Yale Housing Costs

$11,300 On-Campus Room Typical Cost

$8,600 On-Campus Meals Typical Cost

$1,000 Books & Supplies Typical Cost

$3,420 Other Living Expenses Typical Cost

What Are the Living Expenses at Yale?

Make the best college choice by understanding the true cost of college. Start by understanding the yearly costs at Yale University.

On this page you will find:

Outline of Housing Costs
Room & Board Trends and Total Expenses
Meal Plans and Housing Requirements
References

Housing and Meal Plan Costs at Yale

Housing and meal plans are priced out separately here. The standard student paid $11,300 in 2026, and the cost of a typical dining plan was $8,600. When you add it all up, the average on-campus student at Yale University spent approximately $28,120 in 2026 in total yearly living costs beyond tuition.

The following table outlines average expected costs for on-campus housing, meals and other expenses at Yale University.

Expense	On Campus
Room and Board	$23,700
— Housing	$11,300
— Meals	$8,600
Other Living Expenses	$3,420
Books and Supplies	$1,000
Total	$28,120

Will You Spend Four Years On Campus? Estimated Four-Year Cost: $122,078

Tuition is not the only college cost that climbs each year — room and board does too. A forward look helps you avoid sticker shock later in your degree.

Carried across a typical four-year degree, room, board and other living costs add up to about $122,078 by the time you graduate.

Below is how room and board has changed across recent reported years — and where current trends point — at Yale University.

Year	Room & Board
Three Years Ago	$21,220
Two Years Ago	$21,870
One Year Ago	$22,600
Most Recent Year (2026)	$23,700
One Year From Now *	$24,623
Two Years From Now *	$25,582
Three Years From Now *	$26,579
Four Years From Now *	$27,614

* estimated

Room and board changed an average of 3.9% annually. Carrying that rate forward one year puts on-campus living costs near $29,043 in their first year.

At this pace, a senior would spend approximately $32,034 in year four — and a two-year student about $30,002 in the final year of a two-year (associate) degree.

Over a four-year stay, the projected room, board and living-cost total is about $122,078 for four years, or about $59,045 over a two-year associate program.