Where are the Cheapest Places to Live and Study Medicine in the UK?

Researchers at Arora Medical Education have analysed a variety of factors at 36 of the UK’s top medical schools, to find out the most and least expensive places to live and complete a medical degree in the country.

Looking at everything from average on and off-campus rent prices, to the average price of a pint of milk in the local area, this report uses a variety of metrics to calculate and compare the cost of studying at the UK’s top medical schools and faculties.

Please note, these calculations exclude tutorial costs.

The Total Cost of Living (Residents Living in Halls)

Calculated using recent estimates for average rent (on campus), utility bills and food. See breakdown sections below for more information about each measurement. Ordered as least-most and per week.

University Name	Weekly Living Cost (£)
⭐University of Dundee	148
⭐University of Aberdeen	159.50
Queen’s University Belfast	189.10
University of Birmingham	190.70
⭐Swansea University	195.05
University of Warwick	196.85
University of Liverpool	197.15
⭐Keele University	199.80
University of Hull	200.15
University of Sunderland	203.15
Newcastle University	206.80
Edge Hill University	208
⭐University of Glasgow	208.30
University of Derby	211.20
University of Leicester	211.45
University of Sheffield	211.45
Lancaster University	212.65
⭐University of Edinburgh	212.70
Plymouth University	221.55
University of Nottingham	222.50
Cardiff University	224
University of St. Andrews	224.55
University of Southampton	228.65
University of Manchester	233
⭐University of Cambridge	233.30
Norwich Medical School	236.75
University of Bristol	237.40
University of Leeds	240.35
Kent and Medway	249.80
⭐University of Exeter	251.30
Brunel University	256.70
St. George’s University of London	261.70
University College London	261.70
⭐Queen Mary University	263.70
⭐University of Oxford	266.75
Imperial College London	272.70
King’s College London	295.70

⭐- Universities recommended by Complete University Guide Rankings 2022

The Total Cost of Living per Week (Residents Living in Local Accommodation)

Calculated using recent estimates for average rent (taken from average rent on a three-bedroom house, per person), utility bills and food. See breakdown sections below for more information about each measurement. Ordered as least-most and per week.

University Name	Weekly Living Cost (£)
Queen’s University Belfast	124.10
University of Sunderland	124.15
University of Hull	126.15
⭐Keele University	136.80
Newcastle University	136.80
⭐University of Dundee	141
⭐University of Aberdeen	141.70
University of Leicester	143.95
University of Liverpool	144.15
Lancaster University	147.65
University of Sheffield	148.65
University of Nottingham	149.50
⭐Swansea University	151.05
Norwich Medical School	151.75
⭐University of Glasgow	155.30
University of Derby	158.20
Plymouth University	158.55
University Birmingham	161.70
University of Leeds	165.35
University of Warwick	166.85
University of Southampton	167.65
Edge Hill University	171
Cardiff University	171
University of Manchester	171
⭐University of Exeter	176.30
⭐University of Edinburgh	183.70
University of St. Andrews	188.55
⭐University of Cambridge	195.20
University of Bristol	195.40
Kent and Medway	210.80
⭐University of Oxford	219
Brunel University	275.70
St. George’s, University of London	275.70
University College London	275.70
⭐Queen Mary University of London	275.70
Imperial College London	275.70
King’s College London	275.70

⭐- Universities recommended by Complete University Guide Rankings 2022

More Information: Living Cost Estimates

Rent: The Cheapest On-campus Accommodation

Median average based on cost of Undergraduate accommodation at each institution. Per person, per week. Ordered least-most.

University Name	Cost of Halls (Per Week) (£) 🏠
University of Dundee	72
University of Aberdeen	96
Swansea University	106
University of Derby	109
University of Birmingham	110
University of Liverpool	112
University of Warwick	118
Edge Hill University	118
Keele University	119
Lancaster University	121
University of Sunderland	122
Queen’s University Belfast	124
University of Hull	125
University of Sheffield	125
Newcastle University	126
University of Glasgow	127
University of Edinburgh	127
Cardiff University	128
University of Leicester	128.50
Plymouth University	129
University of Nottingham	138
Kent and Medway	142
University of Manchester	143
University of Southampton	146
University of Bristol	147
University of Cambridge	148
University of Leeds	151
University of St. Andrews	152
Brunel University	152
Norwich Medical School	155
St George’s, University of London	157
University College London	157
Queen Mary University of London	159
University of Exeter	161
Imperial College London	168
University of Oxford	174
King’s College London	191

Rent: The Cheapest Off-campus Accommodation

Based on average rent in the local area for a 3-bedroom house. Cost per person, per week. Ordered least-most.

University Name	Cost of Rent (Per Person, Per Week) (£)🏡
University of Sunderland	43
University of Hull	51
University of Derby	56
Keele University	56
Lancaster University Medical School	56
Newcastle University	56
University of Liverpool	59
Queen’s University Belfast	59
University of Leicester	61
Swansea University	62
University of Sheffield	62
University of Dundee	65
University of Nottingham School of Medicine	65
Plymouth University	66
Norwich Medical School	70
University of Glasgow	74
Cardiff University	75
University of Leeds	76
University of Aberdeen	78
University of Birmingham	81
Edge Hill University	81
University of Manchester	81
University of Southampton	85
University of Exeter	86
University of Warwick	88
University of Edinburgh	98
Kent and Medway	103
University of Bristol	105
University of Cambridge	110
University of St. Andrews	116
University of Oxford	126
Brunel University	171
St George’s, University of London	171
University College London	171
Queen Mary University of London	171
Imperial College London	171
King’s College London	171

Cost of Utilities

Median average of local utility cost rates: electricity and gas, water and internet, per household, divided by three people. Per week. Ordered least-most.

University Name	Average Utility Costs (Electricity/Gas, Water, Internet) Per Week (£) 💡
Queen’s University Belfast	24.5
University of Aberdeen	31.5
University of St. Andrews	34.75
University of Nottingham	35.5
University of Dundee	37.5
University of Hull	38.75
Norwich Medical School	39.75
University of Birmingham	41.50
University of Cambridge	42.50
University of Southampton	42.75
Keele University	43
Newcastle University	43
University of Edinburgh	43
University of Glasgow	43.5
University of Oxford	43.75
Swansea University	44.25
University of Sunderland	44.75
University of Liverpool	45.25
University of Warwick	45.25
University of Sheffield	46.75
University of Leicester	47.25
Edge Hill University	48
University of Manchester	48
University of Leeds	48.75
University of Bristol	50.50
Plymouth University	51.25
Lancaster University	51.75
University of Exeter	52.50
Cardiff University	57.50
Brunel University	58.50
St George’s, University of London	58.50
University College London	58.50
Queen Mary University of London	58.50
Imperial College London	58.50
King’s College London	58.50
University of Derby	59.50
Kent and Medway	63

Cost of Food

Calculated using local median averages for the cost of the following items: Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g); Rice (white); (1kg), Pasta (white, dry) (1kg); Eggs (regular) (12); Cheese (1kg);

Chicken Fillets (1kg); Beef Mince (1kg); Tuna (tinned) (2); Apples (1kg); Banana (1kg); Oranges (1kg); Tomato (1kg); Potato (1kg); Onion (1kg); Lettuce (1 head); Water (1.5 litre bottle); Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range).

University Name	Average Weekly Food Shop Cost (£) 🛒
University of Aberdeen	32.20
University of Warwick	33.60
University of Leicester	35.70
University of Hull	36.40
University of Sunderland	36.40
University of St. Andrews	37.80
Keele University	37.80
Newcastle University	37.80
University of Glasgow	37.80
University of Exeter	37.80
University of Dundee	38.50
Cardiff University	38.50
University of Birmingham	39.20
University of Southampton	39.90
University of Liverpool	39.90
University of Sheffield	39.90
University of Bristol	39.90
Lancaster University	39.90
Queen’s University Belfast	40.60
University of Leeds	40.60
Plymouth University	41.30
Norwich Medical School	42
Edge Hill University	42
University of Manchester	42
University of Cambridge	42.70
University of Edinburgh	42.70
University of Derby	42.70
Swansea University	44.80
Kent and Medway	44.80
Brunel University	46.20
St George’s, University of London	46.20
University College London	46.20
Queen Mary University of London	46.20
Imperial College London	46.20
King’s College London	46.2-
University of Nottingham	49
University of Oxford	49

Methodology

To calculate the rental costs per institution, we used information from the 2021-2022 academic year for each university or medical school. We found the median average for all listed prices of accomodation for each institution, and worked out the total cost per week based on this.

To calculate the rental costs per institution we used Zoopla.co.uk information, taken in March 2022. For every location, we created averages for three bedroom houses, and worked out the weekly rent cost per person based on these.

To calculate the cost of utilities, we used local data from Numbeo.co.uk. This gave us an average household cost for each location. We then divided this by three (based on the same scenario as above) and worked out the average weekly cost per person.

Finally, to calculate food prices for each location, we used Numbeo.co.uk’s Cost of Living resource. This indicated average prices for each food item, which we used to create an estimate for the cost of our shopping bag (detailed above).

About Dr Aman and Dr Pooja

Dr Aman Arora is a GP who is now 100% committed to transforming medical education, helping doctors across the globe to ace their exams and enhance their careers. He is proud to hold FRCGP (Fellow of Royal College of General Practitioners). Previous roles include:

GP Training Programme Director
NHS GP Appraiser
GMC PLAB 2 Examiner
GP Recruitment Examiner
GP Recruitment Question-writer
HEWM IMG Board Member
HEWM Advanced MRCGP AKT Trainer

Dr Pooja Arora is a GP with a background in Medical Politics, passionately focusing on improving the opportunities and working conditions for junior doctors. Previous roles include:

Vice Chair Birmingham LMC
BMA Council Member
BMA General Practitioners Committee elected representative
BMA Sessional GP Committee elected representative
BMA National Deputy Policy lead for working at scale
HEE GP Ambassador
HEE GP Stage 3 Assessor
RCGP Midland Faculty AiT representative

* Blogs written on our website are not for professional, financial or medical advice. Please seek appropriate professional, legal or financial advice where appropriate *

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Where are the Cheapest Places to Live and Study Medicine in the UK?