Starting university can be exciting but also overwhelming. From living away from home for the first time and learning to budget, to juggling studies and social life, there’s a lot to get to grips with. But with living costs rising, many undergraduates are struggling to afford it, with 71% relying on the ‘bank of mum and dad’ to get by during term-time.
Despite this, applications have seen a 4.5% increase in the last year as university continues to offer many benefits, including supporting young people with social skills, elevating career prospects and building independence.
To find out the current status of students’ finances, UK Debt Expert created the Affordability University Index, which analysed the top-rated 50 universities, looking at seven data points to reveal what students can expect financially before heading to university.
Find out below to see the most and least affordable universities for the class of 2025/2026.
Which universities are the most affordable?
| Rank | University | University ranking | Average monthly expenses for students excluding rent (£) | Average cost of monthly transport (£) | Part-time jobs within 10km of the city | Average cost of a freshers week ticket(£) | Average cost of a pint in city (£) | Average weekly rent for inc. en-suite (£) | Average cost of monthly food shop (£) |
| 1 | University of Glasgow | 31 | 392 | 65 | 109 | 12 | 4.65 | 161.49 | 120 |
| 2 | Swansea University | 40 | 396 | 46 | 48 | 14.99 | 4.85 | 135 | 108 |
| 3 | The University of Edinburgh | 18 | 464 | 62.5 | 92 | 20.9 | 5.05 | 120 | 133 |
| 4 | Loughborough University | 7 | 428 | 35.75 | 49 | 20 | 4.73 | 115 | 146 |
| 5 | University of Strathclyde | 38 | 392 | 65 | 109 | 30 | 4.65 | 175.35 | 120 |
| 6 | Aberystwyth University | 45 | 454 | 52.8 | 46 | 10 | 5.15 | 119.32 | 150 |
| 7 | University of Dundee | 39 | 464 | 47.25 | 47 | 15 | 4.43 | 169.21 | 117 |
| 8 | University of Bath | 8 | 445 | 82.8 | 47 | 30 | 5.70 | 100 | 122 |
| 9 | University of Nottingham | 27 | 430 | 76 | 48 | 20 | 4.95 | 147 | 116 |
| 10 | University of Leicester | 33 | 394 | 67 | 48 | 15 | 5.30 | 156 | 120 |
| 11 | University of Exeter | 11 | 461 | 74 | 49 | 20 | 5.40 | 119 | 151 |
| 12 | University of Aberdeen | 30 | 517 | 76 | 46 | 16.96 | 4.65 | 184 | 78 |
| 13 | University of Manchester | 28 | 563 | 63.3 | 84 | 15 | 5.18 | 175 | 108 |
| 14 | Nottingham Trent University | 46 | 430 | 76 | 48 | 14.99 | 4.95 | 180.95 | 116 |
| 15 | University of Birmingham | 14 | 564 | 53 | 63 | 37 | 5.43 | 141 | 111 |
| 16 | University of Liverpool | 23 | 540 | 66 | 93 | 20 | 5.83 | 120 | 173 |
| 17 | Lancaster University | 10 | 475 | 74 | 47 | 37 | 5.33 | 132 | 126 |
| 18 | Newcastle University | 32 | 513 | 72.9 | 46 | 10 | 4.60 | 172.9 | 122 |
| 19 | University of Leeds | 21 | 554 | 72 | 85 | 30 | 5.50 | 119 | 158 |
| 20 | University of Reading | 36 | 413 | 65 | 48 | 30 | 5.20 | 206.29 | 75 |
Glasgow students are in luck as it has been revealed that it is the most affordable university city with University of Glasgow ranking first.
The average living costs is around £392, plus £161 a week in rent in halls – totalling about £663 monthly. With the average maintenance loan at £7,202 a year (around £1,942 per quarter), students here may have slightly more left over compared with those at other universities.
This applies to all students, with those in second and third year potentially benefiting further as they won’t need to purchase as many one-off items, saving more money.
In Glasgow’s city centre, University of Strathclyde also made the top five being one of the most affordable universities. Students will be expected to spend £120 a month on a food shop and if they fancy a pint after a day of learning this will cost less than £5.
While Glasgow takes the top spot, other cities also offer students cheaper living costs. Coming in second place is Wales with Swansea University ranking second as the most affordable. Those attending will only be expected to spend on average £108 on a food shop and one of the cheapest transport options out of all of the cities.
While affordable living costs are crucial, students also need to budget for their social life. The data reveals that socialising has become increasingly expensive, with an average pint across the top 20 most affordable universities ranging between £4.70 and £6.30.
A typical night out involving eight pints could easily exceed £50. These nights out often lead to impulse takeaway spending, with students averaging £25 – £48 a week on post-night-out food. Combined with weekly grocery spending of over £100, social expenses can quickly add up and impact even the most carefully planned student budgets.
Universities in Surrey, Oxford and Essex are deemed the most expensive for students to attend. Students at the University of Surrey, for example, may find themselves spending £804 on living expenses alone, with food shops pushing the monthly total to over £900 – that’s £347 more per month than Glasgow students.
Tips to manage your finances at university
Embarking on your university experience can be filled with a variety of emotions, from excitement to fear as you prepare to set up in a new living space and meet lots of new people. However, getting caught up in the whirlwind might mean you’re not keeping track of your finances.
Below are five tips to stay on top of your money:
1. Regular check-ins
Checking your banking app can feel scary, but it’s worth it. If you don’t look for weeks, you’ll have no idea how much those nights out or takeaways are adding up. A quick five-minute check each day keeps you on top of your balance and helps you see what you’ve really got to spend that week.
2. Discounted services
Always check if places offer a student deal, apps like UNiDAYS can save you on travel, clothes, tech, and even food shops. Don’t buy anything online without checking for a student code first.
3. Meal prep your dinners
Plan your meals for the week, shop with a list, and cook in bulk. Batch cooking pasta sauces, curries, or soups saves time and money, and stops you from splurging on last-minute takeaways.
4. Set a weekly spending limit
Instead of thinking monthly, break your budget down weekly. Transfer your “spending money” into a separate account or prepaid card so you know when you’re close to the limit.
5. Avoid impulse buys online
It’s easy to overspend with a few late-night clicks, so try adding things to your basket and waiting 24 hours before checking out. Chances are, you won’t want half of it the next day, and your bank balance will thank you.
The importance of budgeting
Personal finance expert at UK Debt Expert, Maxine McCreadie commented on the research: “Navigating university can be exciting, with a new location, living space and friends to spend time with. Our research shows student expenses are increasingly becoming more expensive and spending beyond your means could lead to unwanted financial troubles, especially if trying to keep up with your peers.
“Before starting it’s important to budget and be aware of extra money available once essentials have been paid. The majority of students may not have had to handle that amount of money before so it can be tempting to go and impulse spend, however, remember it’s meant to last the term.
“If you are worried about budgeting and finances make sure you take the time to speak to university advisors or a finance expert who may be able to offer some tips to ensure you have the best start to university life.”
Methodology
For this study, our expert researchers looked at the cities that are home to the 50 top ranked universities across the UK, and compared these against seven relevant index points to find the most and least expensive universities for students. The data points included:
- Average monthly expenses for students, including travel costs
- Average weekly rent for the cheapest university halls options
- Average cost of weekly shopping
- Cost of cheapest freshers week tickets.
- Average cost of a pint in the city.
- The number of part-time jobs available within 10km of the city.
Once the data had been collected, an index score was given to each university in each data set, depending on the affordability of the result. The cumulative percentages for each city were totalled and ranked out of 100, with the highest index figure being most affordable, and vice versa.
