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Market Intelligence Report | January 2026

Poland Student Housing (PBSA) Market Report 2026

Comprehensive Analysis: Europe's 6th Largest Student Market with Accelerating PBSA Investment

1.25M students, 107K international, €310M invested to date, Central Europe's most dynamic PBSA growth market.

€800MMarket Value
14.8KPrivate PBSA Beds
10%Total Provision Rate
€200M+2025 Investment

Market at a Glance

Key performance indicators for the Polish purpose-built student accommodation sector

1.25MTotal Students359 Universities
107KIntl Students9% of total, +7.2% YoY
130KTotal Formal BedsPublic + Private
10%Total Provision Ratevs UK 60%+
€310MInvested to DateOperating + Forward
9KPipeline BedsBy 2028

Housing Supply Breakdown

Private PBSA doubled in 4 years, still only 11% share of organized supply

Public Dorms
115,300
Private PBSA
14,766
Private Rooms
340,000
Studio/1BR
125,000
Homestay
155,000

Total supply: ~750K beds | Students away from home: 800K (64%)

Monthly Private PBSA Rates by City (PLN)

Krakow commands highest premium, up to 4,000 PLN/month

Krakow
2,200-4,000
Wroclaw
2,200-3,500
Warsaw
1,400-3,300
Poznan
1,800-3,000
Gdansk
1,600-2,800
Lodz
1,400-2,400

Exchange rate: 1 EUR ≈ 4.3 PLN

Rental Growth by City (YoY %)

Lodz leads with 29% growth, Krakow +22%, strong fundamentals across all markets

Lodz
+29%
Highest
Poznan
+23%
Very High
Krakow
+22%
Very High
Gdansk
+21%
High
Wroclaw
+20%
High
Warsaw
+11%
Moderate

Supply-Demand Analysis by City

Formal bed provision analysis across Poland's major student markets

CityStudentsTotal BedsProvisionGap at 20%Priority
Warsaw261,00022,2158.5%29,985🔴 CRITICAL
Krakow130,00019,87815.3%6,122🟡 HIGH
Wroclaw106,00010,80010.2%10,400🟡 HIGH
Poznan95,0009,60010.1%9,400🟡 HIGH
Gdansk82,0007,4009.0%9,000🟡 HIGH
Lodz78,00013,20016.9%2,400🟢 MODERATE

Top Private PBSA Operators

Student Depot leads with 2,800 beds, Kajima-backed

Student Depot
2,800 (Kajima)
Xior
1,200 (Belgian)
Basecamp
1,100 (German)
The Fizz
1,000 (UC)
LivinnX
900
Solida/Xior
760 (JV)

Market Structure

Organized 17% vs Unorganized 83%, massive formalization potential

€800MMarket Value
Organized: 130K beds (17%)
Unorganized: ~620K beds (83%)
Private PBSA: 11% share of Organized Supply

Investment Activity & Pipeline

€310M invested to date, 2025 projected €200M+ (potential record year)

€310MInvested to DateOperating + Forward
€200M+2025 ProjectedRecord year
4.1KUnder Construction10 projects
9KPipeline by 2028+61% growth

Major Transactions & Pipeline 2024-2026

Kajima, Xior, The Fizz leading market expansion

The Fizz Krakow, 1,000 beds €80M
StudentSpace Krakow, 1,200 beds €60M
Xior Warsaw+Wroclaw, 600 beds €50M
Collegia Gdansk, 500 beds €40M
Zakroczymska Warsaw, 400 beds €30M

Top Universities by International %

Medical universities lead international enrollment

Med Lodz
40.0%
Med Warsaw
27.8%
Kozminski
24.7%
SGH Warsaw
23.3%
Warsaw Tech
14.1%
Jagiellonian
13.7%

Strategic Framework

Europe's fastest-growing PBSA market with favorable fundamentals

Sector SWOT Analysis

Strengths

  • 1.25M students, EU's 6th largest
  • 7.2% intl student growth YoY
  • 11-29% rental growth by city

Weaknesses

  • Only 10% total provision rate
  • Nascent private PBSA market
  • Limited institutional liquidity

Opportunities

  • Warsaw 261K students, 8.5% provision
  • Medical university premium segment
  • €200M+ investment pipeline 2025

Threats

  • Competition from established operators
  • Construction cost inflation
  • Geopolitical proximity to Ukraine

Market Risk Zones

🟢 INVEST, Priority
  • Warsaw (261K students, 8.5%)
  • Largest student population
  • Lowest provision rate
  • Institutional liquidity
🟡 INVEST, Opportunity
  • Krakow (highest rents +22%)
  • Strong intl demand
  • Premium positioning
  • StudentSpace expansion
🔴 MONITOR, Selective
  • Lodz (16.9% provision)
  • Higher provision already
  • Lower rental rates
  • Niche opportunities only

Investment Thesis

10% total provision vs UK 60%+ ensures substantial development runway; €200M+ annual investment confirms institutional interest

Student housing consulting helps developers, investors, and universities plan, design, and operate purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA). RAYSolute provides feasibility studies, market demand analysis, operator selection, and yield optimisation for student housing projects.

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