R’ Yaakov Skoczylas (in Shu”t MeTzion Teitzei Torah, pg. 524) asked this question to R’ Avigdor Nevenzahl and he replied very simply “Yes”.
In footnote 37 he brings, that he heard from R’ Elyashiv that if an avreich is a big masmid, there is no heter of “her husband being in the city”, as it is very unlikely that he is going to come home earlier than expected.
However, the Shu”t Tzitz Eliezer (Vol. 6, siman 40, perek 6, ois 4-5) writes: Even though for Bnei Torah interrupting learning is very important and it is worth more to them than the money that would be lost for a worker who would stop early, nonetheless, it doesn’t make it that they are not considered בעלה בעיר. As it may well be that their wives don’t appreciate how much it means to them to interrupt their learning.
From the Tzitz Eliezer it’s clear that avreichim learning in a kollel do have the heter of בעלה בעיר.
R’ Noach Issac Oelbaum in a Teshuvah writes: It depends on the reality. If the avreich just about makes it through the month and he knows that if he leaves kollel early he will get paid less and they won’t make it through the month, then it is not considered בעלה בעיר, as he is very unlikely to leave early. Similarly, if the kollel is an hour away from the house and the wife speaks to her husband on the telephone and knows he won’t arrive for at least an hour, then there is also a problem. If, however, the kollel is nearby and the husband is happy to leave in the middle every so often, then there would be a heter of בעלה בעיר.
R' Grossman (Mechaber of Shu”t Vedorashta Vechokarta) writes: Even if there is money given for shemiras hasedorim, it should still be considered בעלה בעיר, as in the end of the day the wife is scared that the husband may suddenly come home, as he may not be feeling well, or he may need a certain sefer etc. Certainly, according to the Chazon Ish that understands בעלה בעיר works based on the idea that simply because she feels she has a husband she is less likely to get up to no good, there would be what to rely on.”
