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Worried about student rent draining your loan? You’re not alone — accommodation can eat up a good chunk of your available cash.

To help you budget smarter, we’ve crunched the numbers on the average cost of student accommodation in every UK university city. Explore our comprehensive list of the cheapest places to live as a student — and see where you could save thousands over the course of your degree.

Updated: 30th April 2025

Cheapest UK Cities for Student Accommodation League Table#

 

 #1 
 

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Bradford

“Bradford is a culturally rich city known for its historical landmarks and vibrant arts scene. The city offers diverse dining options, beautiful parks, and excellent public transport. Its strong community spirit and affordable living make it an attractive place for students and families.”

Average is £100 per week

Universities in this location:  University of Bradford

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
£78£100N/A£140
 #2 
 

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Carlisle

"I came here from a more rural setting so it's perfect as a city for me. Plenty of shops and some nice walks close to the city. It's not the best for student night life but there's enough for some good night's out."

Average is £103 per week

Universities in this location:  University of Cumbria

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
£103£134N/AN/A
 #3 
 

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Carmarthen

“It is an amazing place to be,it is full of life there is easy access to buses and trains. There are a wide range of shops, restaurants and bars. It has a lovely, warm and welcoming environment”

Average is £107 per week

Universities in this location:  University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD)

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
N/A£107N/AN/A
 #4 
 

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Aberystwyth

"Plenty of places to eat out and a huge range of pubs if a pint is your thing to wind down."     

Average is £120 per week

Universities in this location:  Aberystwyth University

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
£112£141£175£192
 #5 
 

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Huddersfield

“Huddersfield has lots of shops and lots of restaurants and takeaways. Bus station and train station allow for easy travel to different towns or cities.”

Average is £125 per week

Universities in this location:   University of Huddersfield

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
£146£115N/A£169
 #6 
 

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Preston

"Very affordable one of the best places to live in the UK. easy access to everything. wonderful experience. I am going to miss it when I live."

Average is £125 per week

Universities in this location:  University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
£125£115£133£157
 #7 
 

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Stoke-on-Trent

“Ok, Let’s talk Stoke. Not the first place you think of for Uni, but a MASSIVE underdog. Ye the nightlife isn’t up to much, but the LRV compensates for that (on campus night club) with lots of events and themed nights. You wouldn’t go the town centre for a night out, but transport links are awesome and on the Uni Campus, a short journey in each direction and you are in a big city…."

Average is £125 per week

Universities in this location:   Staffordshire University

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
£115£133N/A£185

 

 #8
 

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Wrexham

“Really nice city, perfect for the student life. the locals are really welcoming”

Average is £125 per week

Universities in this location: Wrexham University

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
N/A£125N/AN/A
 #9

Paisley

                                                                                                                                          

Average is £130 per week

Universities in this location: University of the West of Scotland

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
£98£135£166N/A

 

 10 
 

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Sunderland

"I'm relatively new and I think Sunderland is much better than what people deem it to be - ignore the negative reviews!"

Average is £130 per week

Universities in this location:   University of Sunderland

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
£110£125£166£168
 #11 

Stafford

“Cost for living in stafford is good, especially for students and there were plenty of restaurants in the area!”

Average is £138 per week

Universities in this location:  Staffordshire University

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
N/A£133N/A£180

 

 #12 
 

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Bolton

"Bolton is a nice place to stay, it’s city centre has the university and lots of places to shop, eat and relax. It’s also close to Manchester."

Average is £140 per week

Universities in this location:  University of Bolton

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
£159£140N/A£125
 #13 

Cheltenham

“Cheltenham is a beautiful and historic city that has a lot to offer visitors and residents alike. I was struck by the picturesque architecture, the abundance of green spaces, and the friendly and welcoming atmosphere.”

Average is £140 per week

Universities in this location:  University of Gloucestershire

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
N/A£140N/AN/A
 #14 
 

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Middlesbrough

"It's a small city but well-equipped. It's also safer to go out at night and it's easy to get around by public transport."

Average is £140 per week

Universities in this location:  Teesside University

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
£100£135£182£150
 #15 
 

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Wolverhampton

“Amazing city, not crowded like most cities are, most takeaways and cafes are in walking distance, same as the train, bus and metro station”

Average is £140 per week

Universities in this location:   University of Wolverhampton

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
£142£107£210£180
 #16 
 

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Newport (Shropshire)

“There are both pros and cons. Its a little quiet to hangout at night. However, the peace makes it a perfect place to focus in study”

Average is £143 per week

Universities in this location:  Harper Adams University

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
£166£142N/AN/A
 #17 
 

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Aberdeen

"Aberdeen is a really great student city, it isn’t too big and daunting or too small and claustrophobic. It has beautiful architecture and really nice surroundings if you want to get out of the city for a break as well as an amazing beach!"

Average is £148 per week

Universities in this location:  University of Aberdeen, Robert Gordon University (RGU)

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
£107£147£239£209
 #18 
 

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Buckingham

"The campus is located in a picturesque area and the university has recently build some new buildings...Social life is not going to be as great as other universities located in big cities. But I think student unions tried their best. With smaller student population, you could make really really good friends and meet many people."

Average is £155 per week

Universities in this location:   University of Buckingham

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
£155N/AN/AN/A
 #19 
 

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Keele

"Very pleasant place to live with lots of nice and friendly people. Plenty of places to go on nights out that are also very safe."

Average is £155 per week

Universities in this location:  Keele University

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
£148£140£187£173
 #20 
 

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Luton

“Luton is a small city and with a wide range of communities. The best part of it is that it has a close airport and it’s well connected to London and other cities”

Average is £155 per week

Universities in this location:   University of Bedfordshire

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
N/A£146£215£155

 

 

RankCity/TownAverage Accommodation Cost Per Week
21Sheffield£155
22Plymouth£158
23Ipswich£160
24Northampton£163
25Bangor£165
26Colchester£165
27Ormskirk£165
28Hereford£166
29Leicester£166
30Coventry£174
31Dundee£175
32Writtle£176
33Gloucester£177
34Hull£177
35High Wycombe£178
36Loughborough£178
37Chester£182
38Derby£183
39Lancaster£185
40Canterbury£190
41Gillingham£191
42Norwich£191
43Stirling£194
44Winchester£198
45Hatfield£200
46Newcastle upon Tyne£200
47Nottingham£200
48Reading£200
49Swansea£202
50Chichester£205
51Bournemouth£205
52Cardiff£206
53York£206
54Durham£208
55Burnley£208
56Oxford£209
57Belfast£210
58Lincoln£212
59Portsmouth£216
60Liverpool£218
61Exeter£220
62Falmouth£220
63Bath£221
64Birmingham£227
65Cambridge£237
66Sidcup£245
67St Andrews£249
68Edinburgh£250
69Leeds£261
70Manchester£265
71Glasgow£268
72Southampton£270
73Brighton£290
74Guildford£299
75Bristol£335
76West London£347
77South West London£366
78Central London£399
79South East London£408
80North London£423
81East London£493

How we calculate average student accommodation prices#


Our city-wide average isn’t just a simple mean of room categories — it’s more accurate than that.
To calculate the overall average price for student accommodation in each city, we look at every room type listed (including studios, en-suites, shared flats, and apartments). We total the base prices of all these individual room types, then divide by the total number of room types to get the average.


This method reflects the real mix of accommodation available — for example, if a city has a large number of different kinds of studios (which are usually more expensive), that will naturally raise the overall average. We don’t just take an average of the category prices (like “Shared Flat” or “Studio”) because that wouldn’t account for how many room types exist in each category. For example, averaging four category prices assumes there are the same number of rooms in each — and that’s rarely the case.


Right now, this is the most accurate way to reflect real-world costs for students. In the future, we plan to weight averages by the number of rooms per category (once we have full data on room volumes) for an even more detailed view.

Are you trying to decide which university city to study in? You can find out which cities are rated highly by students in our Best Student Cities List below:

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