Chennai, May 3 (IANS) Students and working professionals staying in hostels and paying guest (PG) accommodations across Tamil Nadu are set to face higher living expenses, as operators have increased rents by around 10 per cent following a sharp rise in commercial LPG cylinder prices and overall cooking costs.

According to an official communication issued by a state-level association of IT hostel and PG owners, the revised rental rates will come into effect from May 5. The increase reflects mounting operational expenses, particularly in food preparation, which has become significantly costlier over the past few months.

Under the revised structure, monthly tariffs for non-air-conditioned accommodations have been standardised within a new baseline range. Four-sharing rooms are now priced between Rs 6,500 and Rs 7,500, while three-sharing rooms range from Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000. Two-sharing accommodations are expected to cost between Rs 8,000 and Rs 9,000.

Operators have indicated that actual rents may vary depending on factors such as location, amenities, and demand. The price escalation has been largely attributed to the steep increase in the cost of 19-kg commercial LPG cylinders.

Rates have more than doubled in recent months, significantly impacting hostel kitchens that depend heavily on gas for large-scale food preparation. In addition to official price hikes, supply constraints have reportedly pushed many operators to procure cylinders at much higher rates through informal channels. In an attempt to manage costs, several hostel operators had temporarily shifted to alternative cooking methods such as firewood. However, rising prices of these substitutes have made them unsustainable, forcing operators to pass on the burden to residents through rent hikes and service reductions.

The state is estimated to have over 20,000 hostels accommodating nearly 20 lakh residents, with Chennai alone accounting for a substantial share.

The impact of rising costs is already visible, with some hostels scaling back food services or discontinuing certain items that require higher fuel consumption.

Residents have begun feeling the strain of these changes, particularly those dependent on in-house food services.

In several cases, occupants have had to rely on outside food options or packaged meals, adding to their monthly expenses. Additionally, some establishments have increased maintenance charges, further compounding the financial pressure on tenants.

With operational costs continuing to rise and no immediate relief in fuel prices, stakeholders indicate that accommodation costs may remain elevated in the near term, posing affordability challenges for a large segment of urban residents in Tamil Nadu.

–IANS

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