger’s house for one or several nights, has also become fairly popular in the past few years. http://www.couchsurfing.org/ and http://www.globalfreeloaders.com are great websites to find and offer homes where to couch surf.
Servas (http://joomla.servas.org/) and Organic volunteers (http://www.organicvolunteers.com) are organizations that provide listings of free accommodation opportunities in exchange for doing work in organic agriculture sites or collaborating with activities related to fostering world peace- a great way to meet like-minded people, do something altruistic and also save on accommodation!
Apartment and room swaps are another good way of saving money, especially if you go to a country where rental fees are much higher than in your own. Apartment/room swaps mean that you offer your place to someone coming to your country, and in exchange, that person does the same for you. Craigslist and expatriate community sites generally have apartment swaps listings.
The Caretaker’s Gazette (http://www.caretaker.org/) is an on-line publication that provides information related to house sitting opportunities in 50 countries. Subscription to the newsletter has a cost of usd 30 and provides a substantial number of interesting alternatives around the globe. The House Carerers site (http://www.caretaker.org/) also includes listings of people who are looking for someone to mind their home while they are away.
Although I have never done couch-surfing, house sitting, nor exchanged some light work for accommodation, I have several students and friends who swear by these forms of rent-free living arrangements; they not only value the savings involved but also praise having been able to meet locals, see how they live, and thus, get a more in-depth understanding of the host culture. If you choose to explore these alternatives, make sure to exercise a healthy quota of caution, that which should always be had when accepting the hospitality from strangers.
