Curious about the cost of living in London for students? The blog will reveal the latest data for you. According to the 2025 QS ranking published recently, London ranks first again in the top 10 cities for students to study abroad. It is the sixth consecutive year London has been listed as number one. In this way, London has become the dream city in many students’ minds. However, before making the final decision, finding out the cost of living in London for students is necessary, lest the budget is insufficient. To save you time and energy, the blogger will uncover the student living expenses in London, UK and list some tips on how to reduce the living expenses in London for students.
Average Living Expenses in London for Students
On average, the monthly student living expenses in London, UK, range between £2,300 and £2,500. Here is a brief chart showing the average cost of living in London for students.
| Item | Cost (£) |
|---|---|
| Tuition Fees | £9,250/year |
| Off-campus Accommodation | £1,220/month |
| On-campus Accommodation | £1,200/month |
| Utility | £326/month |
| Transportation | £186/month |
| Food | £480/month |
| Groceries | £200/month |
| Entertainment & Leisure | £60/month |
| Health Insurance | £352/year |
Average Living Expenses in London for International Students
For a clearer presentation of living expenses in London for international students, we will divide the expenses into 2 parts: pre-arrival and post-arrival costs.
Pre-arrival Cost of Studying in London for International Students
Before coming to London, there are some fees that an international student needs to consider. The first one is your examination fees. Most universities in London necessitate your test scores in admissions tests, like the GRE or GMAT, and language proficiency exams, such as IELTS or TOEFL. In this way, you need to pay the examination fees and pass the test your dream university requires. In addition, it is also necessary for international students to pay the application costs, the fee for Tier 4 General Student Visa, and flight tickets. The specific fees are shown in the chart below.
| Item | Cost (£) |
|---|---|
| Examination Fees (such as GMAT) | £193 – £231 |
| Application Costs | £50 – £150 |
| Tier 4 General Student Visa | £334 – £490 |
| Flight Tickets | £257 – £293 |
Post-arrival Cost of Living in London for Indian Students
After arriving in London, international students must pay tuition fees and the additional London cost of living as a student. Here, we will take Indian students as an example.
| Item | Cost (₹) |
|---|---|
| Tuition Fees | ₹1,083,555 – ₹4,117,857/year |
| Off Campus Accommodation | ₹128,238/month |
| On Campus Accommodation | ₹126,136/month |
| Utility | ₹35,321/month |
| Transportation | ₹19,551/month |
| Food | ₹50,454/month |
| Groceries | ₹21,022/month |
| Entertainment & Leisure | ₹6,306/month |
| Health Insurance | ₹38,138/year |
Cost of Living in London for Students: Tuition Fees
Students are required to pay one of the student living costs in London – tuition fees between £10,000 and £38,000 per year, depending on different subjects, degree types, and universities. Generally, the yearly tuition fees for a bachelor’s in London are between £10,000 and £20,000, while for a master’s degree and a doctoral degree in London, the fees are more expensive. At the same time, the yearly costs of popular Business courses (such as finance) are the most expensive, about £31,800 – £37,000, while the other Business courses are cheaper. As for Science and Engineering courses, the fees are less costly, while Humanities and Social Sciences are the cheapest. You can gain more detailed information from the following diagrams.
| Degree Type | Yearly Cost (£) |
|---|---|
| Bachelors in London | £10,000 – £20,000 |
| Masters degree in London | £20,000 – £30,000 |
| Doctoral Degree in London | £15,000 – £38,000 |
| Subject | Yearly Cost (£) |
|---|---|
| Business (Popular Courses) | £31,800 – £37,000 |
| Business (Other Courses) | £26,500 – £31,800 |
| Science & Engineering | £26,500 – £29,700 |
| Humanities & Social Sciences | £21,200 |
Student Living Expenses in London UK: Accommodation
London accommodation costs are undoubtedly a big part of your student living expenses in London, UK. They vary widely depending on different factors, such as location (in or outside the city centre), property types, room types, and the facilities the accommodation offers. Most universities would like to offer halls of residence for freshmen, but the majority of students prefer to rent a room off campus from the second year of study. At this time, you will find that the off-campus accommodations are even cheaper than the on-campus housing. For example, if you rent student accommodation in London through the uhomes.com rental platform, it is easy for you to rent the cheapest accommodation in London for international students, some only costing around £760.
Moreover, uhomes.com also promises the highest cashback in the whole network. The special offers include group reservations, cashback, vouchers, and seasonal special discounts! By the way, uhomes.com provides a good service with professional one-on-one property experts to help you search, compare and book suitable student housing in London based on your budget, the location of your dream university, etc.
In addition to accommodation costs, utility bills are also a good amount of money that can always be ignored. However, utility bills, like water, electricity, gas, and heating, are all included in student accommodation rent on uhomes.com. Therefore, you don’t need to worry about that. If you are interested in cost-effective housing on uhomes.com, you can take a look at the following properties:
- iQ Shoreditch – up to £900 cashback: Located near many major universities, including University College London and City, University of London, iQ Shoreditch offers Studios, Non-En-suites, 1B and 2B Apartments. In addition, community amenities, like activity rooms, gyms, and laundry rooms, are available for students’ use.
- iQ Vega – up to £650 cashback: iQ Vega provides 3 room types: En-suites Studios, and Non-En-suites. Students living here easily commute from University College London and King’s College London Waterloo Campus.
Living Expenses in London for Students: Transport
Speaking of living expenses in London for students in terms of transportation, you will spend around £100 to £200 per month on the tube and overground rail and about £60 on a bus and tram. It is highly recommended that you buy an oyster card, which offers a 30% discount on travel across the city. However, if you find housing near your university, commuting will be effortless, and transportation fees can be saved this way. uhomes.com offers plenty of student accommodations near different universities. You can directly contact the property managers if you need to. Besides, to give you more precise and direct information, the living expenses in London for students regarding the primary transportation (data source: NUMBEO) are listed in the chart below.
| Transportation | Cost (£) |
|---|---|
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | £2.75 |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | £200 |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | £4 |
| Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff) | £1.90 |
| Taxi 1h Waiting (Normal Tariff) | £30 |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | £1.50 |
London Cost of Living for Students: Food
The living cost in London for students varies in terms of food. It depends on whether you choose to eat out or cook on your own.
Cost of Living in London for Students: Groceries
If you prefer to cook alone, you only need to spend about £160 per month on essential groceries, which is a part of the cost of living in London per month for students. The prices of some food in London are shown in the diagram.
| Markets | Cost (£) |
|---|---|
| Milk (regular), (1 liter) | £1.30 |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g) | £1.51 |
| Rice (white), (1kg) | £1.96 |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | £3.03 |
| Local Cheese (1kg) | £7.65 |
| Chicken Fillets (1kg) | £7.27 |
| Beef Round (1kg) | £11.56 |
| Apples (1kg) | £2.55 |
| Banana (1kg) | £1.29 |
| Oranges (1kg) | £2.40 |
| Tomato (1kg) | £3.29 |
| Potato (1kg) | £1.24 |
| Onion (1kg) | £1.18 |
| Lettuce (1 head) | £0.95 |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | £1.21 |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | £9.00 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | £1.90 |
| Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) | £2.30 |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | £15.00 |
Living Cost for Students in London: Restaurant
For having a meal outside, it takes around £20 to eat at an inexpensive restaurant, about £80 to have a three-course meal with your friend in a mid-range restaurant, and £6 for a meal at Mcdonald’s or equivalent snash bars. In addition, a cup of Cappuccino will cost you around £3.63 and a bottle of Coke/Pepsi £1.98.
| Restaurant | Cost (£) |
|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | £20.00 |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | £80.00 |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | £8.00 |
| Cappuccino (Regular) | £3.63 |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33 Liter Bottle) | £1.98 |
In conclusion, the monthly cost of living for a student in London differs from others based on divergent lifestyles and preferences. Generally, London living expenses for a student range between £300 and £500. If you want to reduce your student living expenses in London UK, you can learn to cook and buy groceries at some affordable supermarkets, such as Lidl, Aldi, and WHSmith.
London Living Expenses for Students: Entertainment & Leisure
London boasts numerous exciting activities and famous clubs, which will perfectly fulfil your entertainment and leisure needs. On average, it takes £30 for one student to have a great day with fun activities and entertainment. The detailed costs of some fitness and entertainment activities are listed below. If you want to enjoy the nightlife in London, you need to spend £80 per day, a little more expensive. Furthermore, there are many free things to do in London, such as visiting the British Museum, Tower Bridge, and Hyde Park.
| Entertainment & Leisure | Cost (£) |
|---|---|
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | £45.33 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1h on Weekend) | £14.03 |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | £14.50 |
Student Living Costs in London: Health Insurance
For health insurance, having had a Tier 4 General Student Visa lasting 6 months or longer, you’ll only need to spend £352.50 per year for the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). Possessing this, you have access to the NHS before your VISA expires.
Cost of Living Crisis in London for Students
Having known about the cost of living in London for students in terms of various aspects, it’s not hard to see that student living expenses in London, UK, are relatively higher. This situation results in a cost-of-living crisis among students in London. Increasing prices and fixed salaries cause some intangible pressure on students. According to a recent survey by the National Union of Students, 92% of students expressed that the cost-of-living crisis was affecting their psychological health.
Part-time Job Opportunities in London
Finding a part-time job is a perfect solution for students who are under pressure to pay the living expenses in London. There are many job opportunities on or off campus. The jobs offered on campus include library assistant, tech support, student content creator, teaching assistant, and more. As for the off-campus part-time jobs in the UK for international students, the choices are more sufficient, such as data entry operator, cashier, and delivery person.
Average Pay
According to the National Minimum Wage, the wages you will earn at least has been shown below:
| Age Group | Average Pay per Hour (£/₹) |
|---|---|
| Under 18 | £4.62/₹470 |
| 18-20 | £6.56/₹660 |
| 21-22 | £8.36/₹840 |
| 23 and above | £8.91/₹900 |
Taxes in the UK
Students must pay taxes for the portion of their income that exceeds their tax allowances. In addition, you are required to apply for a National Insurance Number, which is a local tax number for paying taxes.
- Your yearly income < £12,570: no need to pay any taxes
- £12,571 < Your yearly income < £50,270: pay the basic tax rate of 20%.
Tips on How to Reduce Cost of Living in London for Students
Although the living expenses for students in London are relatively higher, it is still affordable for a student to live in London with an economic lifestyle and some practical tips on reducing student living expenses in London, UK. One of the tips is to find a part-time job mentioned above. Moreover, we can also save money through the aspect of accommodation, food, markets, and transportation.
Accommodation
For accommodation, you can rent student accommodation through uhomes.com, which is much cheaper than other sources with inclusive utilities and the highest cashback. If you want to save more rent, you’d better choose an En-suite room or Non-En-suite room away from the city centre, which must be the cheapest accommodation in London for international students.
Food
If you want to save money on food, it is highly recommended that you cook the meal independently instead of eating out (£20 – £80 a meal). This will cost you only £40 – £50 per week for buying ingredients in markets.
Market
When it comes to markets, shopping at affordable supermarkets like Aldi, Morrisons, and Co-op is an intelligent choice. By the way, there are 3 tactics to save money in supermarkets:
- Buy those discounted yellow labels products. They exist 1 hour before the supermarket closes.
- Apply for a supermarket membership card to get rebates or discounts.
- Buy the products with no brands, cheaper but good enough.
Transportation
There are many practical tips for you to save money on the cost of transportation.
- Train: Buy a Railcard (£30/year) and enjoy a 30% discount!
- Tube or bus: Buy an Oyster Card (a deposit of £5). Oyster card offers a 30% discount when bound to Railcard.
- Car: Buy a second-hand car (£100 – £2,000) which is relatively cheap and convenient.
- Bike: Renting a bike is convenient, environmentally friendly, and affordable.
Conclusion about Cost of Living in London for Students
The blog has broken through the cost of living in London for students from many aspects, such as tuition fees, accommodation, transportation, food, entertainment, and health insurance. In addition, the article also points out the cost-of-living crisis the students felt and gives some tips on reducing the living expenses in London for students as a solution.
FAQs about Cost of Living in London for Students
Where is the cheapest place to live in London for students?
Chelsea Lightfoot Hall is among the cheapest accommodations in London for international students. Its Shared Room only costs you about £198.02 per week. What’s better, it is conveniently located near many prestigious universities, including Imperial College London Royal Brompton Campus and Imperial College London Chelsa & Westminster Campus.
What is a comfortable salary to live in London?
A comfortable salary to live in London is £60k per year. This wage will help you live a reasonably comfortable life after taking the cost of living in London from many aspects into account, such as accommodation (1-bedroom Apartment in the city centre – £2,170.83), food (a three-course meal for 2 people in a mid-range restaurant – £80.00), and clothing (1 pair of men leather business shoes £100.33).
Can you live in London with 1000 pounds a month?
Whether you can live in London for £1,000 a month depends on many factors, including accommodation options, lifestyle, and financing capability. You can rent a room through uhomes.com as the first step to saving money, since the utility bills are included and the highest cashback is guaranteed.
Is London too expensive for students?
As we all know, London is an expensive city, but students can afford to live here, with an economic lifestyle and cheaper student accommodation. More affordable housing is provided on uhomes.com, with all-inclusive utility bills and the highest cashback in the whole network. The special offers include group reservations, cashback, vouchers, and seasonal special discounts.
