Cheapest Student Housing Near ASU Tempe (Under $800/month)

Finding Affordable Housing Near ASU Without Losing Your Mind

Let's be honest: rent near ASU Tempe has gotten expensive. The shiny purpose-built student complexes on Apache Boulevard and University Drive charge $1,000+ for a private room in a shared unit. If your budget is $700–$800/month, you need a different strategy.

The good news: affordable housing near ASU still exists. You just have to look harder and move faster.

Why It's Harder Than It Used to Be

A lot of older, cheaper apartment stock near campus has been replaced by newer student-focused developments. But the older complexes haven't all disappeared — they've just gotten harder to find because they don't have the Instagram presence.

Also worth noting: under $800/month near ASU almost always means one of these scenarios:

A shared room (two people in one bedroom)
A room in a house with multiple roommates
An older complex further from campus (east of Rural Road, or south toward Guadalupe)
A sublet deal

Where to Actually Look

ASU List — the free student marketplace — is the best source for rooms in houses and sublets near campus. Listings are student-to-student, which means the prices are real and you're not dealing with corporate leasing offices.

Apache Blvd east of Rural Road has older apartment buildings with lower rents than the campus-adjacent complexes. You're further from the main campus core but still on the Light Rail line.

South Tempe residential streets (toward Guadalupe Road) have rental houses where students rent individual rooms. Rents can be $650–$800/month with utilities included. The trade-off is you need a bike or car for most campus trips.

University Drive west of Rural Road has a mix of older condos and apartment buildings. Not as flashy, but functional and closer to the western side of campus.

Roommate Houses: The Real Budget Play

If you're flexible about your living situation, renting a room in a house with 3–4 roommates is the most reliable way to get under $800/month near ASU. A 4-bedroom house in Tempe renting for $2,400–$2,800/month splits to $600–$700/person. Add utilities and you're usually still under $800.

The catch: finding trustworthy roommates is the hard part. ASU List, the ASU subreddit, and Facebook housing groups are your best bets. Be direct about your lifestyle and expectations upfront to avoid drama later.

Sublets: Short-Term Savings

Students studying abroad or doing internships elsewhere often sublet their rooms for a semester. These deals are frequently below market rate because the original tenant just wants rent covered. Summer sublets in particular can be dramatically cheap — some students are so eager to cover rent during summer that they'll sublet at cost or below.

Check ASU List's subletting section in March and April for the best summer sublet inventory.

Older Complexes Worth Checking

Don't sleep on the less-marketed older complexes:

Smaller complexes on Apache Blvd between Mill Ave and Rural Road
Older buildings on University Drive
Tempe-side complexes near Tempe Town Lake that don't market specifically to students

These require more legwork — drive around, look for "For Rent" signs, call directly — but the prices are often $100–$200/month lower than anything you'll find on major listing sites.

Red Flags on Budget Listings

Rent is dramatically below everything else in the area (scam warning)
Landlord is "out of town" and wants you to pay before seeing the unit
No lease offered, just a handshake deal
Utilities are billed separately with no cap (can make a "cheap" place expensive)

The Bottom Line

Under $800/month near ASU is achievable but requires flexibility, speed, and some creativity. Start your search early — at least 3 months before your move-in date — and use ASU List to find student-to-student deals that don't show up on Zillow.