En-Suite vs Shared Bathroom: The £2,500 Decision Nobody Talks About
Let's talk about the biggest hidden decision in student accommodation.
En-suite or shared bathroom?
Sounds simple. But over a 51-week contract, the difference is £2,000-3,000. That's a holiday. That's 6 months of groceries. That's the difference between comfortable and stressed.
I've analyzed prices across our entire database to give you the real numbers.
The Real Price Difference
| Room Type | Typical Price | Annual Cost (51 weeks) |
|---|---|---|
| Shared Bathroom | £79-120/week | £4,029-6,120 |
| En-Suite | £127-180/week | £6,477-9,180 |
| Studio | £180-350/week | £9,180-17,850 |
The gap: En-suite costs £48-60/week more than shared bathroom on average. That's £2,448-3,060 per year.
What You Actually Get
Shared Bathroom
- Bathroom shared with 3-6 other people
- Usually larger bedroom (providers know they're saving on plumbing)
- Communal cleaning in most halls
- Traditional "student experience"
En-Suite
- Private bathroom attached to your room
- Usually a "wet room" (shower, toilet, sink in one space)
- You clean it yourself
- More privacy
The Hidden Trade-Offs Nobody Mentions
✅ Shared Bathroom Advantages
- • £2,500+ cheaper per year
- • Bigger bedroom (15-20% more space)
- • Communal cleaning included
- • Force yourself to socialise
- • Real bathtub (usually) vs tiny shower
- • Easier to find last-minute
✅ En-Suite Advantages
- • Complete privacy
- • No waiting for shower
- • Your own hygiene standards
- • No awkward encounters
- • Better for introverts
- • Essential if early classes
The Stuff Reddit Mentions That Websites Don't:
"Shared bathroom was fine until I had 8am lectures. 6 people, 1 bathroom, everyone leaving at 7:30. I was late so many times."
"En-suite wet rooms are TINY. Like, can't fully extend your arms tiny. And they get mouldy fast if you don't ventilate."
"The social thing is real. Shared bathroom = you see people. En-suite = you can go days without bumping into flatmates."
"My shared bathroom was cleaned twice a week by staff. En-suite means I have to actually clean, which... didn't happen much."
Who Should Pick What?
🛁 Choose Shared Bathroom If...
- ✅ Budget is your priority (save £2,500/year)
- ✅ You're a first-year wanting to socialise
- ✅ You don't have early morning classes
- ✅ You're not fussy about cleaning schedules
- ✅ You want a bigger bedroom
- ✅ You miss having a proper bathtub
🚿 Choose En-Suite If...
- ✅ You have 9am classes regularly
- ✅ You're a postgraduate/mature student
- ✅ You have specific hygiene needs
- ✅ Privacy is non-negotiable for you
- ✅ You're an introvert who needs alone time
- ✅ You have the budget (check maintenance loan coverage)
The Maintenance Loan Reality Check
Here's the brutal math for 2026/26:
Maximum maintenance loan (London): £13,762/year Maximum maintenance loan (elsewhere): £10,227/year
Shared bathroom (avg): £5,000/year = 49% of max loan En-suite (avg): £7,500/year = 73% of max loan
If you're getting the reduced loan (household income >£25k), en-suite might eat 90%+ of your maintenance loan. That's not sustainable.
💡 The Smart Strategy
Calculate what percentage of your maintenance loan goes to rent. Over 50%? Shared bathroom keeps you financially sane. Under 40%? En-suite is more affordable than you think.
My Verdict
First years: Start with shared bathroom. Seriously. The social benefit is real, and you'll save thousands while figuring out what actually matters to you.
Second/third years: If first year was fine with shared, stick with it. If you hated it, now's the time to upgrade.
Postgrads: En-suite. You're older, you have different priorities, and your schedule is probably more demanding.
Anyone on a tight budget: Shared bathroom. The £2,500 difference is too significant to ignore.
Compare room types across properties →
Prices based on national averages from our database of 1,334 properties, January 2026.