How much does student life in Pomerania cost?

Let’s begin with the basics. There’s no denying that renting an apartment generates the largest monthly cost of living. In the case of the Tricity, rental prices vary greatly. Keep in mind that we are talking about a tourist region. It means that renting an apartment in the city centre costs from 3000 PLN for a one-bedroom apartment. Definitely not for a student’s pocket. However, Gdansk, Gdynia and Sopot are not large agglomerations, so the districts a little away from the centre are very popular among renters. Getting to the universities in Tricity is easier by the excellent public transport, in particular by the famous Tricity SKM (Szybka Kolej Miejska – Fast City Railway), thanks to which residents around Tricity can travel between different districts and cities in very short times.  Many places can be reached within a quarter of an hour or two by bike or scooter. Renting an apartment outside the city centre reduces costs by up to half compared to living in the most popular neighbourhoods. A great solution is to rent an apartment together. While for a one-room apartment in Gdansk you have to pay on average 2000 PLN, renting a 3-room apartment costs around 3900 PLN, which means that each of the three roommates will pay 1300 PLN for the room. If you decide to share a room with someone, you can save even more. Interesting housing offers you can found on Facebook groups – https://www.facebook.com/groups/816104851841337 and in ads on https://trojmiasto.pl. It is also worth checking websites such as OLX, Gumtree and those appearing on bulletin boards near universities. Renting an apartment outside the city centre reduces costs by up to half compared to living in the most popular neighbourhoods. A great solution is to rent an apartment together. While for a one-room apartment in Gdansk you have to pay on average 2000 PLN, renting a 3-room apartment costs around 3900 PLN, which means that each of the three roommates will pay 1300 PLN for the room. If you decide to share a room with someone, you can save even more. Interesting housing offers can be found on Facebook groups, e.g. https://www.facebook.com/groups/816104851841337 and in ads on trojmiasto.pl. It is also worth checking services such as OLX, Gumtree and those appearing on bulletin boards near universities. Rental prices for apartments in Tricity are relatively attractive. If you compare them with the costs of renting an apartment in Warsaw or Cracow, you will see that in Tricity the prices are 5-9% lower.

If you want to keep costs as low as possible, you can also find a dorm room. It’s a perfect solution for the beginning. You can meet many new people and enjoy real student life. A room in a dormitory usually costs no more than 500 PLN, so it is a desirable alternative, however, not every student can take advantage of it. The number of places in dormitories is limited. Young married couples, students with children and foreign students are given priority to accommodation.  The financial situation of the applicant also has a significant influence on acceptance to the dormitory. Young married couples, students with children and foreign students are given priority to accommodation. The decision is also influenced by the applicant’s financial situation. Universities help poorer people first.

An interesting solution for students with a little more money is private student halls of residence, which offer modern rooms with all the necessary equipment, fitness area, playrooms and fast WiFi. Such dormitories are located in attractive locations, close to the city centre and with easy access to the university. The average price of a room in such a place is 1500 PLN for a single room and 1000-2000 PLN for a double room. You can check the price lists of each dormitory on their websites: https://collegia.pl or https://www.studentdepot.pl/pl/akademik-gdansk.

Modern student is less and less like the proverbial one who eats the instant noodles, dry bread and scrambled eggs. More and more people are trying to cook wholesome meals at home. The huge benefit of shopping and cooking on your own is, of course, that you spend less. With smart shopping and zero waste philosophy in practice, the monthly cost of food for one person can be closed within 500 PLN.

Unfortunately, many students lack not only the enthusiasm and conditions for cooking but also the time. A large group of young people study two faculties at the same time, undertake practice and internships, or start their first job while still studying. In such cases, the only thing left is to eat out. While dinner in a good restaurant costs 70-80 PLN (starter, main course, coffee/dessert), dining out in student pubs allows you to eat a full meal for about 15-20 PLN.  Milk bars are cheap and cult, of course, and they have been used by Tricity students for a long time – https://kulinaria.trojmiasto.pl/GastroTOP-Jakie-sa-trojmiejskie-bary-mleczne-n116094.html. In many places, especially in the vicinity of campuses, you can eat cheaper if you present your student ID card. A good choice is also faculty buffets, whose offer is becoming more and more interesting every year, more varied and tailored to students’ expectations. It is no longer just sandwiches, dumplings and pasta with sauce, but soups-creams, quiches, hummus, falafel and many other dishes.

A well-developed public transport network and student transport discounts encourage this form of travel. You can use the Tricity public transport not only within one city but also in the whole of Tricity and its surroundings, which is possible thanks to the so-called metropolitan ticket( https://mzkzg.org/bilet-metropolitalny). This ticket is ideal for students studying in Gdansk and living in Gdynia or Wejherowo. Apart from the standard monthly ticket, there are also semester tickets (four or five months) available for students and pupils. You don’t have to worry about buying a ticket during the whole academic semester. The average cost of such a ticket is 50 PLN per month (the price depends on the chosen route). Let’s not forget about the bicycle paths! Tricity has a well-developed infrastructure, which allows cyclists to move around the city efficiently. For many students, a bicycle is the most convenient and cheapest mode of transport.

Many cultural facilities in the Tricity offer special prices for students. Often the difference is even 50% of the price. Moreover, most museums and galleries have one day a week in which entrance is free. If you have some free time between classes at the university, you can plan such a visit. Cinema tickets are getting more expensive every year, but many chains offer attractive discounts for students or cheaper tickets on particular days. To the theatre, instead of a regular ticket, you can buy a much cheaper entrance fee. You can then watch the show from the stairs. To the theatre, instead of a regular ticket, you can buy a much cheaper entrance fee. You can then watch the show from the stairs.

Apart from general living costs, students also need to pay for their studies, so books and photocopies are important. It is best to get photocopies in reliable places. Usually photocopying costs quite a lot at the campus, but near the university, you will surely find a cheaper place. Books can be bought on Allegro, and those from a few years ago can be found in antique shops. It’s also worth joining the faculty group on FB, very often older students offer to sell their books they no longer need. By the way, you can count on useful notes in the margins.

Students love Tricity for many reasons. Relatively attractive cost of living is certainly one of them. Pomerania also has other advantages, such as interesting employment opportunities, often with the possibility of taking a job while still studying.  Development prospects combined with lower prices of apartments, food and transportation than in Warsaw, Krakow or Wroclaw make Tricity an increasingly popular choice for Polish and foreign students.