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Where are the cheapest Russell Group universities?

While the cost of tuition fees at each Russell Group university is consistent for domestic students, where you choose to study can still save you money in other areas of student life, such as rent and living expenses. If the cost of university is an important factor when applying for uni in a Russell Group city, finding the best student accommodation prices could save you thousands of pounds a year.

Which Russell Group cities are the cheapest?

To help you find the most affordable Russell Group universities, our league table uses StudentCrowd’s live accommodation data* and this list of Russell Group universities to rank the top 10 cheapest cities. This is the best data on student accommodation in the UK. 

You can use our league table below to make the most effective decision for your student budget. Although the rent costs per week only differ slightly, those few extra pounds add up over the year.

So if studying at a university with world-leading research is important to you, explore our league table! Discover the most affordable cities with Russell Group universities in the UK and read student reviews to learn more about life as a student.

Last updated - 3rd March 2023

Top 10 Cheapest Cities with Russell Group Universities for Student Accommodation

 #1
 

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Belfast

"Really enjoy Belfast, everyone is so welcoming and friendly. Really pleased I am at Uni here."

Average is £141 per week

Russell Group university in this location:  Queen's University Belfast (QUB)

 
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£116£135£175

 

 #2 

Liverpool

"Liverpool is a great city to live in and would recommend to anyone being a student. Don’t be put off by scary news stories as its such a nice welcoming place with lots of students in too."

Average is £152 per week

Russell Group university in this location: University of Liverpool

 
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£106£137£173

 

 #3 
 

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Sheffield 

"A wonderful green city. Walking in this city is a pleasure. Love the people and the vibe of the city with plenty of open free spaces and industrial heritage that you can explore"

Average is £156 per week

Russell Group university in this location:  The University of Sheffield 

 
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£141£134£173

 

 #4 
 

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Newcastle-upon-Tyne

"I really like Newcastle. I think it's a great place for students because of the two local unis and quite often Durham students also come up here. There is something for everyone, whether you want to go clubbing or just chill in a cafe."

Average is £158 per week

Russell Group university in this location: Newcastle University

 
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£111£133£179

 

 #5 
 

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Cardiff

"Cardiff is a lovely seaside town with a great city center. It’s extremely walkable and the arcades are a really treat to discover! Would recommend visiting the Cardiff market as well to get yourself some yummy welshcakes :)"

Average is £160 per week

Russell Group university in this location: Cardiff University

 
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£133£148£178

 

 #6 
 

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Coventry

"Coventry is a small yet vibrant city. It is a student-populated city overpowering the vibe. Cost of living is fairly cheap if compare to Birmingham and Greater London county."

Average is £166 per week

Russell Group university in this location: University of Warwick

 
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£130£153£180

 

 #7 
 

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Cambridge

"cambridge is a lovely pace to live, feels really homely and safe"

Average is £176 per week

Russell Group university in this location: University of Cambridge

 
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£150£177£268

 

 #8 
 

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Glasgow

"Glasgow is a student-friendly and nice city! People are welcoming and I do not feel the sense of being stranger here! Prices are fair here and public transport are good, the only thing missing is that the subway does not cover different parts of the city!"

Average is £177 per week

Russell Group university in this location: University of Glasgow

 
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£145£154£199

 

 #9 
 

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Birmingham

"Birmingham is the city where i find the people of my community. It is best to chill out for students. The cost of living is affordable."

Average is £178 per week

Russell Group university in this location: University of Birmingham

 
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£128£157£201

 

 #10 
 

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Durham

"Durham is overall a very nice place to live, there're plenty of cafes, restaurants, pubs etc, word of mouth says the night life is quite decent too. It can be a little bit busy during the day in the market square when everyone is going to and from lessons but generally it's not too bad"

Average is £181 per week

Russell Group university in this location: Durham University

 
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£152£162£195

*StudentCrowd’s data is the most comprehensive data on the cost of student accommodation in the UK. Find out more on how we collect and manage our accommodation data here.

The table below is based on the cost of purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) and university-owned halls. We used the monthly average of all student accommodation in each location from September 2021 - August 2022. Note, it does not cover HMO (house in multiple occupation) rents, however, PBSA and university-owned accommodation are an accurate reflection of local HMO rents. StudentCrowd collects rent and occupancy data on a weekly basis for all PBSA accommodation and on a fortnightly basis for all university-owned accommodation in the UK.

 

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