Other studying and living costs

Information on other studying and living costs to help you calculate your finances.

We estimate that a single student can potentially spend £1,167 to £2,330 per month on living costs, depending on your accommodation.

This estimate covers the costs of: 

  • accommodation
  • food
  • utility bills
  • travel within Edinburgh
  • health and wellbeing costs which includes:
    • basic personal care costs, including hygiene products, clothing and private counselling
    • health and fitness costs, such as gym or club memberships
    • entertainment costs, such as event tickets and entertainment subscriptions

Financial requirements for international students

If you are applying for a student visa, you will need to provide evidence to show you have enough money to cover your living costs while you are studying in the UK.

Breakdown of costs

The tables below provide a breakdown of living costs.

These costs are a guide rather than a complete list of everything you need to consider. For example, if you are moving into accommodation for university, you may also need to factor in costs for things like kitchen utensils or bedding if these are not included in your accommodation costs.

What to know about this breakdown of living costs:

  • all data included in these tables was provided in April 2025
  • cost of living rates may change in response to the Consumer Price Index or the Retail Price Index
  • this guide does not include teaching costs such as books, IT equipment and field trip expenses, which will vary depending on your programme

University accommodation

CostsPer monthPer 39-week academic yearPer 51-week lease
University accommodation1£373 to £1,53639-week leases are not available for University accommodation £4,280 to £17,630
Food£400 £5,200
Mobile phone£40 £520
Health and wellbeing£300 £3,900
Travel2 (minimum)£54 £702
Total£1,167 to £2,330 £14,602 to £27,952

Private student accommodation

CostsPer monthPer 39-week academic yearPer 52-week year
Private student accommodation3 (minimum)£750£7,312.50£9,000
Food£400£3,900£5,200
Utilities: gas4£80£780£1,040
Utilities: electricity4£80£780£1,040
Utilities: WiFi4£40£390£520
Utilities: mobile phone4£40£390£520
Health and wellbeing£300£2,925£3,900
Travel2 (minimum)£54£526.50£702
Total£1,744£17,004£21,922

1 Information about University accommodation:

2 Based on Lothian Buses travel with an advance purchase Student Ridacard.

Free transport by bus is available in Scotland to anyone who is under the age of 22 and has lived in Scotland for at least six months. 

3 These figures are a guide to the cost of student accommodation managed by a private company external to the University. Private rental accommodation can cost up to £1,500 per month.

4 Dependent on your rental agreement. University student accommodation options include utilities, such as gas, electricity and WiFi. If you have a private rental agreement, utilities costs are often separate from your monthly accommodation cost.

Help for managing your living costs

On our Students site, we have provided advice and information about managing your living costs while you study with us, including guidance on creating your student budget.

Our Scholarships and Student Funding site provides information about scholarships, funding opportunities and other sources of financial support for students.

Our Careers Service provides guidance on your options for a part-time job during your studies.

In the student stories some of our students share their daily spending over the course of a week and how they stick to their budgets. 

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