The most expensive, and cheapest, places for students

The research, conducted by no deposit bonus codes guide NoDepositFriend.com, analysed data from Numbeo and the Office of National Statistics (ONS), examining different factors such as the average price of a beer, cost of transportation, weekly house expenses and the average cost of rent, to identify the average cost of outgoing monthly expenses for a student across the UK.  

The study revealed that students who are living in Bangor and studying at Bangor University have the cheapest cost of living while studying; on average, students spend £ 916 each month. The average monthly cost of living in the UK for students is £1,410, this is 35% more than learners living in Bangor. However, whilst living in Bangor may be cheap, Bangor University came 75th in The Complete University Guide 2025 rankings.  

Pontypridd is the second cheapest place for students in the UK. The average monthly student expenditure is £938, which is a third cheaper than the average cost of living for students in the UK. The average rent price for students in Pontypridd is £419 per month, which is considerably below the average rent price for learners in the rest of the UK, at £871. The University of South Wales recently came 94th in the 2025 university rankings. 

Middlesbrough is the third cheapest place for students to study. The average monthly student expenditure is £959, 32% less than the average student in the UK. Rent prices for students in Middlesbrough are below the national average, keeping living costs low. However, the price of a pint of beer is above the national average. The national average price of beer is £4.37, however, students living in Middlesbrough pay an average of £5 per pint.  

The fourth cheapest place for students to live is Sunderland. Students living in Sunderland spend on average £991, which is 30% less than the national average. The University of Sunderland came 72nd on the list of top universities in the country.  

Bradford is the fifth cheapest place to study in the UK. Students living in Bradford spend an average of £520 a month on rent. Overall, students in Bradford spend 25% less on monthly expenses than the average UK learner and the study revealed that students in Bradford have an average monthly expenditure of £1,044. 

Carmarthen is the sixth cheapest place for students to study; the data revealed that students living in Carmarthen have an average monthly expenditure of £1,044. 

With an average monthly expenditure of £1,052, Hull is the seventh cheapest place for students. Students living in Hull spend 25% less than the average student in the UK. 

Stoke-on-Trent is the eighth cheapest place in the UK to study. On average, a student spends £1,068 on monthly expenses. Dundee and Wolverhampton are the ninth and tenth cheapest places to study in the UK. Ranking as the 52nd best university in the 2025 list, The University of Dundee is the highest-ranking university in the top ten cheapest places to study.   

In contrast, London has been revealed as the most expensive place for students to live. On average, a student in London pays £2,409 every month. This is 70% more than the average student pays and 163% more than students pay in Bangor. Whilst students studying in London will pay a high price for their education, they may sleep easy knowing that the London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London is the third highest rated university in the top universities of 2025.  

Uxbridge is the second most expensive place to study in. The average monthly expenditure for a student in Uxbridge is £1,983, which is 40% more than the average student in the UK. Students in Uxbridge spend an average of £1,475 a month on rent for an apartment.  

Kingston upon Thames is the third most expensive place for students to study in the UK. The average monthly expenditure for students living in Kingston upon Thames is £1,974.  

Ealing is the fourth most costly place to study. The data revealed that students in Ealing spend an average of £1,966 on monthly expenses. Students in Ealing have been revealed to spend 39% more than the average student.  

Brighton has been revealed as the fifth most expensive place to study in. Students, on average, spend £ 1,921 on monthly expenses, just over a third more than the average UK student pays. The study revealed that the tourist hotspot has the third most expensive pint of beer in the UK, with the average price at £6.10. Whilst Brighton may be the fifth most expensive place to study in, The University of Brighton was ranked 70th on the list of the top universities of 2025. 

Oxford is the sixth most expensive city to place in; on average, it costs students £1,803 every month to live and study in the prestigious city of Oxford. Students in Oxford spend 28% more than the national average to study at the acclaimed university. 

The seventh most expensive place is Durham. Students living in Durham spend 27% more than the average in the UK and the data shows that, on average, students spend £1,799 a month on expenses.  

Worcester is the eighth most expensive place to study. The study revealed that students living in Worcester spend £1,782 a month on average on expenses. Rounding out the top 10, Guildford and Bristol rank as the ninth and tenth most costly places to study in the UK, respectively. 

Steven Ellis of NoDepositFriend.com commented on the findings: 

“The cost-of-living crisis is influencing the university choices of many students, making it a crucial factor to consider. Before selecting a university, it's essential to research and ensure that the institution offers the course you are interested in. 

“Living at home while studying can help save money, but it may impact your overall university experience. Those interested in having in more spare cash may consider studying at universities in cities with cheaper costs of living. For instance, students studying in Bangor will likely have more money to spend on nights out compared to students in London. However, London is renowned for offering a much better social experience.”