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City Wise Cost of Living in UK for 2025

The cost of living in UK can depend on the city you are living in. If you are an international student wanting to study in UK, you can expect to spend 900 GBP to 1,300 GBP (1,00,258 INR to 1,44,818 INR) per month. You can refer to the contents of this blog to know more about city wise cost. Moreover, the sections below mention the 6 main categories in which you have to spend regularly. Read further to understand the cost of living in UK in a better way.

Find out if Cost of Living in UK 2025 Is Affordable or Not | Graddinghomes.com

Table of Contents

Understanding the Cost of Living in UK

The average cost of living in UK for 2025 is around 900 GBP to 1,300 GBP (1,00,258 INR to 1,44,818 INR) per month. This is the case for most of the cities in the UK. However, do you know what are the factors that contribute to this amount? There are several categories in which you will be spending every month. This includes rent, food, transport and basic expenses. The UK cost of living can be different for everyone due to other additional factors. The next section will help you discover the common factors that add to the monthly cost of living in the country.

Also Read: Top 10 University Ranking in UK

UK Living Expenses: Costs Across Different Categories

As noted above, the living expenses in UK depend on various factors. There is rent, food, transport, utilities, and other basic expenses that affect UK living cost. Apart from all of this, student fee differs for everyone as well. Take a look at the table below to know what affects the UK’s living expenses for international students:

Category

Average monthly cost (GBP)

Accommodation

£870 (96,918 INR)

Utilities

£100 (11,140 INR)

Food and groceries

£200 (22,280 INR)

Transportation

£50 (5,570 INR)

Clothing and shoes

£25 (2,785 INR)

Leisure and entertainment

£20 (2,228 INR)

Socializing

£120 (13,368 INR)

Other

£50 (5,570 INR)

Total for a single person:

£1,435 (1,59,860 INR)

There are several expenses mentioned in the table above. All of these add to your cost of living in UK. Out of all these, six categories are explained in detail below. Take a closer look to know more:

Accommodation Cost

Firstly, the biggest expense while living in the UK is housing. Student accommodation in UK is not cheap in every city. It can vary from region to region. This amount also depends on the type of property you are living in. In city centre, a 1 bedroom apartment will cost you 1,031 GBP (1,14,851 INR). However, outside the city center, this amount can be 830 GBP (92,460 INR).

Transportation

The best option for UK students is to take the public transport that is within the city they live in. A bus or train’s monthly cost can be around 60 to 120 GBP (6,000 INR to 12,000 INR). The fuel costs around 1.5 GBP to 2 GBP (150 INR to 200 INR).

Also Read: How to Save Money in UK?

Food and Groceries

The food and groceries can cost between 150 GBP to 250 GBP (15,000 INR to 25,000 INR). This can include the ration you bring and the meals you choose to have in a restaurant. As you can see this is another vital part of your UK living expenses as international students.

Utilities and Bills

Another important factor that adds to the cost of living in UK are utilities. These include electricity, water, gas, garbage, and other things. It has observed and highlighted by the agencies that there has been a 4.2% inflation in the UK.

Also Read: How to Open an International Bank Account in UK?

Healthcare and Insurance

The UK cost of living of an international student also includes healthcare and insurance. It can be around 470 GBP per year which is 47,000 INR. If you are a UK student, a health insurance is mandatory! Hence, this is not an expense that you can cut.

Education

The cost of studying and student accommodation in London, is higher than other cities. The tuition fee to study in the UK can also differ from college to college. The UG courses can cost around 8,000 GBP to 30,000 GBP (8,91,000 INR to 33,42,000 INR) per year. Whereas, the PG degrees can cost around 10,000 GBP to 21,000 GBP (11,14,000 INR to 23,39,519 INR) per year. These also make a huge part of the UK living expenses of international students.

These were the several factors that can affect the cost of living in UK. However, as noted above, this can differ from city to city. Take a look at the section below to know more about theliving costs in UK for top 10 cities.

Also Read: Student Life in London

Monthly Cost Breakdown City by City

As an international UK student, it can be difficult to manage the living expenses in UK in cities like London and Oxford. These are 2 of the most expensive cities in UK. Here is a city wise breakdown forcost of living in UK for you to understand the difference between affordable and expensive cities.

CITY NAME

MONTHLY COST OF LIVING IN 2025

London

1,300 to 1,400 GBP (1,30,000 to 1,40,000 INR)

Manchester

2,700 GBP (3,00,795 INR)

Edinburgh

711 GBP (79,209 INR)

Glasgow

1,078 GBP (1,20,095 INR)

Coventry

700 to 1250 GBP (79,000 to 1,39,257 INR)

Bristol

1,136 GBP (1,26,556 INR)

Leeds

1,300 to 1,500 GBP (1,40,000 to 1,61,000 INR)

Nottingham

800 to 1200 GBP (84,396 to 1,26,594 INR)

Birmingham

1,350 to 1,400 GBP (1,30,000 to 1,40,000 INR)

Aberdeen

800 to 1250 GBP (89,124 to 1,39,257 INR)

The cost of living in UK can differ like it does above. If your favorite city sounds too costly, don’t worry! Graddinghomes can assist you financially and also offer affordable housing options. Also, to reduce the UK cost of living, you can refer to the strategies below:

Strategies to Manage the Cost of Living in UK

You can adopt several strategies to cut or reduce the living costs in UK. Here are a few of them that can help you manage your livigng expenses in UK:

1. Track Your Expenses

Firstly, you must keep a track of all the things you spend money at. These means even the smallest expenditure should not go unnoticed. This will help you observe the major factors that contribute to your cost of living in UK. Moreover, it will help you note if you are spending or overspending on something futile.

2. Save Money Whenever You Can

Secondly, there will be multiple instances where you will get an opportunity to save your money. However, for this, you will have to restrict yourself and develop self control. This will help you save money at the end of almost every month.

Also Read: Best Places to Live in UK

3. Part Time Jobs

Side hustles are not new for international students. To manage the high cost of living in UK, the students tend to work part time and earn money while studying alongside. This can sound tiring to many of you. However, if you choose the correct part time job for yourself, you will have time for yourself too. Moreover, it can be an essential source of money for maintaining the living costs in UK as a foreign student.

4. Cook Your Own Meals

Furthermore, another effective measure to reduce your UK cost of living can be eating self cooked meals. This is not only a pocket friendly option but also a healthy alternative to hotel food. Moreover, you can also avoid junk food and stay energetic this way. In addition to this, you can save enough for a fancy meal outside once in a while.

5. Save Emergency Fund

Lastly, the best way to manage a mishap while you are in a foreign land is to save emergency fund. This will help you overcome situations that you didn’t see coming. Moreover, having an emergency fund will also give you a sense of security and will most likely not let you depend on anyone else.

Conclusion

To sum up, cost of living in UK can be tough to manage as an international student. The rising inflation can be a cause of worry for many people. In addition to this, the cost of studying in UK universities is also not cheap. However, this does not mean you have to give up on your dream of studying abroad. The UK is one of the most preferred study abroad destinations among students from all over the world. Approach experts at Graddinghomes.com to get affordable housing options in any part of the UK. Dream big!

FAQs

1. Is London the Most Expensive City to Live in the UK?

Yes, London is not only UK’s but also one of the world’s most expensive cities. This makes it tough for international students to afford it. However, the luxuries and beauty of London attract students in huge numbers.

2. How Much Does Rent Cost in the UK?

The average rent in England is 252 GBP (1,092 INR) per month. The average London household pays 126 GBP a week or 545 GBP per month.

3. How Much is Public Transportation in UK?

There are several modes of public transportation in UK. They are comparatively affordable. Here is a list of passes that you can avail:

  • One Day Bus & Tram Pass: 6 GBP
  • 7 Day Bus & Tram Pass: 24.70 GBP
  • Annual Bus & Tram Pass: 988 GBP

4. Are Groceries Expensive in the UK?

The average food bill per person is around 182 GBP per month. This includes groceries and eating out.

5. How Can I Reduce My Living Costs in UK?

You can opt for several approaches to cut your costs to live in UK:

  1. Getting discount coupons and deals
  2. Switching to cheaper but similar quality alternatives
  3. Getting a water meter in apartment.
  4. Plan and cook meals at home
  5. Opt for cheaper supermarkets

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