Dedicated housing offers greater convenience, security and value despite higher rents, students say
Purpose-built student accommodation is drawing mainland Chinese university students away from Hong Kong’s traditional rental market, as professionally managed residences gain favour despite charging higher rents than many private flats.
Some students said dedicated student housing offered greater convenience, stronger security, more predictable costs and a better living environment, helping offset higher rents and, in some cases, longer commutes.
Qi Zhonghao, a mainland Chinese student pursuing a master’s degree in robotics at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), said he spent a year living in a subdivided unit – converted from a village house near the university – because of the limited availability of on-campus housing, before moving to an off-campus student residence.
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“Rents for this type of subdivided unit are relatively low,” he said. “A single room with a private bathroom costs around HK$7,000 [US$890] to HK$8,000 a month, and it’s quite close to university.”
However, the units lacked communal kitchens and generally prohibited cooking, forcing residents to rely on takeaway food or eat at restaurants, which could significantly increase living costs over time, Qi said.
He added that such accommodation typically offered limited security and property management services, leading to slower responses when repairs were needed.
“I currently live at Brim Youth, a private student accommodation,” Qi said. “The facilities here are comprehensive, including a gym, a communal kitchen and activity spaces. What’s especially convenient is the weekly cleaning service, which gives me a lot of time to rest.”
According to its website, Brim Youth is the first flagship long-term youth rental project in Hong Kong developed by China Resources Longdation. The property, formerly Hotel Cozi Oasis (Tsuen Wan), is about a 10-minute walk from Kwai Hing MTR station. Monthly rents for single rooms start at HK$9,600.
“The rent is still within my budget,” Qi said. “Since it includes utilities like water, electricity and internet charges, monthly housing expenses are relatively clear and fixed.”
The appeal of purpose-built student housing comes as demand for accommodation rises. CBRE estimated earlier this month that the number of higher-education students in Hong Kong would increase by 150,000 by 2035, creating demand for at least 70,000 additional student beds.
Driven by immense market demand, a number of Chinese giants – including China Resources Longdation, China Merchants Group, JD.com and CICC Capital – have made high-profile moves over the past two years, acquiring hotels and commercial-residential buildings for student housing projects.
China Merchants Commercial (CMC) Reit announced late last month it had completed a HK$528.5 million acquisition of The Quad – a student accommodation building in Hung Hom – from Easyknit International. The property has since been incorporated into the company’s CM+U student housing brand, providing 205 beds.
In response to inquiries from the South China Morning Post, CMC REIT said occupancy at CM+U in Hung Hom stood at 100 per cent. Average monthly rent was about HK$8,000 for a bed space and between HK$12,500 and HK$17,000 for a single room.
Market sources said the project’s net yield was projected at 4.8 per cent after operating costs, based on its 184 rooms and 205 beds.
Brandy, originally from Beijing and currently a master’s student in Chinese history and culture at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, lives at CM+U in Tsim Sha Tsui. She said student accommodation offered better value than many private housing options.
She said surrounding private residential estates often felt crowded because of high building density, while some developments had ageing facilities and long waits for lifts during the morning rush.
Brandy also praised the strict management standards in student residences.
“You have to submit your university offer letter upon check-in to prove your student status,” she said. “This ensures a consistent resident profile for the entire building, making it feel safer.”
Fan, a first-year master’s student in language science and technology at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, lives at the same accommodation as Brandy.
While rents were not low compared with private housing, she said the accommodation offered excellent value for money.
“The accommodation comes fully furnished, so there’s no need to buy any furniture,” she said. “When I moved in, they even provided daily essentials, which saved me the hassle of moving and settling into a new environment.”
Private residential estates along railway lines have traditionally been popular among mainland Chinese students, but they are now facing competition from student accommodation.
Now Wong, district associate director at Midland Realty, cited City One Shatin as an example.
“There has been a noticeable drop in the number of tenants at City One Shatin this summer,” he added.
“In previous years, the estate would face a severe shortage of available rental units by early August. This year, a significant number of units remained available for viewing even as late as the end of August.”
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This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), the leading news media reporting on China and Asia.
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