HOW TO FIND A ROOM IN COIMBRA
Finding a room in Coimbra can be a challenge, but it is nothing impossible to do in a couple of days.
Previous to your arrival, always try to book a hostel for 2-3 nights so you can find a room that suits your needs.
How to find available rooms?
When you look for a room in Coimbra you should always have in mind 4 things, Price, Location, Quality and Utilities.
How can you look for a room, specially when you are a foreigner, and you don’t speak Portuguese?
The first way would be to walk around the street of Coimbra, specially in the center, near Praca da republica(google it) there you will find advertising in the streets everywhere, small papers containing numbers and small descriptions attached with glue to walls and street lamps are the most common.
You can find as well in our website www.esnipcoimbra.com a free list of available rooms in Coimbra in the beginning of semesters. This list is updated from Erasmus leaving their room in the end of each semester. (you need to register in the website so you can see this list, it is a protection against real estate agencies)
Ads in the street usually look like the one in the picture. Other places you can search for rooms are in the students association in the center of Coimbra.
Most of the times, the ads include as well information on the price, location and expenses included in the rent such has electricity, water or internet.
How to read the ad?
The first thing you should start with is if it is near your school or central to Coimbra.
The most common central places displayed in ads are “Praça da Republica”, “se Velha” “celas” “rua padre Antonio Vieira” “rua Antero de quental” “baixa” “dolce vita”
These are usually the locations most choosen by students that allow them to stay near the center, nightlife and to universities.
Next thing you should see in the ad is if it says electricidade (electricity), Agua (water) internet, Televisao(TV), usually when they present them in the ads, means they are included in the price, but you should always check if the word “Incluido” (included) or “Não Incluido” (not included) are next or before those words.
If they are not refered in the ad, then when calling you should ask.
How to call?
The language barrier is one of the most hard things when finding a room, so if you don’t know how to speak Portuguese, the best way would be to ask someone to make the call for you! This other person can be your Portuguese BUDDY (if you don’t have one register in our website) staff in a hostel, or other Erasmus you might meet that can speak Portuguese, for example brazilian students.
When calling you should ask what is the minimum rent time, and check the information on the ad. Then you should make an appointment to see the room. If it suits your needs take it! Rooms in Coimbra appear and disappear by the day!
Price?
Rooms range from 150€ to 250€ in Coimbra, so depending on the quality and conditions available the price changes.
Our Association ESN-IPCoimbra has made a small study among Erasmus students regarding quality and conditions in rooms, the results are as presented.
Internet in the house?
Utilities included in the rent? (e.g. water, electricity, gas, internet…)
Most included utilities?
|
Electricity
|
31%
|
|
Water
|
29%
|
|
Gas
|
20%
|
|
TV
|
18%
|
|
Internet
|
24%
|
If utilities are not included what is the monthly average per person?
|
0-15€
|
13%
|
|
16-25€
|
38%
|
|
26-35€
|
16%
|
|
More than 36€
|
7%
|
Distance of rooms to the center (Praça da República)?
|
Less than 1km
|
60%
|
|
1 to 2 km
|
24%
|
|
2 to 4 km
|
13%
|
|
4 to 6 km
|
0%
|
|
More than 6 km
|
0%
|
Room quality?
|
Weak - Not recommended
|
0%
|
|
Reasonable
|
11%
|
|
Good
|
53%
|
|
Excellent
|
33%
|
Room size?
|
Small
|
9%
|
|
Medium
|
60%
|
|
Large
|
29%
|
Number of rooms in the house?
|
1
|
4%
|
|
2
|
16%
|
|
3
|
29%
|
|
4
|
18%
|
|
5
|
13%
|
|
6
|
11%
|
|
7
|
2%
|
|
8
|
2%
|
|
More than 8
|
2%
|
Number of bathrooms in the house?
|
1
|
36%
|
|
2
|
51%
|
|
3
|
7%
|
|
More than 3
|
2%
|
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