Cost of living for students in Lithuania
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change — confirm anything important with the official source linked below and your university's international office.
Plan for roughly €350–€700 a month as a student in Lithuania, all-in. Where you land depends mostly on your city and whether you take a dorm room or rent a private flat — Vilnius is the priciest, Kaunas and Klaipėda are cheaper.
A realistic monthly budget
These are typical student ranges drawn from university and study-portal figures (all in euro — Lithuania has used the euro since 2015). Your real number depends on the city, your housing choice and your lifestyle.
| Item | Typical monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Accommodation (dorm) | €70–€250 |
| Accommodation (private flat, your share) | €150–€350+ |
| Food and groceries | €150–€300 |
| Public transport (with student discount) | €7–€14 |
| Utilities, phone and internet | €30–€120 |
| Study materials | €20–€50 |
| Leisure and the rest | €80–€250 |
A frugal dorm-based month in a cheaper city can sit near €350; a private flat in central Vilnius with an active social life pushes past €700. For reference, €350–€700unverified is a common all-in estimate — useful when planning, not a guarantee.
Vilnius vs Kaunas: the city changes the maths
City choice is the second-biggest lever after your housing type. Food, transport and bills are broadly similar nationwide, so the difference is driven almost entirely by rent.
| Vilnius | Kaunas | |
|---|---|---|
| Dorm room (per month) | €70–€250 | €70–€210 |
| Private 1-bed, outside centre | ~€500–€600 | ~€350–€450 |
| Room in a shared flat | €150–€350 | €120–€280 |
| Student monthly transport pass | heavily discounted (~€7.60) | from ~€14 |
If you rent privately, Kaunas can save you €100–€200 a month versus a like-for-like Vilnius flat; if you land a dorm place the gap shrinks, because dorm prices overlap. For the full side-by-side breakdown, see Vilnius vs Kaunas: where can a student live more cheaply?.
Rent is the swing factor
- University dormitories are the cheapest option, often €70–€250 a month, and usually include bills. Apply early through your university's international office — places are limited.
- Private flats cost far more. A one-bedroom in central Vilnius can run roughly €700–€800; outside the centre, €500–€600 (and clearly less in Kaunas). Sharing a flat with other students splits this and is how most internationals keep costs down — a room in a shared flat is often €150–€350.
- Utilities (heating, electricity, water, internet) are often extra with a private flat and rise sharply in winter — budget for it.
Split the rent
Sharing a 2–3 bedroom flat usually beats both a private studio and a dorm on comfort-per-euro. Lithuanian winters are cold, so check what heating costs the previous tenants paid before you sign.
Transport is genuinely cheap
In Vilnius (JUDU), a standard 30-day ticket is €38, but with the student 80% discount it drops to about €7.60 (as of 2026 — confirm on judu.lt). Single trips are also heavily discounted.
The discount is not automatic for everyone:
- EU/EEA/Swiss students and holders of a Lithuanian residence permit qualify with a student ID or ISIC card (as of 2026 — see isic.lt).
- You may need to show your ISIC/student ID plus proof of citizenship or your residence permit when checked.
- Kaunas runs its own ticketing, but the student discount principle is similar.
How the path differs
EU / EEA / Swiss students
No proof-of-funds requirement to enter, and you can register residence rather than apply for a permit. You still budget the same living costs — but you skip the funds threshold below.
Non-EU degree students
You must show you can support yourself for your stay when applying for a temporary residence permit (TRP). The subsistence requirement is tied to the minimum monthly wage and is set per month, so the total scales with how long your permit covers.
- Monthly subsistence guide: €576.50unverified
- Proof of funds for a 12-month stay: ≈ €8,071unverified
Confirm the funds figure before you rely on it
The subsistence amount and the exact proof-of-funds total are set by the migration authority and change (the minimum wage resets every January). Treat the figures above as estimates and verify the current requirement and accepted proof on migracija.lt before booking flights or moving money.
Erasmus / exchange students
Your home grant plus the EU Erasmus+ top-up usually covers a Lithuanian student budget comfortably, since living costs here are below much of Western Europe. You generally don't face the non-EU funds threshold, but you still pay rent, food and transport like everyone else.
Can you afford the whole degree?
A single month is easy to underestimate; the real question is whether the full programme stacks up. Multiply your monthly living cost across the academic year and the degree, then add tuition on top.
- Living costs alone: at €350–€700unverified a month, a 10-month academic year runs roughly €3,500–€7,000, before tuition. A three-year bachelor's is three to four times that in living costs.
- Tuition is separate and varies widely by programme and university — confirm the exact fee with your university, as it sits on top of everything above.
- One-off arrival costs (deposit, first month's rent, flights, residence-permit fees, room basics) come before your routine spending and can total several hundred euros.
For non-EU students, the migration authority also expects proof you can fund the whole stay (see below), so the affordability test is both practical and legal.
Stress-test before you commit
Budget the realistic top of the range, not the bottom. A plan that only works at €350 a month leaves no room for a rent rise, a cold winter or a euro that does not stretch as far as you hoped. Aim to have a buffer beyond the bare minimum.
Trimming the budget
- Take a dorm or shared flat — housing is where the real money goes.
- Always buy the discounted monthly transport ticket, not single fares.
- Cook at home; eating out regularly is the fastest way to blow past €700.
- Get your ISIC/student card early for transport, museum and some shop discounts.
- Check whether your university offers tuition or stipend support for strong students.
Plan for a buffer
Build in a one-off arrival cushion — deposit, first month's rent, residence permit fees and basics for your room can easily total several hundred euros before your routine spending even starts.
Frequently asked
How much does it cost to live in Lithuania as a student per month?+
Most students spend roughly €350–€700 a month all-in, with dorm rooms running about €70–€250. A dorm plus careful spending sits near the bottom; renting a private flat in central Vilnius pushes you toward the top.
Is Vilnius more expensive than Kaunas or Klaipėda?+
Yes, mainly because of rent. Food, transport and bills are broadly similar across cities, but a flat in Vilnius can cost noticeably more than the same flat in Kaunas or Klaipėda.
Do international students get a public transport discount?+
An 80% discount on time-based (e.g. 30-day) tickets is available with a student ID or ISIC card, but the discount depends on your citizenship and residence status — EU/EEA/Swiss students and holders of a Lithuanian residence permit qualify.
How much money do I need to show for a student residence permit?+
Non-EU students must prove enough funds to support themselves for the whole stay. The amount is tied to the minimum wage and changes — confirm the current figure and method on migracija.lt before you rely on it.
Can I cover my costs by working part-time?+
Many students do, but work hours for non-EU students are capped and the rules can change. Treat any job as a top-up, not your main plan, and verify the current limit before counting on the income.