Comparison of the Financial Affordability of Dormitory and Rental Housing for Students of the Prague University of Economics and Business between 2013-2022

This diploma thesis examines the financial affordability of dormitory and rental housing for students, focusing on students at the Prague University of Economics and Business between 2013 and 2022. The analysis employs the rent-to-income and dorm-to-income indicators to assess affordability. The theoretical part explores the relationship between economics and housing, approaches to measuring housing affordability, and decision-making theories related to housing choices. In the practical part, seven representative model students are constructed based on real accommodation options available at the Prague University of Economics and Business. These profiles are then matched with corresponding dormitory units and rental apartments. A comparative analysis of financial affordability is conducted for these representative students, demonstrating that dormitory accommodation is more financially affordable than rental housing across all observed cases. This finding confirms the hypothesis: "Dormitory housing is financially more affordable than rental housing." Additionally, this thesis aimed to answer the research question: "What factors influence students' housing decisions?" This question is addressed through semi-structured interviews and an analysis of survey results. The findings indicate that the most significant factors influencing students' housing choices are price and housing security. Moderately important factors include privacy, location, and housing quality, while the least influential factors are the presence of roommates and transaction costs.