Ultimate Guide to Student Living in London

Student living in London is very exciting. It is one of the great cities of the world, with good reason. There is history around every corner, art, culture, music, and sport wherever you look.

There is no other city like it in the UK, so whether you’re a student from this country or an international student, there is so much to explore and enjoy while you study.

Once you have found student housing in London and have that comfortable base, you can settle in to life in the big city and start your own adventure.

Understanding the cost of living in London is a fundamental part of growing up. Your student life is all about finding yourself, learning how to budget and to live within your means, to blossom and make new friends and have new experiences.

This guide is aimed at helping you understand the average costs associated with London life.

Is it expensive to live in London as a student?

There’s no easy way around this, London is the most expensive city in the UK. This is always the case with a capital city in any country, so it is to be expected.

Think about the different things that you will need to spend money on. This includes your rent and bills, mobile phone contract, transport costs, hobbies, laundry, food and socialising, as well as any leftover money that you’d like for spends or to save up.

For example, the average costs of socialising when you are living in London include:

• Average cost of a pint is £6
• £15 for a basic lunch
• £30 for a two-course meal in a relatively inexpensive restaurant
• £14 for the average student cinema ticket

Every person is different, of course, so your costs will change depending on the type of socialising you do, and how regularly you go out.

What is the average student rent in London?

London is one of the most expensive cities in the UK for student accommodation, but prices will vary quite widely depending on which part of the city you are living in.

We have a range of student accommodation across London, in places like Camden, Peckham, Chelsea, Lewisham, and Ealing.

A look at the average cost per area of student accommodation, includes the following:

• Zone 1: £350-£450 per week for purpose-built student accommodation
• Zone 2: £275-£325 per week for purpose-built student accommodation
• Kings Cross: £655 per week for a single room
• Shoreditch: Studio apartments from £399 per week

This gives you a flavour of what to expect, but it is important to think about what part of London you’d like to live in.

This will depend on the university you are studying at and the commute to your lectures each day, and of course the social aspect of living in London and finding an area that suits you well for all factors.

A lot of first year students will opt to live in university halls of residence or in similar purpose-built student accommodation to what we offer. After that, private rooms in shared housing, studio flats, and a wide range of other accommodation options are open, as it is such a large city with a massive population.

Your price will increase if you live in a central area, if you want public transport on your doorstep (although the public transport network is fantastic across London), and if you want an en-suite bathroom instead of living in a property with a shared bathroom.

How much do utilities cost in London?

After student accommodation rental costs and tuition fees, the next big cost is your utilities. For some student accommodation, this is included within your rent, but if it isn’t you should consider the following:

Water: Thames Water charges a fixed fee of around £35 per month
Gas & Electric: This can vastly differ depending on the supplier you choose and whether you have dual electricity and gas bills (which often triggers a discount). On average, the cost is between £40-£70 per month).The cheapest electricity supplier currently is Fuse Energy.
Internet: Around £35-40 per month for a basic broadband package

How much do groceries cost in London?

Again, this will depend on the type of lifestyle you have. If you like to eat out at restaurants regularly and have takeaways , you won’t be buying in as much food in your grocery shop.

Where you shop will also have an impact, with a weekly shop at a supermarket like Aldi or Lidl much cheaper than shopping at Sainsbury’s or Marks & Spencer.

On average, a London student will spend around £250 per month on essential groceries and hygiene, health and beauty products.

How much does eating out cost in London?

One of the best things about living in London is the food. It is one of the culinary capitals of the world, with authentic food from almost any country that you can think of!

What this means is that you really can stretch your budget and still find quality food if you wish, but there is a wide variation in costs and quality of course, so always do your research if you like eating out and getting takeaways.

On average, a lunchtime meal will cost you around £15 from a basic eatery, and for an evening meal at an inexpensive restaurant, you would expect to pay at least £30 for a two-course meal.

How much does transportation cost in London?

Transport is everything, and in London you might be accessing the best public transport network in the world.

It has its troubles, and once you’re an honorary Londoner you too will be moaning about delays on the Underground, but there are so many ways to get around the city, from the many Underground lines, Overground, DLR, National Rail lines, the bus network, boat services along the Thames in places, bikes, scooters, and more.

It’s also a great city to walk around if you are central. A Student Oyster Card offers good discount rates if you are travelling in and out of the city a lot, and monthly travel pass costs £164 for Zones 1-2 and as a student you can get 30% off the price.

Other costs

Depending on your hobbies and what you like to do, it’s really like asking how long is a piece of string?

There is so much to do in London, both free and things that will cost you, including art and museums, live sport across the city, and plenty of live music venues.

If you want to see a lot of the city, have that extra cost in mind when you are budgeting.

It’s important to us that you can come here for guidance on many topics that matter to students across the country.

We’ve put together articles about the cost of living in Manchester and other student cities, as it gives you a foundation of knowledge to help you make a decision on where you want to live and study in the future.

We hope this article about the cost of living in London will help you find the right balance if you have decided to move to the capital city to study.