PG vs Hostels

PG vs Hostels – the toughest question when you’re moving to a new city, (besides the other tough question – should I pack my shampoo or not?). After all, your pg or hostel isn’t just a place for you to dump your things, but a place where you’ll be spending most of your time in the coming months or years. The place should match your vibe and the overall environment should help you focus 100% on your work. So to answer the PG vs hostel question, ask yourself if you prefer to live by yourself, or with four others? Do you have to spend a thousand bucks on data packs every month, or does your rent cover it? And most importantly, if you get regular meals or you have to choose between Maggi and Wai Wai for dinner?

Key Highlights of PGs and Hostels

Factor	PG	Hostel
About	A PG is somewhere between a hostel and a rented apartment	A hostel is dedicated to community living, and while that’s fun, some of them lack even the most basic amenities.
Cost	PGs are more expensive than hostels and sometimes may even have extra hidden costs.	Hostel fees are quite affordable. But low rents often come with low quality.
Security	PGs might or might not have good security, so make sure you enquire about it properly before moving in.	College hostels usually have security guards on duty throughout the night but private hostels might not.
Flexibility	They usually have flexible curfews which can be extended on special occasions upon request.	To get curfew extensions, you need the permission of a parent or local guardian (yeah, good luck with that).
Privacy	There’s an ample amount of privacy, especially if you take a single room.	You can forget about privacy. There’ll be noise 24*7 (sometimes, even during exam time)
Cleanliness	While most PGs maintain a clean environment, there are a few exceptions that don’t keep their premises clean.	Cleanliness and hygiene in a hostel? Ghost stories are more believable, bro.
Amenities	While some PGs have a lot of amenities, some others lack the most basic ones like meals and wifi.	College hostels provide only the bare minimum – a bed, a study table and a fan.
Networking	Regular PGs don’t have the feeling of community. People mostly stay in their rooms and study.	They say that staying in a hostel equals making friends for life. Truer words have not been said.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Hostels and PGs

No PG or hostel is perfect. But the idea is to pick a place with the least amount of drawbacks. Here are some pointers that might help you settle the hostel vs PG debate:

• Hostels cost less than PGs, but on the other hand, PGs afford you more privacy than hostels
• PGs usually offer better security & amenities when compared to hostels
• PGs are way less community-oriented than hostels and offer almost no scope for networking
• Food in a hostel mess is a thing of nightmares whereas PGs usually provide simple but tasty meals
• PG owners are more answerable to your queries than hostel admins, simply due to the high number of students living in them.
• Some PGs have laundry and housekeeping facilities, but hostels do not have such options and students need to do everything on their own.

What are PGs and Their Advantages?

A PG or paying guest accommodation is one step above a hostel and one below a rented apartment. You pay rent to your PG uncle or aunty and they provide you with a space and basic amenities like wifi and AC (and maybe even regular meals, if you’re lucky).

Advantages of a PG:

• PGs are usually quite affordable, somewhere between 6k-10k per month, depending on if you opt for a single, double, or triple sharing room.
• A good PG comes with many facilities. Basic facilities like wifi and meals are provided by the landlord.
• College students usually have endless exams and assignments to submit every week, and the PG environment is great for them to focus on since there aren’t too many people in a room and there’s enough personal space as well.
• The home-like atmosphere since they’re mostly owned and managed by families. You won’t feel as homesick and won’t have to call your mother for every little thing.

Disadvantages of a PG:

• While only the basic facilities are provided, electricity costs are not included in it. And they can sometimes be quite heavy on the pocket, especially when you spend chilling in the AC for hours during the summer months.
• You must sign a lease of at least 11 months. So if you leave midway, you can forget about getting your security deposit back.
• The owner has the final say when it comes to any matter related to the PG. Warning: this can take a negative turn as well and can create conflicts.

What are Hostels and Their Advantages?

Living in a hostel is probably the most romanticised part of college life, all thanks to Bollywood. But not everything is as happening as the movies suggest, and hostels have their fair share of cons along with the pros.

Advantages of a Hostel:

• Most cost-efficient option when it comes to accommodation, especially for people who can’t afford to empty their wallet on things like rent and utilities.
• Since a lot of students stay together, there’s a sense of community. So you won’t miss your friends back home as much.
• Most hostels have a mess facility that serves three meals a day.
• No dealing with landlords or flat brokers, or spending extra money on electricity, security deposit, or brokerage.

Disadvantages of a Hostel:

• Although the annual fee of govt hostels is less compared to PGs and rented apartments, the deposit has to be submitted all at once.
• Noisiness and lack of private space that comes with sharing a space with so many other people. Imagine trying to study for a test and your roommate is blasting rap songs on his speaker.
• Unhygienic environment! You have to share a room with not just your friends, but cockroaches and bugs too. Or worse – big, dirty rats.

So, which is better – Hostel or PG?

Actually, the question should be – which is better than both a hostel and PG? The answer is coliving. The perfect balance between PGs and hostels, co-living residences like Stanza Living give you the privacy of the former and the community of the latter. They offer not just fully furnished rooms and home-like meals, but also other amenities like professional housekeeping, 24*7 electricity, tech-enabled security that most PGs or hostels probably won’t. And movie nights, fitness centers, and gaming tournaments – things that most PGs or hostels definitely won’t.

FAQs on PG vs Hostel