Shocked!The most stressful city in the UK is not London!

Mondo Social Updated on 2024-01-31

24fall is in full swing, everyone is busy choosing a school and major, in addition, the cost of studying abroad has always been the main factor for many students.

Many students are very concerned about the consumption level in the UK, and it is very important to understand the consumption level in the UK for reasonable planning of study abroad life.

So, is consumption in the UK really high?

If you want to know the cost of living in different cities in the UK, you may want to refer to the "Student Living Index 2023" released by NatWest (National Westminster Bank) in August this year, which surveyed 3,052 UK university students from 63 cities to understand the daily expenses of students in various cities in the UK. Budgets and time management are counted, and this data report can be used as a reference for international students who want to study and live in the UK in the future!

Bank of England Natwest

NatWest is one of the top 10 banks in the UK and is known for its dedication to providing quality financial solutions to its clients. The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is part of NatWest. Founded in 1968, the bank has a long history of providing savings, mortgages, and insurance products to the public.

Let's take a look at a few specific sets of statistics

UK Cities - Student Living Index

Student Living Index = (Average Monthly Living Expenses + Accommodation Expenses) Average Monthly Income.

The higher the living index in a city, the higher the cost of living in the city.

This year is still the highest in Edinburgh, with a student life index of 074, almost double the average living index in the UK.

This was followed by Glasgow, with London in third. Although the cost of living in London is high, the average monthly income in London is also very high, and the high salary balances it, so the living index is not the highest.

Bournemouth has the lowest living index, with a living index of just 031。

The following figure is the top 10 cost-effective cities in the UK:

Bournemouth, Cardiff, Lincoln, Portsmouth, Newcastle, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Oxford, Leicester.

In addition, statistics show that 90% of students actively change their lifestyles and "downgrade consumption" to maintain their monthly budgets.

62% of students chose to reduce online shopping51% of students chose to reduce the number of times they go out at night34% of students chose to reduce the cost of meals per day;There are also students who choose cheaper transportation, find part-time jobs, and ask their parents to give more living expenses and increase working hours.

Monthly spending data for UK university students

Rent costs monthly

In addition to tuition, rent is also a large expense for international students. According to NatWest, the average cost of renting a student in the UK is 591£9, an increase of 20% compared to last year.

Rents vary widely from city to city in the UK, but most UK cities currently have a high concentration of £200-£600.

The top 3 cities with the highest rental costs are:

London: 840March.

Bristol: 719August.

Cambridge: 642May.

The three cities with the lowest rental costs are:

Newcastle: 441 months.

Sheffield: 473July.

Lester: 482January.

Living expenses monthly

The average UK student spends $1048 per month3 pounds, down 9% from 2022.

Again, students in the London area spend the most per month!

The top 3 cities with the highest monthly living expenses are:

London: 144532

Bournemouth: 1,22505

Bristol: 119114

The three cities with the lowest monthly living expenses are:

York: 83877

Lester: 91236

Newcastle: 91442

Supermarket fees

Supermarket shopping became the second largest monthly expense, with an average spend of 10957, a 44% increase compared to 2022.

Edinburgh's supermarket shopping spend grew 286% year-on-year.

Compared to last year, York's spending on clothing, shoes and other clothing fell by 53%.

Students in Glasgow spend 75% more on food delivery than the UK average.

Liverpool students remain the largest consumers of alcohol, almost half as high as average.

As the cost of living increases, most students are cutting back on non-essential expenses and learning to spend their money wisely. Spending on non-essential entertainment such as eating out, clothing, and alcohol has decreased compared to last year.

In addition to rent, UK university students spend the most on supermarket purchases (food, home, etc.), with an average of 109 per month57, an increase of 44% compared to 2022. Eating out is the second largest share, with UK students spending an average of 37 per month£53.

Other Fees

In addition to some necessary living costs, occasional daily expenses including clothing, shoes and accessories are also counted, and London spends more on these expenses than any other city.

Income**

On average, student loans account for 54% of a student's monthly income, an increase of 5% compared to 2022.

Students in Oxford and Coventry are mostly dependent on their families for their income.

Students in Oxford, Edinburgh and Newcastle tend to work part-time holidays to supplement their income**.

Students in Cardiff mostly earn from part-time jobs, averaging $219 per month54。

Students at the University of Oxford are less reliant on student loans than average, and they mostly rely on income from scholarships and bursaries.

Compared to 2022, the University of Oxford has more than doubled its scholarship and bursary contributions.

The life of students varies from region to region

Compared to 2022, the amount of time spent by college students on academic research has increased, from 8442 hours increased to 11935 hours, while spending slightly less time socializing.

The average time spent working part-time ranges from 4316 hours reduced to 183 hours, part-time also fell from 46% to 42%, and Edinburgh was the only city to see a year-on-year increase in part-time working hours.

Students in Bristol, Coventry and Oxford work part-time for more than 24 hours a month.

Students in Oxford spend an average of about 127 hours a month studying on campus, much more than in other regions, but students in London, Glasgow and Cambridge spend the most time studying at home.

Funds management

Affected by the rising cost of living, 47% of UK students spent their budget for the semester before the end of the semester.

Financial stress overall, there was a 28% year-on-year increase in financial stress, particularly for students in the Bournemouth, Lincoln and Liverpool areas.

The average UK student saves more than $109 per month in the same period last year30 down to 10095, but students in the Cambridge area bucked the trend, saving an average of 250 per month, an increase of 26% year-on-year.

From this data, it is not difficult to see that the difference in the cost of living and the difference in lifestyle in different cities in the UK are very large. Of course, everyone's consumption concept and level are different, and it is still necessary to consider the family's economic situation, and the one that suits you is the best.

The above is a reference of the cost of studying abroad in various cities in the UK, interested students can move to the official website to view the full report:

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