Student Accommodation by City UK 2026
Find halls, PBSA providers and letting agency guides for every major UK university city. Average costs, best student areas, and what the local housing market is actually like.
How do I find accommodation in my city?
Select your city below to see our guides to the best halls, letting agencies and PBSA providers. Each guide includes prices, student area breakdowns, reviews and honest recommendations.
How much does student housing cost by city?
Costs vary dramatically. London averages £200 to £350 per week. Cities like Coventry, Aberdeen and Swansea can be under £100 per week. Each city card below shows the local starting price range.
What types of accommodation are in each guide?
University halls, private halls (PBSA) and private renting through letting agencies. Each city links to all the options available locally so you can compare everything in one place.
Which is the cheapest student city?
Northern cities, Wales and Scotland offer the best value. Coventry, Swansea, Aberdeen, Sheffield and Newcastle consistently rank among the cheapest. See the cost comparison table at the bottom of this page.
Every UK university city has its own housing market, its own student areas and its own timing. A house-hunting strategy that works in Nottingham will not work in Edinburgh. The cost of a room in Manchester is very different from a room in London, and the areas students want to live in change entirely depending on which university they are at.
This page brings together all of our city-level accommodation guides. For each city you will find average weekly costs for halls and private renting, the main student areas, the key things to know about the local market, and links to our detailed guides on halls, letting agencies and PBSA providers in that city.
If you are still deciding which city to study in, the cost comparison table at the bottom lets you compare accommodation prices across all 25 cities side by side.
- Find your city below and check average weekly costs
- Note the main student areas for that city
- Click through to halls, letting agency or PBSA guides for detailed reviews
- Use the cost comparison table to compare cities if you are still choosing
- All costs are 2025/26 starting estimates: verify exact prices on university or provider websites
London
1 citiesLondon
The UK's most expensive student city by a significant margin. Costs vary enormously by area: a room in Zones 3 to 4 can be 30 to 40% cheaper than the same room type in Zone 1. Check the transport time to your campus carefully before committing to a Zone 1 location. The enhanced London maintenance loan (£14,135 for 2026/27) is designed to offset costs but budgeting is still tight.
South and South East
6 citiesBrighton
Vibrant coastal city with a creative student scene. Housing is competitive and significantly more expensive than most non-London cities. Sussex students tend to cluster around Falmer; Brighton students live across Moulsecoomb and Lewes Road.
Oxford
Oxford University operates a college system where accommodation is integrated into college life. Brookes students use halls and private renting. The city is expensive overall and the private rental market is tight due to limited housing stock relative to demand.
Cambridge
Cambridge University students are typically housed in college accommodation for at least their first year. Anglia Ruskin students use the private market. The city is expensive for its size and private rental stock is limited. Mill Road is the most popular private renting area.
Southampton
Good value for a southern city. Portswood is the main student area with a high concentration of student houses and easy access to both universities. The market is competitive but less extreme than London or Brighton. Start looking in November for the best Portswood properties.
Reading
Campus university with a strong community feel. Most halls are on or adjacent to the Whiteknights campus. Private renting is concentrated in Earley and areas south of the campus. Good rail connections make it accessible for London placements.
Portsmouth
Affordable coastal city with good student value. Southsea is the most popular student area with a strong community feel. Good PBSA options near the waterfront. One of the most affordable southern university cities.
South West
2 citiesBristol
Competitive housing market and one of the UK's more expensive student cities outside London. Bristol uses a village system for first-year halls. Clifton and Redland are the most popular UoB student areas. UWE students predominantly live near Frenchay campus. Start looking in October for September move-ins.
Bath
Beautiful but expensive for its size. Limited housing stock means the market is tight. Oldfield Park is the main student area for University of Bath students. Bath Spa students are more dispersed. Starting early is more important here than in most UK cities.
Midlands
6 citiesBirmingham
Great value for a major UK city. Selly Oak is the classic UoB student area: cheap, social and well-served with local amenities. City centre living works well for Aston and BCU students. One of the better-value large UK student cities.
Nottingham
Lenton is one of the most famous student areas in the UK: cheap, social and very close to UoN. NTU students tend to live closer to the city centre. The market moves fast. Lenton houses can be gone by December. One of the best-value cities for the quality of student experience on offer.
Coventry
One of the cheapest student cities in England. Coventry University is city-centre based with strong PBSA options. Warwick campus is outside the city; many Warwick students live on campus for at least two years. Excellent value across the board.
Leicester
Affordable and underrated. Clarendon Park is pleasant and close to the University of Leicester. Oadby houses university-owned accommodation. Good value for money across halls and private renting. A solid choice for students prioritising value.
Loughborough
Campus university with a strong close-knit community. Most first-year students live on campus in purpose-built accommodation. The town is small and student-friendly with everything accessible on foot or by bicycle.
Bedford
Affordable market town with lower costs than most English university cities. The university is spread across Bedford and Luton campuses. Good rail links to London for placements.
North West
2 citiesManchester
Huge student population and one of the UK's best student cities. Fallowfield is the iconic UoM student area: the Curry Mile, Owens Park and Oak House are all here. The market moves fast. Fallowfield houses can be gone by November or December for the following September. MMU students increasingly live in the city centre with strong PBSA options nearby.
Liverpool
Affordable, social and student-friendly. Smithdown Road is the main student area with a well-established community of Liverpool and LJMU students. Kensington is cheaper and also popular. Great nightlife and cultural scene at a fraction of London or Bristol prices.
Yorkshire and North East
4 citiesLeeds
Headingley is the most famous student area in Leeds and one of the most competitive in the UK. Properties on the best streets can be gone by December for the following September. Hyde Park is slightly cheaper and further out. Leeds Beckett students tend to live closer to the city centre. One of the UK's top student cities across all metrics.
Sheffield
Consistently rated one of the cheapest and friendliest student cities in the UK. Crookesmoor and Broomhill are the main UoS student areas. Ecclesall Road is popular with Hallam students. Sheffield is 27.9% cheaper than London on average living costs. Exceptional value for the quality of student experience.
Newcastle
Affordable, social and with a legendary nightlife scene. Jesmond and Heaton are the main student areas for Newcastle University. One of the best-value student cities in England. Strong PBSA offering in the city centre for Northumbria students. The market is less aggressive than Leeds or Manchester.
Durham
Durham University operates a collegiate system similar to Oxford and Cambridge, with most students living in college accommodation. Demand for private renting is significant as not all students get college rooms beyond first year. The city is small and all accommodation options are close to the historic centre.
Scotland
3 citiesEdinburgh
Beautiful city with a competitive but less frenetic housing market than English cities. The Scottish tenancy system is different from England: most tenancies are now open-ended with no fixed term. Newington and Marchmont are the most popular student areas. Edinburgh is more expensive than most Scottish cities but significantly cheaper than London.
Glasgow
Scotland's largest student city with excellent value and a strong cultural scene. The West End around Byres Road is the most popular student area for University of Glasgow. Strathclyde and Caledonian students primarily live in the city centre with good PBSA options. Cheaper than Edinburgh and with a more diverse nightlife and cultural offer.
Aberdeen
One of the cheapest university cities in the UK. Old Aberdeen is the traditional student area clustered around the University of Aberdeen. Robert Gordon students use more dispersed city accommodation. Excellent quality of life for the cost: good food, strong community, manageable scale.
Wales
2 citiesCardiff
Cathays is one of the most famous student areas in the UK: cheap, social and within walking distance of Cardiff University. Roath is a step up in quality with a slightly higher price. Brilliant value for a capital city. Cardiff consistently ranks among the UK's best student cities for the combination of cost, culture and community.
Swansea
Affordable coastal city with two very different campuses. Singleton Campus students live in Brynmill and Uplands, both walkable and well-established student areas. Bay Campus students look towards the SA1 waterfront development and surrounding areas. Overall one of the cheapest university cities in England and Wales.
Student accommodation costs by city 2026
Starting weekly costs across every city covered. Use this to compare accommodation affordability at a glance when deciding where to study.
| City | Halls from | Private rent from (per person) | Cost tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | £200/week | £180/week | Most expensive |
| Oxford | £143/week | £130/week | Very expensive |
| Cambridge | £145/week | £130/week | Very expensive |
| Brighton | £140/week | £120/week | Expensive |
| Bristol | £140/week | £110/week | Expensive |
| Bath | £140/week | £110/week | Expensive |
| Edinburgh | £130/week | £100/week | Above average |
| Reading | £130/week | £100/week | Above average |
| Durham | £135/week | £95/week | Above average |
| Leeds | £126/week | £85/week | Average |
| Manchester | £125/week | £90/week | Average |
| Southampton | £120/week | £90/week | Average |
| Glasgow | £110/week | £85/week | Below average |
| Liverpool | £115/week | £80/week | Below average |
| Nottingham | £115/week | £80/week | Below average |
| Cardiff | £110/week | £80/week | Below average |
| Sheffield | £110/week | £80/week | Below average |
| Portsmouth | £110/week | £85/week | Below average |
| Birmingham | £104/week | £80/week | Cheap |
| Newcastle | £105/week | £75/week | Cheap |
| Leicester | £105/week | £75/week | Cheap |
| Loughborough | £100/week | £75/week | Cheap |
| Aberdeen | £100/week | £70/week | Cheap |
| Swansea | £95/week | £80/week | Very cheap |
| Coventry | £85/week | £80/week | Cheapest |
Starting prices based on 2025/26 published rates. Actual costs vary by specific hall, room type and location within each city. See our full accommodation costs guide for detailed city-by-city breakdowns.