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Maryland-in-Barcelona Housing Options Overview

Choosing where you live in Barcelona is a key part of your study abroad experience. Your housing will shape your daily routine, cultural immersion, independence, and community connections.

As you explore your options, consider:

  • What level of independence are you looking for?
  • How important is cultural immersion in your housing environment?
  • Do you want to live with local or international students?
  • What is your housing budget?
  • How will your housing support your personal and academic goals?

Students are encouraged to explore the program map below. Placements vary by term and availability.

Check out the Maryland-in-Barcelona Google Map to get an idea of where everything is located on our program including some examples of locations students have been previously housed in (NOTE: locations of housing vary by term and availability). 

Housing Options

UMD housing (billed through Testudo)

  1. Residencia (student residences)
  2. Pisos (apartments)
  3. Homestay

Independent housing (paid for out-of-pocket)

  1. Independent Housing


UMD Housing

From the UMD housing survey, feedback clearly demonstrates that UMD housing significantly enhances the Maryland-in-Barcelona experience. Here's why:

  • Convenience & Independence: Students praised having their own kitchens and laundry units – fostering autonomy in a new culture.
  • Cultural Immersion: Homestay participants and those in local neighborhoods enjoyed direct engagement with Spanish and Catalan culture.
  • Safety & Support: Students felt safe and consistently noted how responsive and helpful the support staff were.
  • Community Building: Several mentioned bonding with roommates, a concierge who supported them, and participating in organized trips—building both peer connections and cultural understanding.

    One student said: "I became best friends with my random roommates. The abroad team was was very kind and caring and attentive. Every single one of them was friendly, welcoming, and never failed to make us feel comfortable."

1. Residencias

Residencias offer a structured yet social living environment with a mix of Spanish, American, and international students. You can think of a residencia as a third-party managed dorm-hotel. Our current partner in Barcelona is Beyoo. 

Key Features

  • Private single bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms
  • Shared kitchens and common spaces
  • Amenities include study rooms, gym, terrace and rooftop pool, laundry room, and media spaces
  • 24/7 security and on-site staff

Why Students Choose Residencias

  • Built-in opportunities to meet international peers
  • Private bedroom and bathroom
  • Strong balance of independence and support
  • On-site amenities

While residencias are social spaces, students often spend much of their time exploring the city.

Estimated Cost
Approximately $5,200 per semester

Photos of the Residencia are located in this album.
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2. Pisos

A Piso is a Spanish apartment that aligns with the Spanish standards of living. Pisos are reserved for UMD students on the program and include a mix of single and double bedrooms, a kitchen, washing machine, dining and living room, and bathroom(s). Pisos provide a more independent, local living experience. Students in the piso will live in an apartment building that is a mix of other student apartments and local families.
Key Features

  • Shared apartments (typically 4–6 students)
  • Fully equipped kitchens
  • Weekly cleaning of common areas
  • Located in residential neighborhoods
  • Include kitchenware, cutlery, linens and towels.


On this program, we offer two different apartment types:

1. Standard Pisos: A standard piso has the basic amenities in any Spanish apartment. Most noticeably, the apartment will not have air conditioning - a normal for most Spanish apartments. Spaces in the standard apartments will be limited for Spring 2027 due to lack of availability.
Estimated Cost

  • Approximately $2,000 - 3,500 per semester


Should limiting cost not be a priority for you, you might consider the upgraded option.

Sample photos of standard pisos can be located in this album.

2. Upgraded Pisos: Upgraded pisos are a bit more modern and have air conditioning. Most students can expect to be placed in a double bedroom but some units will have single bedrooms.

Estimated Cost

  • Approximately $3,500 - $5,300 per semester

Sample photos of upgraded pisos below:
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Upgraded Pisos Barcelona

 

All costs and availability subject to change.
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3. Homestay

Homestays offer the deepest level of cultural immersion by living with a local Spanish host family.

Key Features

  • Private room in a family home
  • Two meals per day (Monday–Friday)
  • Daily Spanish language practice
  • Cultural integration into family life

Why Students Choose Homestay

  • Accelerated language development
  • Firsthand exposure to Spanish and Catalan culture
  • Strong personal connections

Important Considerations

  • Students must adapt to family routines and expectations
  • Meals, schedules, and communication styles may differ from the U.S.
  • Respect and flexibility are essential

Estimated Cost

  • Approximately $4,500 per semester

 
Your family receives a monthly fixed amount of money, which covers your room and two meals per day, Monday through Friday. Should you choose to follow a specific diet and require different types of food (in quality or quantity), you may be charged additionally for this. Furthermore, the family might choose not to accommodate your requests, in which case you will be asked to move to a different host family.

Overview:

  • provide you with a comfortable single room with a bed, closet, desk, window and access to a bathroom
  • provide you with two meals per day, Monday through Friday
  • integrate you in the family’s activities
  • treat you as a member of the family, give you support, and assist you during your first days in Spain
  • not expect you to clean the rest of the house, run errands, baby-sit or teach English, although they will expect you to clean your room and keep the bathroom(s) tidy. 
  • speak with you in Spanish at all times.
  • serve as the primary emergency contact and notify the Barcelona team immediately, should you have an emergency.

Laundry
Your host mother is not expected to do your laundry. You need to establish one day a week when you can do your own laundry at home. You are expected to purchase your own laundry detergent and care for your own clothes. Note that due to the high cost of electricity, it’s most common to hang clothes to dry, not to use a dryer. You may find that many (if not most) homes are not equipped with dryers!

All costs and availability subject to change.​

 

Additional important information about ALL Maryland housing options:
 

  • Assignments:
    • We do our best to accommodate student preferences, however we cannot guarantee any particular assignment. Please take time to review your housing preferences CAREFULLY before submitting the form. Later changes may impact your order.
  • Billing:
    • All students who choose Maryland housing will be billed on their Testudo account for housing shortly after prices have been finalized and assignments shared. All costs and availability subject to change and any updates will be shared by the EA advisor. The amount billed will correspond with their specific housing assignment, however the billed amount will align with the fee ranges shared, but will vary slightly due to finalized price conversions. In the event that a student causes damage to their accommodations, a fee will be charged to the student’s Testudo account for repairs. 
    • Students must be mindful of their utilities usage (app. 45 euros per student per month). If students go over their allotted utilities usages, they will be charged the difference after the program. Bills for utilities may be received months after the program has ended. Students receive reminders if their usage is approaching the allotted usage amounts. 
  • Commuting:
    • Barcelona has an extensive public transportation network that many locals use to navigate the city.  All housing placements will be public transportation accessible, allowing students to commute from their accommodations to class. A typical commute in Barcelona by public transportation is about 30 – 50 minutes, so our students should expect a similar commute to and from class.

 

4. Independent Housing

Students participating in the Maryland-in-Barcelona program can choose to opt out of using UMD's housing services and seek their own housing accommodations. This is not the case for all Maryland administered programs. 

Choosing housing outside of the three UMD options can be challenging as there are many different organizations offering short term housing options in Barcelona. The University of Maryland has a couple vetted partners* of which we have a relationship with:

The majority of options from the listed vetted partners are apartment-style accommodations where you would lease a private bedroom in a unit. You might find some places offer a co-living concept with several community spaces. Some partners have full apartments available for 3-5+ occupants which is ideal for larger groups of friends. Housing, as one can imagine, is in high demand in Barcelona. Students pursuing independent housing should book accommodation as soon as possible after program acceptance and commitment. Should you be looking for an apartment for 6+ people, you might have limitations in finding an available unit from our list of vetted partners.

Students going to Barcelona without knowing more than 1 to 2 students to live with should strongly consider the UMD housing options that would allow them to live with other Terps.

*The University of Maryland does not manage any of the properties from the list of companies above.​