Written by Lauren Pinkney
We’re well into the start of the academic year now. The fresher’s flu is wearing off and the realities of day to day student life are kicking in… including the cost of living in your chosen city of study. To cheer you up we’ve put together a list of the top ten most expensive areas in the UK for students to live. Let’s hope you’re city isn’t on the list…
Curious about how your city ranks compared to your mates? Are you living like a king on a fiver a week or is your student loan dwindling faster than Boris Johnson’s credibility?
This list of the most expensive areas in the UK for students to live was compiled by the boffins at TotallyMoney. They took 50 of the top universities in the UK and ranked them based on the cost of university hall accommodation, monthly gym memberships, the price of a cappuccino, a cinema ticket, a meal for two, a pint in spoons, a large donner kebab, and the cost of an Uber to the university’s nearest town or city.
It’s safe to say that’s a pretty accurate (if a bit embarrassing) summation of a student’s expenses.
10th most expensive area in the UK for students…Stirling
Stirling is a city right in the heart of Scotland, and right in the middle of the expenses leaderboard. £84 a week in rent is a pretty good deal (especially if you’re used to London prices) but with gym memberships averaging at £32 a month, Stirling may not be the most affordable place to burn off those battered Mars bars.
9th most expensive area in the UK for students…Canterbury/ Medway/ Tonbridge
The University of Kent spreads itself across multiple towns. Unfortunately, getting between them doesn’t seem to be that affordable. Cab prices from halls average at £7.50. With cinema tickets at £9.80 and a meal out for two averaging at £15, maybe the best thing to do in Kent is to stay indoors!
8th most expensive area in the UK for students…Edinburgh
The cost of halls accommodation in Edinburgh seems to vary greatly depending on what university you attend. The University of Edinburgh charges a very cheap £66 a week, while Heriot-Watt asks for £115. Heriot-Watt students also need to splash the cash in order to get into the city, with cab prices averaging £15.50 compared to the University of Edinburgh’s £3.50 – how the other half live, huh?!
7th most expensive area in the UK for students…Colchester
Colchester is home to the University of Essex. Yes, more goes on in Essex than fake tans and reality star bust-ups – who knew? Getting a TOWIE bod in the gym here is going to set you back £26 a month, but don’t worry you can comfort eat a large doner kebab for only … £6.99 – eek!
6th most expensive area in the UK for students…Aberdeen
Aberdeen is apparently the coldest city in the UK. Staying indoors in the warm will come at a price of £89 a week – not too bad relative to some others down the list, but a bit painful compared to the likes of Belfast and Manchester. Bizarrely, Aberdeen almost tops the chart for the cost of a warm cup of coffee at £2.78. Better pack those thermals!
5th most expensive area in the UK for students…Bath
Bath tops the list for the most expensive doner kebab at £8.50. I always knew things were a bit posh up there, but is the unidentifiable kebab meat decorated with gold leaf or something?
4th most expensive area in the UK for students…Norwich
University of East Anglia students get to enjoy £76 a week rent here, however the cost of a gym membership rivals London prices at £37 a month and the price of a cappuccino is going to set you back £2.66.
3rd most expensive area in the UK for students… Brighton
Both the University of Brighton and University of Sussex students have to endure the pretty pricey living costs of living it up by the seaside. Both get landed hefty cab charges at £12 and £13 respectively. At least they’ve got a good view out the window!
2nd most expensive area in the UK for students… Cambridge
It’s a good thing Cambridge students are too busy studying to go to the cinema because it’s going to set them back £11.25 a ticket. Fancy a pint? That’ll be £2.95! Best stick to the library guys!
The most expensive student city… London
Wow, what a shocker! We all know the deal now: if you study in London, be prepared to cough up. Things seem particularly bad for students at St Georges who pay £168 a week for the pleasure of studying in the capital. However, over at Kings and Birkbeck, a pint will burn a £3.95 hole (crater!) in your wallet, so we don’t know who to feel the sorriest for.
We hope your city didn’t make the most expensive areas in the UK for students, for the sake of your bank account!
