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Which UK cities have universities by the sea?

If visiting the sandy beach and taking part in water sports outside of lectures would make your university experience the best, you should study by the sea! The UK is an island, but despite this, some cities are located over 2 hours' drive from the ocean. This isn't very accessible if sea swimming and surfing are part of your ideal student lifestyle. 

What if you could study by the sea AND save money while at uni? If you are looking for the cheapest seaside town with a university, you are in the right place! While tuition fees take up a large portion of university costs, rent is a major expense to consider if you want to cut back on spending. 

How do I find the cheapest seaside cities with universities?

To make your search easier, we have used StudentCrowd’s live accommodation data* and focused on seaside cities to rank the top 10 cheapest cities in the UK. This is the best data on student accommodation in the country. 

You can use our league table below to find the best uni and accommodation price for you. Spend some time reading the student reviews of UK university life to help inform your decision. Although the weekly rent costs may only vary slightly, over your years at university it will add up!

Last updated - 3rd March 2023

Top 10 Cheapest Cities with Seaside Universities in the UK for Student Accommodation

 #1 
 

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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 £108 per week

Universities in this location:  University of Sunderland

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: Studio
£83£98£126

 

 #2 
 

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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 £117 per week

Universities in this location:  Aberystwyth University

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: Studio
£93£127£156

 

 #3 
 

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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 £139 per week
 
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£100£135£176

 

 #4 
 

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Plymouth

"Plymouth is a lovely place to stay. Has good nightlife and a good range or shops and restaurants to choose from"

Average is £140 per week
 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: Studio
£116£127£152

 

 #5 
 

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Swansea

“A beautiful city, with a good location and welcoming people, also with a lot of opportunities for student development.”

Average is £146 per week

Universities in this location:  Swansea University

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: Studio
£96£143£186

 

 #6 
 

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Bangor

“I love it here. There are loads of nooks and crannies and beautiful sights once you get looking. It's right next to Anglesey, Snowdonia and some pretty towns (Llandudno, Conwy) which are fun to explore with mates. There are two clubs; Academi isn't that great but throw good events sometimes, Cube has decent DJs in every Saturday if that's what you're into. There's a pretty good underground scene here too, especially at Rascals and The Menai.”

Average is £154 per week

Universities in this location:  Bangor University

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: Studio
£110£136£181

 

 #7 
 

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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
 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: Studio
£133£148£178

 

 #8 
 

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Bournemouth

"Night life in Bournemouth is exceptional, there are different clubs and bars. And Old Fire station is specially for University events."

Average is £177 per week
 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: Studio
£168£157£197

 

 #9 

Portsmouth

"Plenty of shopping and resteraunts/pubs/clubs to go visit. No need to spend long looking for places to get what you need"

Average is £178 per week

Universities in this location:   University of Portsmouth

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: Studio
£127£157£197

 

 #10 
 

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Falmouth

"Student life in Falmouth Town is welcoming, homely and exciting and new. Whether you're wanting to go on a chill night or a more rowdy night out, Falmouth has been able to cater to both."

Average is £179 per week

Universities in this location:  Falmouth University

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: Studio
£167£169£190

*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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