Accommodation in Porto
Looking for accommodation in Porto
Hey! So you already know you are coming to Porto for your exchange! Now we need to deal with the serious stuff, like where you will be staying during your time here!
It’s important to find an accommodation that fits you, as it can completely change your experience of the city, as well as fits your budget!
It can sometimes be tricky to know where to start looking. Here are some of our recommendations!
Most exchange students will choose the co-living option, renting a room in a shared apartment with other international people.
Many times, the best way to do this is through Facebook groups: there are many, either for locals or Erasmus and international people, where Portuguese landlords will post ads about rooms they have for rent, or exchange students who have found a flat for rent are looking for other students to share the apartment with them.
You can also post there that you are looking for accommodation, and people will reply with options or offers!
Through Facebook, search: rooms for rent in Porto/quartos para alugar no Porto; quartos no Porto; accommodation in porto; Porto Apartment Rentals; Apartment and rooms in Porto; Porto international; etc
IMPORTANT: Through Facebook, you will find cheaper accommodation than some other websites, as you are normally dealing directly with the landlord, and cutting out middlemen. This is a good option, but you must be careful! There are many scams happening out there, so stay safe!
Some tips:
- Under normal circumstances, don’t send money to an account outside of Portugal if you are renting a room in Portugal - if you are scammed, even if you go to the police, they can’t help you.
- Make sure to check the address on google maps! This seems obvious, but make sure the house/building exists! Even better if a friend can go check it out in person, of course.
- Try to have a video chat with the landlord where he shows you around the apartment, make sure it coincides with the pictures from the advert, and ask him to show you the street view! Like this, you can also check through google maps making sure its in the advertised location and not elsewhere.
- Contracts! If your landlord provides one (he should!) make sure to read carefully all the details, or extra fees that might be hidden.
A lot of Portuguese students or general public looking for accommodation, either full apartments or single rooms, will look through the following websites (some might be in Portuguese, but google translate should work OK)
Please notice that when renting through facebook groups or these websites, you must be careful! The ads or apartments are not confirmed or visited by website staff, so make sure to follow the tips and lookout for scams!
Our friends from Erasmus Life Housing are already in Porto and ready to help you find accommodation in our city!
You can click the link below to visit their website or contact them directly at hello@erasmuslifehousing.com
If you want the peace of mind of easily renting a verified flat or room, at a little extra cost, you should visit websites such as
- uniplaces
Save 15% off the booking fee using our code: UPERASMUSPORTO15
- inlife
Save 10% off the booking fee using our code: ERASMUSLIFE
- airbnb
- spotahome
Here, you can normally be sure that everything will be as advertised, with verified apartments, and they will definitely be available to help you out with any problems or situations that may arise. Of course, you must expect a bit higher price than renting directly to a private landlord, due to booking fees.
If you decide to go with this option, be sure to use our discount codes for the booking fees!
Good luck and see you soon in Porto!
