The United Kingdom has long been a highly sought-after destination for international students to pursue higher education, offering a wide range of prestigious universities, historic cities, and diverse lifestyles. But before choosing your university, it is crucial to plan you budget in advance. So the first thing is to check out the cost of living in your city. We listed 8 affordable UK cities with lower cost of living for international students.
It is important to note that it is hard to say which cities is the best or most affordable for multiple factors. We use statistics by Natwest Student Living Index 2024 and 2023 and Numbeo’s cost of living index to select these UK cities. Of course, we only take cities with renowned universities into consideration since our aim is to give references to international students.
8. Cardiff
Cardiff, the capital city and the largest city in Wales, came 2nd affordable UK cities by Natwest Student Living Index 2023. The cost of living in Cardiff is 38.4% lower than in London, and rent of student accommodation Cardiff is 56% lower. A 1 bedroom apartment in city centre may cost around £990 per week, and outside city centre is around £800 per week.
As a capital city, the cost of living in Cardiff might be a little surprised for students abroad. But beyond that, Cardiff is also home to three renowned university: Cardiff University, Cardiff Metropolitan University, and the University of South Wales Cardiff Campus. Cardiff University is a the Welsh member of the Russel Group Universities in the UK, and ranked 186th in QS World University Rankings 2025.
7. Birmingham
Even more surprising is that Birmingham, as the second-largest city in the UK, is also affordable for international students. The cost of living in Birmingham is close to that in Cardiff, only 0.1% lower. Student housing Birmingham is also affordable with a 1 bedroom apartment in city centre for £1,000 per month and outside centre for £800 per month.
The University of Birmingham ranked 80th in QS 2025 as a founding member of the Russel Group. What’s more, the city is home to other key institutions including Birmingham City University, Aston University, Newman University, and University College Birmingham, providing diverse chances for every student. Besides, Birmingham is also one of the few cities in UK that covered by tram network, and also owns airport (30 minutes by bus fro city centre).
6. Sheffield
Situated in the centre of the United Kingdom, Sheffield is ranked 6th affordable cities in the UK by Natwest Student Living Index 2024. Rent a 1 bedroom flat in city centre for one month is only £815, and £680 out of centre, which is 5.3% lower than in Birmingham. A single person may cost around £820 per month without rent, 27.9% less expansive that London. The University of Sheffield, also a member of Russel Group, ranked 105th in QS 2025, and 18th in Complete University Guide 2025.
5. Plymouth
Plymouth also ranked 6th by Natwest Student Living Index 2024 together with Sheffield. Rent a 1 bedroom flat in Plymouth city centre is around £1,000 per month, and £770 per month outside centre. The University of Plymouth is one of the largest universities in the UK with 23,000 students, and 2,000 of them are international students. The city is beautiful with coastal charm, offering various outdoor activities, including water sports and nature trails.
4. Edinburgh
Edinburgh, the capital cited of Scotland, is located on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth in the central lowlands of Scotland with long history dating back to 1329. The cost of living for a single person in this city is around £900 without rent. Renting a 1B is £1,200 in city centre and £880 outside of centre, which is 45.2% lower than in London. The University of Edinburgh is one of the oldest and most famous universities in the UK, with a rank of 27th in QS 2025 and 12 in UK by the Complete University Guide.
3. Glasgow
Glasgow is the fourth-largest cities in the United Kingdom with a population of around 600,000, and also one of the three manufacturing cities in the UK after Birmingham and Leeds. Rank 4th by Natwest Student Living Index 2024, the cost of living in Glasgow for a single person is £860 per month without rent, 21.9% less expensive that London. The rent in Glasgow is also 54.5% lower that in London, with a 1b for £1,050 in city centre and £750 out of centre per month.
The University of Glasgow ranked 78th in the world in the QS Rankings 2025, and top 15 in UK by Guardian University Guide. It offers over 600 undergraduate, postgraduate, and research programs in 4 colleges, with Computer Science, Psychology and Economics being the most popular.
2. Bath
Bath is the only city listed as a World Heritage Site in the UK, famous for its classical elegance amidst serene countryside landscapes. Bath, ranked 2nd by Natwest 2024, with a cost of £1,150 for rent a 1B in city centre and £960 outside of centre per month. The cost of living in Bath is 18.3% lower than in London without rent, and rent prices are 41.8% lower than in London. Bath University ranked 150th according to The QS World University Rankings 2025 and 7th worldwide for Sports-related subjects in 2023, and Bath Spa University Ranking in 2024 is 57th in the UK by The Times Good University Guide and 80th in Europe by QS World University Rankings.
1. Belfast
Belfast is the top affordable cities in the UK for international students by Natwest 2024. The estimated monthly costs without rent for a single person are around £740, 28.3% lower than in London. Rent prices for 1B in city centre a month are £890 per month and out of centre are £690 per month, which is 63% lower than in London.
Belfast is home to Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University. Queen’s University Belfast is the highest educational institution in Northern Ireland and a member of the Russell Group of Universities. It is know as the Oxford and Cambridge of Ireland with the top medical, engineering and business schools in the UK and Ireland. Ulster University is the largest university in Northern Ireland, and ranked 10th in the UK in size. It is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities and a member of the Irish Universities Union.
Conclusion
These cities offer not only affordable cost of living for international students, but also world-class level teaching and research for students to challenge themselves and make a change to the world. Identifying the most suitable to study in also involves other factors that may vary from person to person. When considering studying in the UK, these 8 cities are recommended for a budget-friendly choice.
