2026/27
How much does uni cost a month?
University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University are the most expensive at £1,350 a month (£823 rent and bills plus £527 everyday spending). The cheapest here is Swansea University at £1,079. The average maintenance loan is £640 a month, so every one of these costs more than the loan covers.
| University | Gap | A month | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Edinburgh£823 rent + bills | £710 more than the loan | £1,350 |
| 2 | Heriot-Watt University£823 rent + bills | £710 more than the loan | £1,350 |
| 3 | University of Oxford£813 rent + bills | £700 more than the loan | £1,340 |
| 4 | University of Bath£799 rent + bills | £686 more than the loan | £1,326 |
| 5 | University of Cambridge£795 rent + bills | £682 more than the loan | £1,322 |
| 6 | University of Surrey£786 rent + bills | £673 more than the loan | £1,313 |
| 7 | University of York£751 rent + bills | £638 more than the loan | £1,278 |
| 8 | University of Sussex£743 rent + bills | £630 more than the loan | £1,270 |
| 9 | University of Bristol£732 rent + bills | £619 more than the loan | £1,259 |
| 10 | University of Reading£716 rent + bills | £603 more than the loan | £1,243 |
| 11 | University of Warwick£691 rent + bills | £578 more than the loan | £1,218 |
| 12 | University of Manchester£689 rent + bills | £576 more than the loan | £1,216 |
| 13 | University of Glasgow£687 rent + bills | £574 more than the loan | £1,214 |
| 14 | University of Portsmouth£664 rent + bills | £551 more than the loan | £1,191 |
| 15 | Bournemouth University£663 rent + bills | £550 more than the loan | £1,190 |
| 16 | University of Southampton£659 rent + bills | £546 more than the loan | £1,186 |
| 17 | Cardiff University£651 rent + bills | £538 more than the loan | £1,178 |
| 18 | University of Exeter£641 rent + bills | £528 more than the loan | £1,168 |
| 19 | University of Stirling£625 rent + bills | £512 more than the loan | £1,152 |
| 20 | University of Essex£621 rent + bills | £508 more than the loan | £1,148 |
| 21 | Aston University£613 rent + bills | £500 more than the loan | £1,140 |
| 22 | University of Birmingham£613 rent + bills | £500 more than the loan | £1,140 |
| 23 | Newcastle University£604 rent + bills | £491 more than the loan | £1,131 |
| 24 | Northumbria University£604 rent + bills | £491 more than the loan | £1,131 |
| 25 | University of East Anglia£590 rent + bills | £477 more than the loan | £1,117 |
| 26 | Durham University£589 rent + bills | £476 more than the loan | £1,116 |
| 27 | University of Nottingham£587 rent + bills | £474 more than the loan | £1,114 |
| 28 | University of Leeds£581 rent + bills | £468 more than the loan | £1,108 |
| 29 | Queen's University Belfast£579 rent + bills | £466 more than the loan | £1,106 |
| 30 | University of Leicester£572 rent + bills | £459 more than the loan | £1,099 |
| 31 | University of Dundee£569 rent + bills | £456 more than the loan | £1,096 |
| 32 | Loughborough University£563 rent + bills | £450 more than the loan | £1,090 |
| 33 | Lancaster University£561 rent + bills | £448 more than the loan | £1,088 |
| 34 | Swansea University£552 rent + bills | £439 more than the loan | £1,079 |
Rent + bills: SpareRoom university rent index, Q2 2025 (rent incl. bills, asking prices). Everyday spending £527/month and the £640/month average loan: Save the Student National Student Money Survey 2025. Real costs depend on where you live and how you spend.
Questions
How much does it cost to live at university a month?
The average student spends £1,142 a month (Save the Student National Student Money Survey 2025). By university it ranges from £1,079 at Swansea University to £1,350 at University of Edinburgh, using local rent and bills.
Does the student loan cover living costs?
Usually not on its own. The average maintenance loan is £640 a month, which is less than the monthly cost at every university here. Bursaries, grants and part-time work fill the gap.
What's included in these figures?
Average rent and bills for a student room near each university (SpareRoom university rent index, Q2 2025 (rent incl. bills, asking prices)) plus £527 a month for food, travel, going out and everything else (Save the Student National Student Money Survey 2025).
How can I cover the gap?
Check the bursaries and grants your university and others offer: many are paid automatically if your household income is below a limit, and you don't pay them back.