PBSA Market in Poland 2026: New Edition of the Cushman & Wakefield Report
The latest edition of Cushman & Wakefield’s "PBSA Market in Poland 2026" report, prepared in cooperation with Otodom, provides up-to-date data on the student housing situation in Poland. This updated edition explores why one in three students in Poland’s largest cities is willing to spend more than PLN 2,000 per month on accommodation.
Why this edition of the report is worth reading
Poland’s student accommodation market is facing a structural shortage of beds, while demand has seen a strong recovery in recent years. The new edition of the report provides investors, operators, universities and local authorities with precise data to support informed decision-making.
Up-to-date market data
The report is based on a survey of 263 students from across Poland, conducted in September 2026, as well as a comprehensive analysis of public and private student accommodation (PBSA) stock.
Demand and supply perspective
The analysis combines Statistics Poland (GUS) data, Otodom survey findings and Cushman & Wakefield’s expertise to highlight the gap between the number of students and the availability of beds in student accommodation.
Practical insights for the market
The report identifies key accommodation selection criteria, student budgets across individual academic centres and future directions for the development of the PBSA sector.
Key figures from the report
• There are 1,322,800 students in Poland (Statistics Poland, end of 2025).
· There are 110,300 beds available in public student accommodation and 18,200 in private student accommodation (PBSA), giving a total of 128,500 beds.
· University-operated student accommodation meets the needs of just 8.3% of students, while private student accommodation accounts for only 1.4%.
· 33% of students in Poland’s eight largest academic centres plan to spend more than PLN 2,000 per month on accommodation.
· In Warsaw, 25% of students declare a budget of more than PLN 2,500 per month.
· The average rent for public student accommodation is PLN 825, compared with approximately PLN 2,370 for private student accommodation.
· In Q3, the median rental listing duration falls from 30 days to 17–22 days.
· In the coming years, public and private student accommodation combined will be able to meet the housing needs of only around 10.5% of students.
Expert insights
"Demand for student accommodation is structural and recurs every year. For years, the number of beds in public student accommodation has failed to keep pace with the number of students, while the private student accommodation sector, although growing, still meets only a small proportion of overall demand. Students who are unable to secure a place in public student accommodation or are looking for something more than a shared room with a bathroom down the corridor turn to the rental market, where they compete for apartments with other tenants,"
- Karolina Furmańska, Residential & Living Sector Manager, Cushman & Wakefield
"In Q3, rental listings turn over significantly faster, with the median listing duration on the platform falling from 30 days to just 17–22 days. Rental rates are driving a pragmatic approach. In September, the average asking rent for an apartment in Poland’s regional capitals stood at PLN 2,676. Costs at this level naturally encourage tenants to look for alternatives,"
- Paweł Jarząbek, Market Research and Analysis Manager at Otodom.
"Students are becoming increasingly conscious when choosing where to live. Price remains a key factor, but one in three students is willing to pay more for location, quality and security. This is precisely the space in which private student accommodation operates. Given the current level of supply, however, the gap remains significant, creating opportunities for investors, operators, universities and cities,"
- concludes Ewa Derlatka-Chilewicz, Head of Research at Cushman & Wakefield.
What you will find in the full report
1. Demand and supply structure - A detailed analysis of the student population, public and private student accommodation stock, and forecasts for the development of the PBSA sector.
2. Student tenant profile - An analysis of accommodation selection criteria, reasons for changing accommodation, and differences in preferences between first-year students and those in later years of study.
3. Budgets by city - A comparison of students’ declared budgets across Poland’s eight largest academic centres.
4. Rental market dynamics - Data on listing turnover, median listing duration and changes in demand for entire apartments compared with rooms.
Research methodology
The report was prepared jointly by Cushman & Wakefield and Otodom. The survey was conducted in September 2026 among 263 students from across Poland, while questions regarding accommodation budgets were asked of 207 respondents looking for accommodation in Poland’s eight largest academic centres. Data on student accommodation stock comes from Cushman & Wakefield’s "PBSA Market in Poland 2026" report (private sector: as of October 2026; public student accommodation: data as of the end of 2025).
Download the new edition of the report today
Access comprehensive data, expert commentary and forecasts for Poland’s student accommodation market.
