Finding an apartment in Barcelona proved to be very difficult! When it comes to housing there’s a few options. You can stay in residence – except at ESADE, residence was close to 1000 euros per month! You can rent a single room in a large apartment with random people or you can rent out a flat in its entirety and find roommates. I chose the latter option, as the people you live with on exchange are going to have a big influence on your time abroad.
We arrived mid-January and found that looking for a four person apartment is very difficult. There were plenty for two-three people, but any more than that it gets a bit harder. Most exchange students come early January and snag all the good places early. Luckily we did find a couple places, but almost each one ended up being through an agency. Now housing agencies seem like the safe way to go but they also tack on an overpriced agency fee. One charged 350 euros before even looking at any of their apartments as a service fee. Others requested fees of up to one or two month’s rent. It was ridiculous! That plus a security deposit of roughly the same amount plus first month’s rent is a lot of money up front.
Luckily we found an agency run by former students for students. It is called Vive Barcelona and I would recommend it anyone looking for a place to stay in Barcelona. Not only was there no agency fee but there was also no security deposit. They had a beautiful apartment in the heart of the city for us and everything was included in the rent. By everything I’m not just talking about utilities! It was fully furnished with sheets and linens, kitchen supplies, towels, tv cable & internet, a pull out sofa bed for company, clothing hangers, spices, plates – all the essential little things that you don’t think of. Plus, the landlords are quite attractive !
So remember to check out Vive Barcelona if you are ever looking for a place to stay in the city & beware of agency fees!