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As England’s capital city, and one of the world’s most popular places to live in and visit, London is known for its high cost of living, especially when compared to some other cities in the UK. With a population of just under 9 million, around 18 different universities, huge cultural, sports and music scenes, and a massive nightlife scene, there’s so much to do around the city for students.
While the price of a beer, a meal out and nightclub entry may be expensive in comparison to other UK cities, you will find student nights and certain discounts and incentives that can act as a financial lifesaver. Read on for more info about the cost of living as a student in London.
CONTENTS
- Fees and funding in London
- Student accommodation in London
- Cost of groceries in London
- Going out in London
- Transport in London
- Other student expenses in London
Fees and funding in London
By going to uni in London, you’ll be subject to the standard fees associated with studying at a UK university. Tuition fees usually cost up to £9,250 per year, on top of living and rental costs. However, Student Finance has been set up to help you pay for some of those fees. You can apply for this funding when you apply for uni and your loan only needs to be repaid when you start working.
Depending on your personal circumstances, you may also be able to apply for extra funding from your uni in the form of scholarships and bursaries. For example, at City University London, the Music Performance Scholarship is worth up to £2,000 for undergraduate students who play an instrument beyond Grade 8, while at SOAS London the SOAS Bursary gives up to £4,500 to students who come from a household with a total annual income of less than £25,000.
Student accommodation in London
Rooms in uni-run halls of residences are offered by most universities in London to their students. These vary in terms of size, style, location and price and are often guaranteed for first-year undergraduates who meet the application deadline and other eligibility criteria.
How much you’ll pay to stay in halls in London depends on where you go and what type of halls you end up in. Catered halls are often more expensive than self-catered halls, while en suite studio apartments and shared flats usually cost more than shared bathroom block accommodations. In general, in London rent prices in halls range from around £120 to £450 per week. Unis such as Goldsmiths, which are further out from the centre, typically have slightly cheaper options available than universities like LSE which are in central London.
You may also want to consider private renting, either in private halls or a room in a shared house. Prices for a room in a shared house start from around £650 per month, but you’d usually need to pay utility bills, e.g., electricity, gas and water on top of this. You'll probably want to budget around £60-£80 per month to cover these costs.
Utility bills are usually covered by rent payments if you stay in halls of residence.
Cost of groceries in London
London has a huge selection of supermarkets and grocery stores, ranging from the pricier options like Waitrose and Marks & Spencer to the more budget options including Lidl and Aldi. Which ones you have access to will largely depend on which shops are in the vicinity of where you live. Depending on where you live, you may not have good access to a large superstore, however, you’ll find plenty of mini-supermarkets, like Tesco Express and Sainsbury’s Local. These tend to be more expensive than the larger supermarkets.
The cost of groceries in London is comparatively higher than in a lot of other towns and cities in the UK. For reference, on average a litre of milk costs around £1.15, a loaf of bread is around £1.10, a kg of cheese is about £6.50 and a kg of tomatoes is around £2.50.
Students should budget around £40 per week for grocery shopping in London.
Going out in London
As the capital city of England, London is one of the country’s most expensive places to go out, especially if you venture to some of the more mainstream restaurants, pubs and clubs. In most pubs the cost of a pint of beer or cider, or a glass of wine, will vary between around £5.50 and £7.50, depending on the establishment and brand of drink. The cost of a single spirit mixer is usually between £5 and £7.
Prices tend to increase in fancier bars and nightclubs but you will also be able to find plenty of student nights where drinks will be cheaper. Nightclub entry costs anything from £5 to £50, with most standard venues charging around £10 to £15 on the door.
Generally, when eating out in London a meal at an inexpensive or chain restaurant costs on average around £15 per person. In a mid-range restaurant, an average three-course meal for two people costs around £70.
Transport in London
London has some of the best transport links in the country and can be reached from all major towns and cities in the UK. Across the city, 18 stations are served by the National Rail network, giving great access to the rest of the country.
Within the city, one of the world’s most extensive underground systems connects the whole of the capital, while an Overground network, Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and bus routes make travel in the capital regular and convenient.
You can pay for travel in London by using a pay-as-you-go Oyster card or using your contactless bank card. A bus journey is £1.75, while trips on the Overground, DLR or tube vary depending on the travel zones you pass through. Your travel costs within London will be capped daily, e.g., you can make as many journeys as you like within zones one and two for around £8 per day. The more zones you travel through, the higher the daily cap.
Other student expenses in London
As well as the costs we’ve already covered in this article, there are other more general expenses associated with being a student that you should be aware of.
For example, you should budget for the cost of course materials, such as books and specific equipment, that may be needed for the different modules on your course. You may need art supplies if studying an art & design course for example, or certain medical equipment on medicine courses.
Also, some societies or sports teams you join may charge a joining fee or admin fees to help fund the organisation of the club, and the cost of other social activities like cinema visits, gig tickets and day trips should be considered if you plan to do these kinds of things.
You’ll also need to spend money on keeping yourself clean and clothed. Toiletries like toothpaste and shower gel need to be bought regularly, and you may also need to buy clothes during term time.
As an estimate, students in London should budget to spend around £1,500 per month to cover expenses like rent, food, transport, personal costs and leisure activities. Of course, this figure is an average estimate and will vary from individual to individual.
