Studying in the UK is great! You can explore multicultural cities, historical places, world-class education, best research facilities, great job prospects, and long-standing mysterious Stonehenge. You must be one of them who wish to pursue their higher education in the UK but before proceeding to applications, you need to plan out the estimations like the cost of living in UK and the primary expenses like tuition fees, and transport facilities.
It is so important to have your finances planned well in advance before you proceed with the applications for Uk universities. The cost may vary depending on the kind of institution you choose, the county where the college is located, the course, and many more aspects.
The Average Cost Of Living In UK
As per the National student money survey 2020, students spend most of their money on accommodation payments, groceries, and trips. On average students spend £ 600 - £ 800 every month on their living expenses. Let's breakdown some of the major spendings of a month:
S.No. |
Expenses |
Cost in £ (GBP) |
1 |
Rent |
£420 |
2 |
Groceries |
£100 |
3 |
Outing |
£50 |
4 |
Transport |
£50 |
5 |
Electricity and maintenance |
£40 |
UK cities vary with different food habits, cultures, and communities of people. Depending on the state you live in, the cost of living in the UK varies because of its property values, food, and other expenses. If you could compare the value of the expense between England and Scotland you will find major differences. Also, England is costlier than other cities in the UK - to showcase the differences in average living cost in UK for international students.
Check out the differences in food & consumables cost between London vs Leicester below to get a fair comparison:
S.No. |
Consumables |
London Price in GBP |
Leicester price |
1 |
Cappuccino |
£ 2.94 |
£ 2.54 |
2 |
Milk (1L) |
£ 0.94 |
£0.90 |
3 |
Loaf of Bread |
£ 1.01 |
£ 0.94 |
4 |
Meal price (Medium level restaurant) |
£15.00 |
£11.50 |
5 |
Beer |
£ 5.00 |
£ 3.20 |
6 |
Local transport (one-way ticket) |
£ 2.80 |
£ 2.40 |
7 |
Gym Membership |
£ 44.58 |
£ 24.75 |
8 |
1 BHK monthly rent |
£ 1244 |
£ 498 |
International Student Accommodation in the UK
For the accommodation facility, International students have many options in on-campus & off-campus arrangements. If you are staying inside of the campus accommodation it would reduce some of the transportation costs. But, the chances of getting an On-campus accommodation are likely less because you need to apply for months in advance before the courses commence. But if you would like to stay outside of the campus then you need to go for a rental place which again depends on the place you stay can further reduce the accommodation cost in UK for international students. Facilities like Dorms, private rental houses, or shared accommodation are some of the best options you can decide if you are staying off-campus.
As said earlier on-campus facilities need to be applied as early as possible because the benefits like, can save money on transportation and secure space to stay in. Also, provides you more time by reducing grocery shopping, paying electricity & water bills. If you are a free bird who would like to explore more and stay independent - renting out a flat could be the best option for you. Let's see some of the cost details of On-campus and Off-campus accommodation in UK for International students.
As per the Statista student accommodation statistics, private accommodation has grown immensely over the last 6 years. You can find them out in the below table:
On-Campus Accommodation
Once you have been approved to take part in the academic program you can start applying for the on-campus accommodation at the earliest possible date. Below here you can find out the possible spending in the year as approximate.
Outgoings |
Cost per year |
Rent for single room on-campus (en-suite or shared bathroom) |
£ 26702 to £ 38926 |
Mobile phone bill (average) |
£ 832 to £ 2371.20 |
Food |
£ 7885.8 to £ 11265.8 |
Laundry |
£ 1352 to £ 2251.60 |
Books, course materials, and stationeries |
£ 1125.80 |
Grooming cost, Personal care |
£ 624 to £ 743.60 |
Outing, socializing, and hobbies |
£ 3380 to £ 9011.60 |
Dress, shoes, and accessories |
£ 1695.20 to £ 2251.60 |
Total* |
£ 43576 to £ 67964 |
Off-Campus Accommodation
Spendings |
Cost per month |
Cost per year |
Shared Room Rent (Without Bills) |
£4799.60 to £7800 |
£20800 to £33800 |
House Maintenance Cost (Average For 2 - 5 Bhk) |
||
1. Energy |
£780 to £1307.8 |
£3380 to £5668 |
2. Water And Sewage |
||
3. Broadband |
||
Mobile Phone Contract (Average) |
£192.4 to £546 |
£832 to £2371.2 |
Food (Average) |
£1820 to £2600 |
£7885.8 to £11265.8 |
Laundry (Average) |
£312 to £520 |
£1352 to £2251.6 |
Books, Course Materials And Other Costs (Average) |
£260 |
£1,125.80 |
Personal Care And Toiletries (Average) |
£143 to £171.60 |
£624 to £743.60 |
Going Out, Socialising And Hobbies (Average) |
£780 to £2080 |
£3380 to £9011.60 |
Clothes, Shoes, and Accessories (Average) |
£390 to £520 |
£1695.20 to £2251.60 |
Total* |
£9464 to £15808 |
£41080 to £68484 |
Transportation Cost in UK
Transport facility in the UK is the most popular and well designed to provide services to all the cities and suburbs and has become one of the efficient ways to travel to offices and colleges. Going out with friends, hunting for a job after your graduation can take a toll on your financial support if you are travelling in private. But transportation in Uk is really convenient and less costly, connecting almost every rural part of the country. Transport options like metro, commuter trains, buses, and trams are a part of London. Trains and buses are connecting every corner of the UK.
Now, let's have a look at the average cost of public transport in and around UK:
Transport mode |
Average Cost (GBP) |
Average cost range (GBP) |
One way ticket for local transport |
2.5 |
1.70 - 4 |
Monthly Pass (Regular) |
65 |
49 - 150 |
Taxi (Normal Tariff) |
3 |
1.80 - 4.50 |
Taxi 1km (Normal tariff) |
1.24 |
0.75 - 2.90 |
Taxi waiting charges |
17.4 |
9 - 36 |
Gasoline (1 gallon) |
4.8 |
4.42 - 5.14 |
As per the data from the "Cost of living in United Kingdom", the average living expenses are given below:
I. Restaurant Cost in UK
Details |
Cost for a week |
Average weekly grocery bill (including food, basic laundry, and toiletry items for 2 people) |
£80 - £100 |
Average pub meal |
£56 - £84 |
Average restaurant meal |
£105 - £175 |
Average meal for two in a mid-priced restaurant |
£280 |
II. Cost of Food, groceries, and Beverages
Drinks & Food beverages |
Cost for a week |
Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district |
£84 |
Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) |
£40.32 |
500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast |
£21.84 |
1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk |
£6.02 |
12 eggs, large |
£17.29 |
1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes |
£13.23 |
500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese |
£24.64 |
1 kg (2 lb.) of apples |
£13.02 |
1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes |
£6.86 |
0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket |
£12.6 |
1 bottle of red table wine, good quality |
£56 |
2 liters of coca-cola |
£13.09 |
Bread |
£6.58 |
III. Entertainment Expenses
Entertainment type |
Average price (GBP) |
Average price range (GBP) |
Movie |
12.5 |
10 to 15 |
West End Theatre show |
25 |
25+ |
Club/pub entrance fee |
25 |
10 to 40 |
Live music/concerts |
15 |
15+ |
Low Cost of Living Cities
There are numerous Uk cities that have a budget-friendly ecosystem for international students. Though London is an expensive city as per the cost of living aspect, it is holding the number one ranking for best student city in this world. Also, UK has the most affordable cities for international students which are given below:
S.No |
City |
Average Housing price |
Annual individual earnings |
Spending to earning ratio |
1 |
Londonderry |
£ 155917 |
£ 33138 |
4.7 times |
2 |
Carlisle |
£ 163232 |
£ 34087 |
4.8 times |
3 |
Bradford |
£ 164410 |
£ 34219 |
4.8 times |
4 |
Stirling |
£ 208927 |
£ 38744 |
5.4 times |
5 |
Aberdeen |
£ 205199 |
£ 38016 |
5.4 times |
6 |
Glasgow |
£ 196625 |
£ 36205 |
5.4 times |
7 |
Perth |
£ 203229 |
£ 36700 |
5.5 times |
8 |
Inverness |
£ 191840 |
£ 34373 |
5.6 times |
9 |
Hull |
£ 156424 |
£ 27730 |
5.6 times |
10 |
Dundee |
£ 181150 |
£ 31344 |
5.8 times |
Out of commercial benefits, Uk also has cultural benefits and values that one person can use to benefit their lives and culture. If you are looking for a UK education and didn't know where to begin the process. Knowing all the facts about the UK from this article you can get in touch with International education counselors from AECC - who have the most years of excellence in abroad education nuances which can provide you larger support in achieving your dreams. AECC has been helping students since 2008 and continues to empower students to achieve their dreams in an urban environment. Contact AECC for any further future related queries and study abroad processes.