university-cost-of-living

These are the uni cities where the cost of living is highest for students in 2022

Wouldn’t want to be an Edinburgh student rn


The cost of living crisis is hitting everyone hard, but students seem to be particularly affected, with no real targeted support being provided by the government.

And just how hard students feel the pinch, depends on where they go to university.

University students in Edinburgh have a higher cost of living when compared with other students around the UK, according to new research by NatWest.

In fact, Edinburgh is the only city in the UK where students’ spending outweighs their income.

On average, students in Edinburgh have a term-time income of £934 per month, while their total monthly spending is £949.

At the other end of the spectrum, Cardiff is the most affordable city for students to live in.

The following table ranks universities on a student living index. This is calculated by adding together average monthly living costs and accommodation costs, then dividing that by average monthly income.

The higher the score, the higher the cost of living in that uni city. Anything above a score of one means students are having to spend more than their income.

Here’s the full table:

Laura Behan, Head of NatWest Student Accounts said: “Despite the cost of living increasing dramatically, we’ve not seen that hit students quite as hard as may have been expected this year.

“Rents were set well in advance of the academic year and inflation increased much later into the academic year. However, with the cost of living increasing, especially as we look towards the start of the new university year in September, it is vital that students properly manage their finances.

“We offer a range of tools to help, including spend categorisation in our mobile app so students can see exactly where their money is going every month and a Round Ups tool to help develop a strong savings habit.”

Featured image: Shutterstock / SB Arts Media (edited)

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