The booziest unis in the UK: Revealed

Wondering which universities drink the most? Based on the latest data from NatWest’s Student Living Index, Durham University now ranks as the booziest uni in the UK, with students spending nearly £60 per month on alcohol — the equivalent of over 28 pints. But in terms of raw spend, Liverpool takes the top spot at £73.80 a month. These rankings are shaped by average pint prices, local nightlife, and regional student habits. Whether you’re curious about party culture or budgeting for nights out, this guide breaks down where students are spending the most on booze — and which campuses drink the least.

21. Cambridge

We guess you guys were busy studying last year because Cambridge is the least booziest UK university on our list. University students here spent just £16.60 a month on drinking or the equivalent of 4.41 pints based on the average price per pint in the city! Cambridge might be intensive when it comes to studying, but there’s certainly less distraction as the most sober university in the UK. It’s also the least hardest partying uni in the UK – go figure!

20. Southampton

Next in line is Southampton. You guys still spent less on booze than the UK student average, spending a mere £17.40 a month. That’s 5.2 pints a month based on the average beer price in the city. Pretty tame guys! Nevertheless, Southampton has some of the best beer gardens to try out if you are interested…

19. Edinburgh

Students in Edinburgh spent £22.20 on alcohol a month. That’s just under six pints of beer, which makes Edinburgh the third least booziest uni in the UK. When thinking about how much university students drinks, it’s quite surprising that the Scottish capital is fairly tame when compared to other popular student cities.

18. London

We thought London would be one of the booziest cities in the UK for students but we were wrong. We guess you’re all busy getting culturally enriched in the capital instead? Or maybe it’s just too expensive! London students spent an average of £31.90 on alcohol. But with London prices, that’s the equivalent of just under eight pints of beer.

17. Oxford

In 2021, Oxford was the 6th booziest uni in the UK, where students were drinking around nine pints a month. Now, Oxford university students come in 17th place with alcohol expenditure averaging £36.20 at around nine pints. This is only 20p difference and around the same amount of alcohol. It just goest to show other unis have got much boozier!

16.  Coventry

Number 16 on our list of the booziest unis in the UK is Coventry. University students here spent £29.10 on alcohol per month on average. However, beers are cheaper in this city, at just £2.50 a pint. Meaning that students here managed to get more booze for their buck, with the average equating to 11.6 pints a month, or just under 3 a week.

15. Bristol

Previously number 5, Bristol is now in 15th place this year. Students at this popular student city spend £39.70 on average per month on drinks. We worked out that that is the equivalent to just over 13 pints of beer or maybe 8ish bottles of not that nice wine? We’re not judging.

14. Canterbury

Students at Canterbury spent £52 on drinking in 2023, that’s £20 higher than in 2021. It works out at over 15 pints a month. Seems fine to us? Hopefully these are coming in after assignments or who knows what lectures are going to be marking! Canterbury university students drink more than the average when looking just at expenditure. But they’re less than the average when we take into account the price of a pint, ranked in 14th place for 2023.

13. Birmingham

Next up is Birmingham. You lot spent just £45.60 on drinking per month in 2023, which is triple the amount than in 2021. Using Pint Price, we worked out that equates to 15.5 pints a month, similar to Canterbury students. That’s still fairly tame when looking at other unis, keep reading to see why.

12. Sheffield

Sheffield is next up spending £40.80 a month on alcohol which with low drink prices, equates to 15.69 pints a week. Pints in Sheffield are only £2.60, so uni students, you made a great choice by studying here!

11. Manchester

Marginally higher than fellow Northern city Sheffield, Manchester university students drink an average of 15.74 pints. I mean we could really call this one a draw? We thought Manchester would actually be a city with some of the booziest unis in the UK. However, it’s just number 11 on our list. Students here spent £49.60, with average pint prices slightly higher than Sheffield at £3.15.

10. Glasgow

Now we’re hitting the top 10 booziest unis of the UK. And in 10th place is Glasgow. It seems that you’re much more likely to party if you go to university in Glasgow compared to Edinburgh. Students here spent an average of £50.70 on booze. That’s just over 18 pints of beer a month, or four and a half a week. It doesn’t sound so bad when you put it like that?

9. Leeds

Everyone loves a party, and that couldn’t be more true than at Leeds. With so many bars and clubs to choose from it’s no surprise that Leeds uni students spend, £50.70 on alcohol. That’s the same as Glasgow university students, but it works out at just under 19 pints due to slightly cheaper drink prices.

8. Leicester

In 2021, Leicester was the least booziest uni in the UK. It’s now show up to 8th place in 2023. What’s going on guys? In fact, students in Leicester spend £60.10 – up from £14.40 – on alcohol per month. It was previously £12.70 less than the student average, but is now £16.80 over.

7. Cardiff 

Next on our list, we go to Wales. Cardiff is number seven on our list. Students here spent £57.40 or the equivalent of 19 pints of beer a month. This was just under 11 pints in 2021. What can we say – times are tough! Or maybe Cardiff uni students in 2023 just enjoy drinking more?

6. Newcastle

Go Newcastle! No dry January for you. Students in this UK city didn’t spend as much as other cities per month, but got more bang for their buck. Spending £38.60 a month – the exact same as in 2021 – Newcastle uni students managed to get 23 pints of beer (two more than in 2021). Erm, is the cost of living crisis not a thing in Newcastle then?

5. York

Students in York spent £68.50 on average on alcohol in 2023. That’s 22.8 pints based on the average drink price of £3. Wow, that’s like drinking a pint for three weeks and having the last month to recover.

4. Nottingham

We know students in Notts love a party and they averaged £69.80 in 2023. That’s just under 23 and a half pints (or a few too many bottles of Echo Falls). Nottingham is in 4th place of the booziest unis in the UK, which is pretty impressive!

3. Exeter

Now down to the final three! The third booziest uni in the UK is Exeter – are you surprised? Actually, two years ago Exeter was the second. But even though they’re spending double the amount, students here aren’t drinking as much as two other unis. However, the monthly spending of £72.10 still gets them £24 pints, which is quite a large amount.

2. Liverpool

If you go to university in Liverpool then congratulations, you are in one of the top two booziest unis in the UK. That’s right- students in Liverpool spent an average of £73.80 monthly on drinks. This works out at almost 26 pints a month. Two years ago, students were drinking 14 pints, which is almost doubled! Double the money, double the alcohol!

1. Durham

Last but not least- congratulations Durham! Once again, Durham is top of the list for our booziest uni in the UK. Students spent an average of £59.70 per month on alcohol last year. Impressive when a pint costs an average of is £2.10 meaning it equates to just under 28.5 pints. That means they spent £16.40 more than the average UK student, but got a whole lot of alcohol for that! In total, Durham university students spent £716.40 on drinking last year- you guys are fun!