Creme de la creme

graduate

What’s the most expensive city in the UK for students? Oxford or Cambridge, maybe? Or what about St Andrew’s? No, the answer lies closer to home – Edinburgh is the most expensive city in the UK for students, according to the Royal Bank of Scotland’s student living index.

The NatWest Student Living Index surveyed 2,500 students across the UK to determine the most affordable place to study. The survey takes into account a range of factors, from how much students spend on going out to how much time they spend studying.

Portsmouth, Liverpool and Newcastle were found to be the cheapest cities for students. The survey found that students there have the highest term-time income making these locations some of the most cost efficient places to study in the UK. The three cities also have lower weekly rent costs than the UK average of £109, contributing to their affordability.

Portsmouth students pay slightly more rent than the UK average but are topping up their term-time income by working around 25% more hours in part-time jobs. However students there still have time to socialise given they are ranked as the third most sociable place to study.

Edinburgh was found to be the most expensive city for students due to above average rent costs combined with significantly lower than average term-time income.

Despite this, Edinburgh students spend the most on going out and spend more than the weekly average on alcohol … although, to be fair, in an average week students spend almost 5 times longer on their studies, part-time work and hobbies than they do on socialising!

Elsewhere, the survey found that students spent an average of 31 hours a week studying and just £7-£8 on alcohol.

Other fascinating findings:

Students living in Oxford and Cambridge spend the most on rent – up to £27 more per week than the average student.

Birmingham, Cambridge and Cardiff spend the least on going out, while those in Edinburgh and Belfast spend the most.

Students in Sheffield, Southampton, Oxford and Exeter spend the most time pursuing hobbies and interests outside of their course.

York was found to be the most social university, with students spending an above average amount of time with their friends.

Students at Oxford and Cambridge spend the most time studying, with those at Cambridge spending an average 7 hours more per week on their studies than students at Oxford. Sheffield came in third place for time spent studying.

Students in Belfast spend the most time working part-time alongside their studies, with Manchester closely following in second place.

Dan Jones, Royal Bank of Scotland head of student accounts, said: “Making the most of university can be expensive and there is a massive difference in the costs students face depending on where they choose to study.”

NOTE: St Andrew’s wasn’t included in the survey

NatWest Student Living Index 2016

 

 

 

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davepickering

Edinburgh reporter and photographer