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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: 4th March 2026

Cheapest UK Cities for Student Accommodation League Table 2026#

 

 #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 £93 per week

Universities in this location:  University of Bradford

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
£82£90N/A£150
 #2 
 

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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)

 
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N/A£107N/AN/A
 #3 
 

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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 £128 per week

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

 
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£79£110£133£162
 #4 

Paisley

                                                                                                                                        

Average is £129 per week

Universities in this location: University of the West of Scotland

 
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£98£134£166N/A
 #5 
 

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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

 
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£115£135£145£155
 #6
 

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Wrexham

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

Average is £133 per week

Universities in this location: Wrexham University

 
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N/A£133N/AN/A
 #7 
 

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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 £134 per week

Universities in this location:  Aberystwyth University

 
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£119£149£199£165
 #8 
 

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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 £136 per week

Universities in this location:   University of Huddersfield

 
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£151£116N/A£159
 #9 
 

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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 £137 per week

Universities in this location:  University of Cumbria

 
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£137£99N/AN/A
 #10 
 

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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 £137 per week

Universities in this location:   University of Wolverhampton

 
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£145£109£215£164
 #11 
 

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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 £139 per week

Universities in this location:  University of Bolton

 
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£155£143N/A£130
 #12 
 

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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

 
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£120£135£200£160
 #13 

Salford

“Living in Salford is actually one of the best because there is barely any crime or noise. Just beautiful night lights, river, decorations and markets. It is a very homely area to live at.”

Average is £142 per week

Universities in this location:  University of Salford

 
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£142£149N/AN/A
 #14 
 

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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 £142 per week

Universities in this location:   Staffordshire University

 
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£113£137N/A£155
 #15 

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 £143 per week

Universities in this location:  University of Gloucestershire

 
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N/A£140N/AN/A
 #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 £146 per week

Universities in this location:  Harper Adams University

 
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£169£146N/AN/A
 #17 
 

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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 £152 per week

Universities in this location:   University of Bedfordshire

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
N/A£151N/A£236
 #18 
 

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Sheffield

“Sheffield is so cheap! Nightlife needs a big upgrade with djs who actually dj, so many independent shops to explore”

Average is £155 per week

Universities in this location:  University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
£137£123£226£183
 #19 
 

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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 £158 per week

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

 
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£112£147£250£213
 #20 

Stafford

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

Average is £159 per week

Universities in this location:  Staffordshire University

 
Avg: Shared Flat Shared BathroomAvg: Shared Flat with EnsuiteAvg: ApartmentAvg: Studio
N/A£137N/A£175

 

 

RankCity/TownAverage Accommodation Cost Per Week
21Ipswich£162
22Coventry£167
23Northampton£169
24Ormskirk£171
25Worcester£171
26Keele£172
27Plymouth£172
28Gloucester£174
29Leicester£175
30Writtle£178
31Bangor£179
32Lancaster£180
33Loughborough£182
34High Wycombe£183
35Hull£184
36Dundee£185
37Nottingham£188
38Derby£188
39Colchester£189
40Swansea£190
41Gillingham£192
42Chichester£194
43Chester£194
44Bedford£195
45Belfast£195
46Newcastle upon Tyne£195
47Hatfield£199
48Norwich£199
49Canterbury£205
50Reading£207
51Cardiff£209
52Lincoln£210
53Stirling£211
54Winchester£212
55Bournemouth£214
56Birmingham£217
57Oxford£218
58Exeter£222
59Portsmouth£223
60Falmouth£227
61Liverpool£234
62Bath£235
63York£237
64Leeds£249
65Cambridge£252
66Durham£262
67Southampton£268
68Brighton£276
69Manchester£279
70Edinburgh£281
71St Andrews£293
72Guildford£306
73Glasgow£309
74Bristol£332
75West London£370
76South East London£409
77South West London£418
78North London£438
79Central London £460
80East London£520

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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