Harvard Housing Costs
What is the Cost of Living at Harvard University ?
Did you know there are additional costs besides tuition to attend college? Consider how much extra the cost of living is at Harvard .
On this page you will find:
- Outline of Housing Costs
- Room & Board Trends and Total Expenses
- Meal Plans and Housing Requirements
- Housing Costs Comparison
- References
Harvard Room and Board Expenses
In 2020, students at Harvard spent $10,927 for housing and $6,755 for the dining plan.
Understand what the costs at Harvard University are going to be for dining, on-campus housing and additional charges by examining the next table.
Expense | On Campus |
---|---|
Room and Board | $18,389 |
— Housing | $10,927 |
— Meals | $6,755 |
Other Living Expenses | $2,600 |
Books and Supplies | $900 |
Total | $21,889 |
Over Four Years You Could Spend About $90,650 for Housing, Food and Other Stuff
In the past five years, Harvard meal plans and housing costs have changed 3.3% each year on average, compared to a nationwide average change of 2.4%. If the latest developments go on, incoming first year students in 2021 will be charged about $22,126 in housing, meals and additional expenses in the first year of attendance. Those individuals would end up spending around $22,439 in their second year, and $23,264 in their 4th year.
The room and board total over four years will be approximately $90,650; for just two years it would be about $44,565.

* estimated
More on Your Campus Living Situation
Are you wondering whether you may be required to live on campus? If you are a first-time full-time student, some schools may require it. See the table below to find out whether Harvard does or not, as well as the on-campus housing capacity.
Question | Answer |
---|---|
Are Freshmen Required to Live on Campus? | Yes |
On-Campus Housing Capacity | 13,621 |
Room & Board Costs Higher Than Average
Harvard students spend $21,889 to stay on campus, while the average student nationwide will pay only $14,951.

Find Out More About Harvard University
Related Schools
If you’re considering Harvard University, here are some more schools you may be interested in knowing more about.
Curious on how these schools stack up against Harvard? Pit them head to head with College Combat, our free interactive tool that lets you compare colleges on the features that matter most to you!
Check out the following matchups:
- Harvard University vs. Amherst College
- Harvard University vs. Bowdoin College
- Harvard University vs. Dartmouth College
- Harvard University vs. University of Pennsylvania
- Harvard University vs. Vanderbilt University
References
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Image Credit: By Elisa.rolle under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.