noun
board-and-room charge; lodging fee
Refers to the fee for staying at a boarding house or rented room, typically including meals or just accommodation.
下宿料は月に五万円です。
The boarding fee is 50,000 yen per month.
学生にとって下宿料は大きな負担だ。
For students, the boarding fee is a heavy burden.
宿泊料 is a lodging fee for short stays like hotels, whereas 下宿料 is for longer-term boarding arrangements.
Compound of 下宿 (げしゅく, 'boarding') and 料 (りょう, 'fee'). The exact historical derivation is straightforward; the word is a standard Sino-Japanese compound.