University can be an expensive time - and that’s not even counting the student loans.
For many students attending university will be their first time living outside the family home, and managing their own finances. On top of that almost everyone is feeling the pinch of the cost of living crisis, which is having a huge impact on things like rent and grocery prices.
With secondary school finishers last week wrapping up their A-Level exams, many will now be looking towards heading off to university in Autumn. And with dozens of universities and campuses where you can study towards your degree spread right across the UK, there are options aplenty - including many cities where it will be much more affordable to be a student than the likes of London.
To help students navigate the financial landscape, researchers from student furniture supplier Deskup have looked into which are the most and least affordable UK cities for students to live in. They have calculated results from 100 towns and cities right across the UK’s four countries, based on 13 different factors assigned different weights.
These include monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the CBD (13%); the price of a monthly public transport pass (13%); internet (13%); monthly grocery average (13%); electricity, heating, water and rubbish bills for a 915 square-foot apartment (13%); average monthly coffee cost (9%); the cost of two McDonalds’ meals a week per month (8%); a four-pack of domestic beer every weekend per month (5%); a monthly fitness pass (5%); the number of parks in each city (2%); the cost of one cinema ticket per month (2%); city tours under £20 (2%); and the cost of coworking spaces (2%).
Using the data - collected from Numbeo, Tripadvisor, and Coworker - they then calculated ‘affordability scores’ for each city. Perhaps unsurprisingly, London had the lowest score by quite a large margin at just 34.14. Oxford was not much in 97th place, while Edinburgh sat at 91st; Cambridge at 90th; Manchester at 86th; Bristol at 72nd; Sheffield at 67th, and Cardiff at 48th.
But which cities and towns worked out the most affordable for students? Here’s what they found:
1. Doncaster
The South Yorkshire city of Doncaster took the top spot overall. It has a total living cost of £802.60 including rent, bills, and groceries, as well as boasting the cheapest monthly transportation pass. One caveat was s the slightly pricier internet bill, averaging £35.80 monthly. The private BPP University has a nursing school in Doncaster. The closest traditional universities are in nearby Sheffield, less than half an hour away on public transport. These include the University of Sheffield, and Sheffield Hallam University. | Yorkshire Post Newspapers
2. Burnley
Lancashire's Burnley, in the North West, was a close second. While rent costs place it seventh (£565 monthly), and transport passes rank ninth (£51.20), Burnley boasted even cheaper internet than Doncaster at around £30 a month. The deciding factor, however, was its low cost food - meaning groceries and even eating out with friends wouldn't break the bank. The University of Central Lancashire has a campus in Burnley. It is also within reasonable distance of both Manchester and Leeds, opening up a host of other schools for students who don’t mind commuting. | Adobe Stock
3. Southend-on-Sea
The list brings plenty of good news for lovers of the beach, with the Essex city of Southend-on-Sea one of several affordable seaside options. Apartment essentials cost £854.50 on average, while cheap monthly transport passes of £35 and utility bills (electricity and water at £127.50) add to its student-friendly budget. It also ranks fourth for affordable beer, Deskup notes. The University of Essex has a Southend campus, but there are also good transport links to London. | Adobe Stock
4. Scunthorpe
The North Lincolnshire town of Scunthorpe probably wouldn't leap to mind when considering places to study. But with affordable food, coffee, and beer - and rents averaging just £600 - maybe it should. Scunthorpe is home to University Campus North Lincolnshire, which offers bachelor’s degrees in a range of subjects. It is also about an hour from Sheffield on public transport for students who don’t mind commuting, opening up several more traditional schools like the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University. | Adobe Stock