Salary and income data is based on ONS and other official UK statistical sources. Figures are averages and may not reflect your individual circumstances.
Contents
Understanding true university costs helps you budget realistically. Here’s what you’ll actually spend.
Accommodation Costs by City
Most Expensive
City
Average Weekly Rent
Monthly
London
£180-£280+
£780-£1,215+
Oxford
£160-£220
£693-£953
Cambridge
£160-£220
£693-£953
Brighton
£140-£190
£607-£823
Bristol
£140-£180
£607-£780
Mid-Range
City
Average Weekly Rent
Monthly
Manchester
£120-£160
£520-£693
Birmingham
£110-£150
£477-£650
Leeds
£110-£140
£477-£607
Glasgow
£110-£140
£477-£607
Edinburgh
£130-£170
£563-£737
More Affordable
City
Average Weekly Rent
Monthly
Sheffield
£100-£130
£433-£563
Newcastle
£100-£130
£433-£563
Liverpool
£100-£130
£433-£563
Nottingham
£100-£130
£433-£563
Cardiff
£100-£130
£433-£563
Cheapest
City
Average Weekly Rent
Monthly
Lincoln
£90-£120
£390-£520
Hull
£85-£115
£368-£498
Lancaster
£95-£125
£412-£542
Bangor
£85-£115
£368-£498
Stirling
£90-£120
£390-£520
Types of Accommodation
University Halls
Type
Weekly Cost
Includes
Catered halls
£150-£250
Room, bills, meals
Self-catered (en suite)
£120-£180
Room, bills
Self-catered (shared bathroom)
£100-£140
Room, bills
Studio
£150-£220
Room, bills, private kitchen
Private Halls
Type
Weekly Cost
Includes
En suite room
£130-£200
Room, bills, amenities
Studio
£160-£250
Everything private
Private Renting
Type
Weekly Cost
Bills
House share (room)
£80-£150
Usually extra
Typical extra bills
£50-£100/month
Gas, electric, internet
Bills Breakdown
If Not Included in Rent
Bill
Monthly (Shared House)
Gas & Electricity
£50-£80 per house, split
Water
£20-£30 per house, split
Internet
£30-£40 per house, split
Per person total
£30-£50/month
What Students Don’t Pay
Exempt From
Notes
Council Tax
If all occupants are students
TV Licence
If you don’t watch live TV
TV Licence Rules
Situation
Need Licence?
Watch live TV
Yes (£180/year)
Only use Netflix/streaming
No
iPlayer on demand
Yes
In halls (separate agreement)
May be covered
Food Costs
Weekly Food Budget
Level
Weekly
Monthly
Very tight
£20-£30
£87-£130
Budget
£30-£40
£130-£173
Moderate
£40-£55
£173-£238
Comfortable
£55-£70
£238-£303
Where Students Shop
Supermarket
Budget Level
Aldi, Lidl
Cheapest
Asda, Tesco
Budget to mid
Sainsbury’s
Mid
Waitrose, M&S
Higher
Meal Planning Essentials
Staples
Cost
Pasta/rice
Very cheap
Tinned beans, tomatoes
Cheap
Frozen vegetables
Reasonably cheap
Eggs
Cheap protein
Bread
Cheap
Seasonal vegetables
Moderate
Transport Costs
Daily Commute
Mode
Typical Cost
Walking/cycling
Free
Bus pass
£30-£70/month
Train (nearby)
Variable
Travel Home
Distance
Single Ticket
With Railcard
Short (50 miles)
£20-£40
£13-£27
Medium (150 miles)
£40-£80
£27-£53
Long (300 miles)
£80-£150
£53-£100
16-25 Railcard
Feature
Details
Cost
£35/year (2026)
Saving
1/3 off most rail fares
Worth it if
Travel home by train
Multi-year option
Discounted multi-year passes available — check current pricing at 16-25railcard.co.uk
Course-Related Costs
Books and Materials
Course Type
Annual Estimate
Arts/Humanities
£100-£300
Sciences
£150-£400
Medicine/Healthcare
£200-£500
Art/Design
£200-£500+ (materials)
Reducing Book Costs
Strategy
Saving
University library
Free
Second-hand
50-80% off
Previous students
Often sell
E-books
Sometimes cheaper
Course book list
Check what’s essential
Other Course Costs
Item
Typical Cost
Printing
£10-£50/year
Field trips
Variable (some included)
Software
Often free with student licence
Equipment
Course-specific
Social and Lifestyle
Social Budget
Level
Monthly
Minimal
£50-£80
Moderate
£80-£150
Active social life
£150-£250+
What This Covers
Activity
Typical Cost
Night out
£20-£50
Cinema
£8-£12 (student)
Coffee
£3-£4
Takeaway
£10-£15
Gym
£15-£30/month (student)
Societies/clubs
£5-£50/year membership
Phone and Subscriptions
Item
Monthly Cost
Phone contract
£10-£30
Spotify Student
£5.99
Netflix (shared)
£3-£5
Amazon Prime Student
£4.49
Total Budget by Location
London Student
Category
Monthly
Accommodation
£850
Food
£200
Transport
£100
Bills (if extra)
—
Phone/subscriptions
£30
Social
£120
Course costs
£30
Other
£50
Total
£1,380
Outside London
Category
Monthly
Accommodation
£500
Food
£180
Transport
£30
Bills (if extra)
£40
Phone/subscriptions
£25
Social
£100
Course costs
£25
Other
£40
Total
£940
Budget University Town
Category
Monthly
Accommodation
£400
Food
£150
Transport
£20
Bills (if extra)
£35
Phone/subscriptions
£20
Social
£80
Course costs
£20
Other
£30
Total
£755
Reducing Costs
Biggest Savings
Area
Saving Strategy
Accommodation
Shared house vs halls after year 1
Food
Cook at home, meal plan
Transport
Walk/cycle if possible
Social
Pre-drinks, free events
Bills
Energy saving, comparison
Student Discounts
Tool
Use For
TOTUM card
Wide range of discounts
UNiDAYS app
Online and in-store
Student email
Often unlocks discounts
Ask everywhere
Many places offer student rates
Summary: Living Costs Quick Reference
By Location Type
Location
Monthly Range
London
£1,200-£1,600+
Expensive city
£1,000-£1,300
Mid-range city
£850-£1,100
Affordable city
£700-£900
Budget Breakdown
Category
% of Budget
Accommodation
40-55%
Food
15-20%
Bills
5-10%
Transport
3-10%
Social
10-15%
Course costs
3-5%
Other
5-10%
Key Questions Before Choosing
Question
Why It Matters
Bills included?
Affects real cost of accommodation
Walking distance to campus?
Saves transport
Are halls catered?
Food costs change
What’s local rent like in later years?
Year 2+ is often private
Research costs for your specific university and city — location makes more difference than most students expect.