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The city of Southampton is in southern England in the county of Hampshire, sitting around 70 miles from London and close to the New Forest. There’s a high student population in Southampton due to the two major universities and other colleges in the city.
Despite its relative closeness to London, the cost of living in Southampton is around 20% less expensive than that of the capital in general. How much students in Southampton spend per month varies from individual to individual, however, we’ve written this guide to give you a general idea of the cost of living in Southampton.
Fees and funding in Southampton
When thinking about fees and funding in Southampton, you’ll need to consider that for most uni courses in the UK you’ll need to pay tuition fees of up to £9,250 per year. You’ll also have to budget for living expenses like rent, food and going out costs, which we’ll go into in more detail in this article.
When you apply to go to university you can apply for student loans through Student Finance which will help you cover some of your costs. This funding only needs to be repaid once you’ve started working and earning above a certain amount.
There are two types of student loans, a tuition fee loan which helps cover tuition fees and a maintenance loan for living costs. You can choose the amount of your tuition fees that you want to be covered by the tuition fee loan, while the maintenance loan is worth up to £9,706 a year. The exact value of your maintenance loan will depend on where you study, where you live and your family income.
Depending on your personal circumstances, you may also be eligible to apply for extra funding from your uni in the form of scholarships and bursaries. For example, Solent University offers a Merit Scholarship that’s worth up to £750 and based on you’re A-level (or equivalent) grades, as well as various bursaries based on personal circumstances, such as household income. The University of Southampton also offers bursaries based on household income and other criteria, as well as scholarships including merit scholarships which are worth up to £3,000 a year.
Student accommodation in Southampton
At the University of Southampton, a room in self-catered halls costs between £129 and £240 per week, while catered options range from around £190 to £230 per week. There’s a variety of accommodation types, with studio flats being the most expensive options and a room in a shared-bathroom block accommodation being the cheapest. At Solent University, accommodation rates range from around £110 to £165 per week.
If you’d rather not live in halls or you miss the accommodation deadline, you can also look at private rental options. In Southampton, a room in a shared house generally ranges from around £80 to £200 a week, while studio flat and one-bed options cost between £145 and £350 per week. If you choose to live in privately rented accommodation, you will have to pay for your utility bills on top of rent. You should budget around £60 a month for this cost.
Many students decide to live in nearby neighbourhoods, like Portswood, to find cheaper and more student-friendly areas to live in.
Cost of groceries in Southampton
In general, the cost of groceries in Southampton is reasonable. You’ll find a wide variety of supermarket options in and around Southampton, including large superstores. For example, there’s an Asda superstore in the city, as well as a Sainsbury’s superstore in nearby Portswood.
On average, you’ll find the following rough prices for these common goods:
- Milk (1L): £0.98
- Bread Loaf: £0.91
- Rice (1kg): £1.35
- Eggs (12): £1.91
- Cheese (1kg): £5.20
- Chicken fillets (1kg): £6.15
- Apples (1kg): £1.35
- Potatoes (1kg): £1.06
The University of Southampton suggests budgeting around £120 a month for your food shopping.
Going out in Southampton
Southampton is a fairly cheap city to go out in as a student. The average price of a pint of beer is around £4.00, while the average price of a meal in an inexpensive or chain restaurant is about £12 per person. For two people to eat out in a mid-range restaurant (two to three courses) it costs on average around £50.
In terms of nightlife, you’ll find loads of student nights that offer inexpensive or free entry and cheap drinks.
You should look to budget around £130 a month for going out and social activities, although this of course varies from student to student.
Transport in Southampton
A Unilink bus pass costs around £30 a month but is usually included in rent fees if you stay in university halls. The bus system is the easiest way to get around Southampton, although it is also possible to cover the city on foot and by bicycle.
A single train ticket to London starts from £9.20 each way, while to get to Birmingham prices start from £22.30 for a single ticket. You'll be able to find the cheapest options if you book in advance or take super off-peak trains. Also, as a student, you’ll be able to buy a 16-25 Rail Card which will give you 1/3 off train travel.
Other student expenses in Southampton
As a student in Southampton, you’ll have other expenses that you should be aware of and budget for. The University of Southampton suggests that the average student in Southampton spends around £13 a month on toiletries and self-care and around £47 per month on clothes and accessories. You’ll also need to budget for things like laundry and course materials, such as books.
As a university student in Southampton, the average student should budget to spend around £900 a month, not including course fees.
