10 Best Affordable Cities in the UK for Interntional Students in 2027

Hull, Sheffield and Newcastle are the cheapest places to live in the UK right now, as per Numbeo’s Cost of Living Index. Away from London, expect to spend somewhere between £950 and £1,770 (₹1,18,408–₹2,20,613) a month on rent, food, travel and bills. Here are the most affordable student cities in UK.

Ask any Indian student who has lived in the UK what ate up their budget, and most will give you the same answer: rent. Tuition gets all the attention during applications, but the city you pick decides what you spend every month after you land to study in the UK. A flat in Hull and a flat in Manchester can be £400 a month apart, and over a year that adds up fast.

The good news is that many affordable student cities in UK have strong universities, including Russell Group universities. We ranked the 10 cheapest cities in UK using Numbeo’s index, then worked out what a student pays each month in each one, in both Pounds and Rupees.

Recently, Shiksha Study Abroad has introduced its interview series called 'Campus Before Campus'. In this series, we talk to the students who were admitted to universities abroad with the help of in-house counsellors. Through our interactions with them, we have collected only the feedback that is related to monetary spending while studying in the UK. We have added them wherever possible so that you get a fair idea. Check them out here for a deeper insight before shortlisting your affordable student city in UK.

Top 10 Affordable Student Cities in UK 2027

Based on the cost of living index, Numbeo ranks student cities from cheapest to most expensive in the UK. The lower the ranking score, the more affordable the city is to live in. Below are the top 10 most affordable student cities in UK in 2026, as per Numbeo:

Hull’s Local Purchasing Power score of 181.5 is the highest on the list. Put simply, local wages go further in Hull than in any other city here. This is just for understanding and only for living expenses. Do not forget to add the cost of studying in the UK.

How We Assessed Affordable Student Cities in UK?

The calculation is consistent across all cities, which makes the comparison possible. As per the data above, sourced from Numbeo, here is how we assessed the cheapest cities in UK for students:

• Cost of Living Index Ranking: The cities have been ranked according to the Cost of Living Index by Numbeo for the UK cities, beginning with the cheapest one.
• Data Source: The cost of living data has been gathered from each city’s Numbeo cost of living website in November 2026. In the case of Newcastle upon Tyne, living cost data available for October 2026 has been considered.
• Accommodation Costs: Monthly rent of a one-bedroom apartment within and without the city centre. The cost of living in the UK is factored in.
• Cost of Food: Monthly cost of food for a person. It includes the cost of milk, bread, rice, eggs, cheese, chicken, beef, fruits, and vegetables. In addition, the cost of four cheaper restaurant meals.
• Transportation Costs: The total cost of a bus/metro monthly pass. The cost may be reduced using student tickets.
• Cost of Utilities: Cost of electricity, gas, water, and sewerage in a 915 sq ft apartment. Furthermore, the cost of mobile data packs and internet connection.

(Conversion rate £1 = ₹124.64 as of November 2026)

Cost of Living for Students at Top 10 Cheapest Cities in UK

Let us discuss in detail about the affordable student cities in UK based on their cost of living expenses (as per Numbeo). We have collated monthly costs per student. Check out the details below and also know which UK universities are located in these cheapest UK cities.

1. Kingston upon Hull

Hull is the cheapest of the lot. Its rent index of 16.3 is the lowest on the list by a distance, and even a city-centre one-bed comes in under £650. The University of Hull is the main draw for international students.

Some of the top universities in Kingston upon Hull are:

• University of Hull
• Hull College

2. Sheffield

Sheffield gets you a Russell Group university, the University of Sheffield, for far less than you’d pay in Leeds or Manchester. Sheffield Hallam University is the other big option in the city.

Here are the popular universities in Sheffield:

• The University of Sheffield
• Sheffield Hallam University
• Cliff College

3. Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle University and Northumbria University are both here. These figures come from Newcastle University’s own estimate, and its room rent already covers bills and wifi.

Check out the list of universities in Newcastle upon Tyne:

• Newcastle University
• Northumbria University
• Newcastle College University Centre

4. Dundee

Dundee is the cheapest Scottish city on this list. Getting around is cheap too, with a monthly pass at about £43, the lowest of all 10. Most students here go to the University of Dundee or Abertay University.

Want to study here? Here are the most popular universities in Dundee:

• University of Dundee
• Abertay University

5. Manchester

Day-to-day costs in Manchester are reasonable. Rent isn’t. It’s the priciest city on this list for housing, so where you live will make or break your budget. The University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University are both here.

Plan to study in universities in Manchester? Check where you can apply:

• University of Manchester
• Manchester Metropolitan University
• University of Salford

Counsellor’s Tip: For Manchester, sort out housing before anything else. A shared house a few bus stops from the centre will save you far more than cutting back on takeaways ever will. - Joyasmita (UK Destination Manager - Shiksha Study Abroad)

6. Coventry

Coventry’s bills are the lowest of the 10, and rent sits around the middle. Coventry University is in the city centre, and the University of Warwick campus is on its southern edge.

Apart from Coventry University, you can also apply to the University of Warwick and Coventry College.

Pragati was dmitted to Coventry University's London campus but lived in Coventry and commuted to London. In her interview, she said,

Student accommodation rent in Coventry is half the rate of that in London… around ₹55,000 to ₹60,000 minimum. In London, a single box room is not less than ₹95,000 or ₹1 lakh. There are a lot of student accommodations in Coventry city, the rent isn’t that much… budget-wise, it’s not stressful. I spent around £390–470 monthly.”

7. Leeds

Leeds has fair rent but the most expensive monthly pass on the list at £93, so living close to campus pays off. The University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett University are the main choices.

Some of the leading universities in Leeds are:

• Leeds Trinity University
• Leeds Arts University
• University Centre Leeds

8. Glasgow

Glasgow has three big universities: Glasgow, Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian. Rent is middle-of-the-road for this list, but heating and electricity bills run high.

Want more university options in Glasgow? Check out the complete list of universities in Glasgow here.

9. Liverpool

Outside the city centre, Liverpool rents are lower than anywhere else on this list apart from Hull and Dundee. The University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University are both based here.

10. Cardiff

Cardiff’s monthly pass is cheap at £60, second only to Dundee. Bills are the catch, at about £311 a month, the highest here. Cardiff University and Cardiff Metropolitan University are the two main options.

Sharwari, an alumna who completed her MS in Cybersecurity from Cardiff University two years ago, says in the interview and we quote:

“If you want to save money, better learn to cook, because it is expensive. A whole Indian thali will cost you more. Around £12–15 back then. For students, everything is included. You don’t even have to pay council tax. It’s all inclusive in the rent. Overall, I paid around £850–900 every month to sustain.”

Why Study in Cheap and Affordable UK Cities?

A cheaper city doesn’t mean a weaker degree. Here’s what you actually gain when to choose to study at low cost cities in UK:

• UKVI asks for the same amount for every city outside London which is £1,171 a month (₹1,45,953) for up to 9 months if you apply before 30 November 2026, and £1,203 a month (₹1,49,942) from that date. In Hull or Dundee, that covers a full month of living costs. In Manchester, it doesn’t.

• A one-bed flat outside the centre costs about £516 in Hull. In Manchester, it’s about £935.

• Seven of the top 10 cities have a Russell Group university. These include Sheffield, Newcastle, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, Liverpool and Cardiff.

• Most of these cities score above 150 for local purchasing power, so money from a part-time job in UK goes further.

• Students on a degree-level course can usually work up to 20 hours a week during term.

Counsellor’s Tip: 'Most families I speak with plan carefully for tuition and then guess the rest. Don’t. Over a year, choosing Hull over Manchester can save you ₹6 lakh or more.' - Joyasmita

If keeping costs low is your priority, start your shortlist with Hull, Sheffield, Newcastle or Dundee. Bigger names like Manchester and Glasgow cost more, and rent is mostly what pushes them up, so a shared house can close much of that gap. Whichever affordable student cities in UK you’re weighing up, check the university’s own accommodation prices before you decide. Then work out your monthly cost of living in UK for students in rupees, not just pounds. That’s the number your family will actually feel.

Sign up here for free Shiksha Abroad Counselling for your affordable UK city and university of study. Or write to us in the comments below.

Best Affordable Cities in the UK for Interntional Students FAQs