Online student letting agent StudentTenant.com has released its UK Student Accommodation Index. The report reveals the UK’s most expensive and affordable cities for student housing, as well as other key data about student property listings and trends.

Student-Property-Index


The report analyses weekly rents paid by students in 2017, who booked accommodation in 56 University cities in the UK via StudentTenant.com.

Unsurprisingly, students studying in London spend the most on their rental accommodation, whilst students in Bradford, Stafford, Pontypridd spend the least per month on rent. In London, students spend an average of £730 per month on their rent, almost twice the UK average.

The report also revealed that the Midlands offer the majority of affordable accommodation, with 5 of the top ten most affordable cities in the UK located in central England. Students studying in these cities spend as much as 61% less on their rent than the UK national average.

Danielle Cullen, Managing Director of StudentTenant.com comments, “It’s not surprising that London comes up top in the most expensive places to live for students. The market there has changed a lot in the last 10 years, with a huge rise in purpose built (PBSA) and luxury accommodation, inevitably pushing up prices.

That’s not to say that there aren’t affordable options available wherever students choose to study. As the market grows, we’ll continue to see a more diversified range of options that cater to different budgets, particularly as more competition starts to erupt between the PBSA providers.

It’s all about being efficient in your search, starting as early as possible to ensure you do not miss out on any deals, and being prepared to make a few sacrifices - like perhaps living further away from university, or having a smaller single bedroom.”

Top 10 Most Expensive Cities in the UK
Average Monthly Rental Spend on Student Accommodation in the UK
London - £730
Bristol - £510
Bedford - £483
Cambridge - £475
Exeter - £462
Sheffield - £420
Huddersfield - £417
Worcester - £415
Portsmouth - £408
Manchester - £404

Top 10 Most Affordable Cities in the UK
Average Monthly Rental Spend on Student Accommodation in the UK
Bradford - £229
Pontypridd - £238
Derby - £241
Sunderland - £249
Stafford - £252
Wolverhampton - £263
Swansea - £282
Crewe - £294
Hull - £303
Liverpool - £324