ABSTRACT
In Europe, rising rental costs and spatial inequalities in urban areas increasingly shape student housing conditions, with implications for student well-being and access to higher education. This study examines housing conditions among students in Portugal’s two largest urban centres, Lisbon and Porto, cities deeply affected by housing shortages, rising rental costs, and competition from tourism and international rental market investment. The aim was to assess whether housing conditions differ between domestic students living in their home region, domestic students displaced from their region of origin (domestic mobile students), and international students. Data were collected through a cross-sectional online survey (N = 2929), targeting undergraduate students enrolled at institutions located in Porto and Lisbon metropolitan areas. Welch ANOVAs tested group differences and a generalised ordered logit model assessed whether differences in study-related housing adequacy persisted after adjusting for rent. Results show that while mobile and international students tend to live closer to their institution, they report lower study-related housing adequacy and face substantially higher rental costs than local students. These findings suggest that proximity does not guarantee better housing outcomes and that market forces and the commodification of urban student housing constrain students’ choices. The study highlights structural inequalities in Portuguese higher education housing, with mobile and international students disproportionately affected. Implications for policy and institutional support include the need for targeted housing strategies that consider student mobility and economic vulnerability, and for closer coordination between universities and urban housing policy to ensure equitable access to adequate accommodation.