"With such high rent, plus living expenses, my son will use up two-thirds of our family's income each month," says the 45-year-old Lan from Hai Phong.

Since the end of August, Lan has been in Hanoi searching for accommodation for her son. Her plan was to find a self-contained room near the university for around 3 million VND.

But the reality shocked her. Even rundown rooms in remote alleys cost 6 million VND. Cheaper options were 7-8 km from the university, inconvenient for her son. University dormitories were not an option as her family doesn't qualify for priority placement.

After two days of searching, she settled for a 7 million VND room in a service apartment building on Giai Phong Street.

The rent equals Lan's entire monthly income from selling fish and is double her husband's security guard salary. Adding living expenses, the family must support their son with 10 million VND monthly, two-thirds of their total income. Compared to 10 years ago, when her daughter started university and rent was 1-1.5 million VND, the financial pressure now keeps Lan awake at night.

"He’s looking for roommates to share the cost," Lan says. "If that doesn't work, maybe once he’s familiar with the area, he'll have to find a place further away."

Bich Ngoc (in black), 45, from Nghe An, searches for a room with her daughter in Hanoi's Thanh Xuan ward on 9/9/2025. Photo: Nga Thanh

Bich Ngoc (in black), 45, from Nghe An, searches for a room with her daughter in Hanoi's Thanh Xuan ward on 9/9/2025. Photo: Nga Thanh

Lan's family is not alone. Bich Ngoc, 45, from Nghe An, also just secured a 7 million VND room in Trieu Khuc for her daughter, a freshman at the University of Transport Technology, to share with two friends.

"Even finding a place for 5 million VND a month is difficult, and the available ones are cramped," Ngoc said after days of searching with two other parents. The three families decided to pool their money for a room with bunk beds and amenities, even though their children's universities are far apart.

With a monthly income of nearly 20 million VND, Ngoc anticipates only being able to cover her daughter's rent for the first six months.

Lan and Ngoc’s stories are not isolated cases this academic year. A VnExpress survey from August to September shows that Hanoi's rental prices have increased by 5-20%. Self-contained rooms of 15-20 m2 are renting for 4-6 million VND per month, a 25% increase from last year. Rooms under 2 million VND have all but disappeared.

In areas with many universities like Bach Mai, Thanh Xuan, and Cau Giay, rooms of 25-30 m2 range from 4.5-5.2 million VND. Mini apartments rent for 7-8 million VND, excluding utilities like electricity (4,000-4,500 VND/kWh), water (100,000-120,000 VND/person), internet, and other service fees.

Dinh Thanh, a rental agent in Cau Giay and Thanh Xuan, reports that rental demand since mid-August has doubled or tripled compared to last year. The most sought-after rooms are 25-30 m2, with a kitchen, washing machine, balcony, and private bathroom, costing 6-9 million VND monthly. "This year, many newly built mini apartments with modern designs have higher prices and are 'sold out' within hours of being listed," Thanh says.

Explaining the price increase, Hoa Hien, manager of a mini apartment building on Hoang Ngan Street (Thanh Xuan), says all costs, from repairs and materials to utilities, have risen. Investments in fire safety systems have also increased, forcing her to raise rents by 500,000 to 1 million VND per room.

Official statistics support this trend. According to the General Statistics Office, the consumer price index (CPI) in August increased by 3.24% year-on-year. Rental prices rose by nearly 7%, and maintenance materials and repair services by almost 9%. Similarly, data from Batdongsan shows that in July, interest in rental properties in Hanoi increased by 11%, with rents up 10-15% compared to March.

Income growth has not kept pace with rising housing costs. The General Statistics Office's 2024 survey on living standards shows that average urban income reached 9.9 million VND per person in Quarter II, an 8.4% year-on-year increase.

According to financial expert Lam Tuan (Hanoi), the rise in rents is due to several factors: high operating costs, a surge in demand during the back-to-school season creating a supply-demand imbalance, and some landlords "taking advantage" to increase prices. "This creates significant pressure. The biggest concern is that rent makes up too large a proportion of family budgets," Tuan analyzes.

According to Tuan, the average monthly expense for a student from outside Hanoi can reach 10 million VND, equal to or exceeding their parents' income back home. The pressure is not only financial but also psychological, making many students feel guilty.

For better financial management, Tuan advises families to carefully calculate expenses before the school year starts. Parents should remain calm as the first month or two usually have higher costs. After their child finds roommates or becomes familiar with the area, expenses will likely decrease.

"Consider this an investment in your child's education and personal growth. At the same time, students need to learn to be independent and manage their spending wisely to understand the value of money," Tuan says.

The rental price shock led Nguyen Van, 49, from Ha Tinh, to consider transferring his son to another university. After days struggling to find a room within his 2-2.5 million VND budget, only finding dilapidated and moldy options, he reluctantly placed his son in a dormitory. The 750,000 VND per month room houses eight students, sharing a small bathroom and with no cooking facilities.

"Living expenses in the capital are too high. I can't bear to see my son living in such difficult conditions, but we can't afford expensive rent," Van says.

Nga Thanh - Quynh Nguyen