Coliving segment to add 1 million beds by 2030: Colliers report

The sector’s resurgence is being fueled by urbanization and migration to cities, especially amongst students and young professionals who continue to seek flexible, relatively affordable, community-driven, and hassle-free housing options.

Currently, the coliving sector has an inventory of around 3 lakh beds, making up only about 5% of the total penetration. As the inventory is set to reach close to 1 million beds by 2030, penetration rates can significantly improve from 5% to over 10% by the end of the decade, the report said. Coliving penetration represents the ratio of organized inventory (in terms of beds) and the demand for coliving accommodation within the target population, primarily urban migrants, including students and young working professionals, the Colliers report said.

As of 2025, the demand for coliving beds is estimated to be 6.6 million and is forecasted to reach 9.1 million by 2030, it said. The demand is estimated by projecting the urban migrant population aged 20–34, primarily relocating to urban areas for employment and studies.

“Significant upside potential is anticipated to provide thrust to investor participation and operator expansion in the co-living sector. Resultantly, we expect market penetration to double from 5% currently to over 10% by 2030. In fact, the coming years will be crucial in shaping a more structured, scalable, and investment-ready co-living ecosystem in India,” said Badal Yagnik, Chief Executive Officer, Colliers India.

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Coliving provides a rental cost advantage of 20–35% compared to traditional rental options

Colliers said that as of April 2025, a comparison of rents between single-occupancy coliving facilities and traditional 1 BHK units indicates a rental cost advantage of up to 35%.

In Bengaluru, monthly rents for coliving spaces range from ₹11,700 to ₹23,700 for single occupancy, while 1BHK units cost between ₹15,500 and ₹36,500, it noted

In Mumbai, coliving rents are around ₹15,200 to ₹27,500 per month, compared to ₹19,000 to ₹42,000 for a 1BHK. In Delhi-NCR, coliving rents range from ₹11,300 to ₹24,000, whereas 1BHK rentals are between ₹15,000 and ₹37,000 per month, the report said.

“Leading operators have collectively raised capital to the tune of $1 billion since inception (2015 onwards), underscoring investor confidence and long-term growth potential. Institutional investors, too, are increasingly viewing coliving as an attractive asset class, with returns closer to 10%, significantly higher than the 2-5% yield of traditional residential assets,” the report said.

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Demand-supply gap in student housing pose opportunities within the coliving sector

While coliving facilities are targeted at both students and migrant working professionals alike, student housing is an important sub-segment within the coliving sector.

A significant proportion of higher education students enrolled in India are out-of-station students who require accommodation facilities near their institutions, Colliers said.

As per the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), during FY2021-22, accommodation facilities provided by colleges and universities could cater to approximately 4 million students, merely 35-40% of the demand and resulting in a significant demand-supply mismatch. As of 2025, the demand for student-living accommodation is estimated to be around 12 million.

“The acute demand and supply gap necessitates the need for quality, affordable accommodation, especially as more students migrate to cities for higher education. It also presents immense opportunities for student housing-focused operators to foray into the market with professionally managed, student-centric housing solutions that can alleviate supply-side constraints and support the evolving needs of India’s student population,” the report added.