- Monthly living expenses for Indian students range from £1,225–2,265 (₹1.47L–2.71L), covering all essential costs including accommodation and healthcare.
- Affordable UK cities including Newcastle, Leicester, Cardiff, Liverpool, and Belfast provide quality education at substantially lower living costs than London.
- Engineering and Computer Science courses cost £20,000–40,000 annually (₹23.9L–₹47.9L), placing UK degrees competitively against other study destinations.
- Living Expenses in the UK for Indian Students: Introduction
- Why Study in the UK?
- Average Living Expenses in the UK for Indian Students
- Living Expenses in the UK for Indian Students: Affordable Cities
- Cost of Accommodation in the UK for Students
- Average Tuition Fees in the UK
- Living expenses in the UK for Indian Students: Accommodation, Meals, Transportation and Utility Bills
- Health Insurance for Indian Students in UK
- Tips to Cut Living Expenses in the UK for Indian Students
- FAQ
Planning for budgeting living expenses can be headache specially for Indian students who are prepared to go to foreign countries like UK, due to differences in the socioeconomic culture and other economic policies of India and UK. However, they can tackle with such challenges when they have right information and data.
This blog will give an insight into the living expenses in the UK for Indian students including tips to reduce them.
Living Expenses in the UK for Indian Students: Introduction
Living expenses are the expenditures required to maintain normal living standards anywhere. This comprises of cost of accommodation, cost of meals, transportation cost, amusement, utility bills like electricity, gas, phone bills, laundry etc. Approximately 98,000 Indian students were granted study visas to the UK, with Indian students now representing one of the largest international student cohorts in UK higher education.
The living expenses in the UK for Indian students depend on several factors such as lifestyle preferences, living standards and cost of goods and services, local taxes etc. It is required for Indian students to estimate the average living expenses in the UK so that they can have better financial strategies to tackle challenges.
Why Study in the UK?
In recent years, UK has faced several problems at various fronts due to different reasons, which has depressed the enrollment of Indian students in various UK universities. However, that does not mean that pursuing study in the UK is entirely worthless and a waste of time.
UK is home to 90 universities ranked in the QS World University Rankings, making it the second most-represented country globally after the United States. 4 UK universities rank in the global top 10 list, and a further 20 universities rank in the global top 50 list.
Average Living Expenses in the UK for Indian Students
An Indian student should budget between £1,225-2,265 per month (approximately ₹1.4L-2.7L per month) to cover accommodation, food, transport, entertainment, utilities, and healthcare expenses.
Apart from these costs, tuition fees for pursuing courses are also considered which are subject to university revision every year.
| Type of Expenses | Cost of Expenditure (per month) |
|---|---|
| Accommodation | £600-1000 (₹71,900-₹1.20L) |
| Food | £200-500 (₹23,966-₹59,915) |
| Transportation | £50-150 (₹5,992-₹17,975) |
| Entertainment | £70-150 (₹8,388-₹17,975) |
| NHS Health Insurance | £65 (₹7,789 per month)* |
| Utilities bill | £240-400 (₹28,759-₹47,932) |
| Total | £1,225-2,265 (₹1.4L-₹2.7L) |
Living Expenses in the UK for Indian Students: Affordable Cities
UK provides every possible opportunity for Indian students to pursue their dreams while studying. However, some might have financial challenges while affording the high standard of living in various UK cities. We have listed below some of the affordable UK cities for Indian students.
| Affordable Cities | Costs of Living (per month) |
|---|---|
| Cardiff | £900-1,200 (₹1L-₹1.4L) |
| Liverpool | £850-1,100 (₹1L-₹1.3L) |
| Leeds | £850-1,200 (₹1L-₹1.4L) |
| Leicester | £800-1,100 (₹95,864-₹1.3L) |
| Newcastle | £800-1,050 (₹95,864-₹1.2L) |
| Sheffield | £850-1,150 (₹1L-₹1.3L) |
| Nottingham | £850-1,100 (₹1L-₹1.3L) |
Cost of Accommodation in the UK for Students
The cost of accommodation in the UK for students may vary according to location, accommodation type, size of house, amenities requirements, etc.
In most UK universities, it is required to be accommodated in the student hall or student residence located on the university campus for the first year of the program, depending upon the availability of the rooms.
| City | Average cost of accommodation (per month) |
|---|---|
| London | £900-1,500 (₹1L-₹1.8L) |
| Leicester | £350-700 (₹41,941-₹83,881) |
| Birmingham | £500-750 (₹59,915-₹89,873) |
| Oxford | £700-950 (₹83,881-₹1.1L) |
| Leeds | £400-700 (₹47,932-₹83,881) |
| Edinburgh | £500-850 (₹59,915-₹1L) |
| Glasgow | £500-800 (₹59,915-₹95,864) |
| Manchester | £500-900 (₹59,915-₹1L) |
| Nottingham | £500-900 (₹59,915-₹1L) |
| Belfast | £450-750 (₹53,924-₹89,873) |
Average Tuition Fees in the UK
UK provides quality and premier education to students from all corners of the globe. The average education cost in the UK depends upon the chosen college, course, tuition fee, etc. Every year UK makes specific revisions in the tuition fee, which may affect overall education expenditure.
International students have to confirm tuition fees before applying for a particular course. Here is the table enlisting the average tuition costs of different streams in the UK
| Streams | Average tuition fees per year (UG course) | Average tuition fees per year (PG course) |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine | £30,000-59,000 (₹35.9L-₹70.7L) | £30,000-59,000 (₹35.9L-₹70L) |
| Engineering | £24,000-40,000 (₹28.7L-₹47.9L) | £24,000-40,000 (₹28.7L-₹47.9L) |
| Business Management | £20,000-35,000 (₹23.9L-₹41.9L) | £20,000-38,000 (₹23.9L-₹45.5L) |
| Law | £18,000-32,000 (₹21.5L-₹38.35L) | £20,000-35,000 (₹23.9L-₹41.9L) |
| Applied & Pure Sciences | £22,000-38,000 (₹26.3L-₹45.5L) | £22,000-38,000 (₹26.3L-₹45.5L) |
| Computer & Mathematical Science | £20,000-36,000 (₹23.9L-₹43L) | £20,000-38,000 (₹23.9L-₹45.5L) |
Living expenses in the UK for Indian Students: Accommodation, Meals, Transportation and Utility Bills
Following is the overview of the average cost of accommodation, traveling, food, and exploring tourist attractions in the major cities of the UK.
| Expenditure (per month) | London | Birmingham | Glasgow | Belfast | Edinburg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | GBP 900-1,500 (INR 96,000-1 Lakh) | GBP 532-748 (INR 56,000-79,000) | GBP 600-800 (INR 64,000-85,000) | GBP 600-750 (INR 64,000-80,000) | GBP 370-850 (INR 39,000-1.49 Lakh) |
| Meals | GBP 250-400 (INR 26,000-42,000) | GBP 450-540 (INR 34,000-70,000) | GBP 150-320 INR (15,900-34,000) | GBP 90-180 (INR 9,500-19,000) | GBP 250-450 (INR 26,600-47,900) |
| Transportation | GBP 70-150 (INR 7,000-15,000) | GBP 70-90 (INR 10,600-19,100) | GBP 50-120 (INR 5,000-12,000) | GBP 30-70 (INR 3,100-7,400) | GBP 50-90 (INR 5,300-9,500) |
| Utilities Bills | GBP 110-200 (INR 11,000-21,000) | GBP 20-80 (INR 21,100-8,500) | GBP 90-140 (INR 9,000-14,000) | GBP 40-70 (INR 4,200-7,400) | GBP 40-90 (INR 4,200-9,500) |
| Total | GBP 1,330-2,250 (INR 1.42 Lakh-2.40 Lakh) | GBP 972-1,668 (INR 1.03 Lakh1.78 Lakh) | GBP 890-1.380 (INR 95,000-1.47 Lakh) | GBP 760-1,070 (INR 81,000-1.14 Lakh) | GBP 710-2,032 (INR 75,800-2.16 Lakh) |
Health Insurance for Indian Students in UK
It is an important component of the living expenses in the UK for Indian students. The National Health Service (NHS) is one such effort of the healthcare care system of the UK. Students must pay £776 per year (approximately ₹93,000 per year), which must be paid upfront for the entire visa duration as part of the visa application process.
This fee is known as the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) included in the visa application process. Students only need private medical insurance if they are studying a course that lasts less than six months. An immigration health surcharge is a mandatory upfront payment that must be made when applying for entry or residency in the UK.
Tips to Cut Living Expenses in the UK for Indian Students
Exploring academic courses in a foreign land like the UK might be expensive to international students, including Indians, because of the high costs of accommodation, transportation, meals, and utility bills. However, you can follow these steps to reduce the cost of living in the UK.
- To reduce the cost of accommodation, choose shared accommodation whether you want an on-campus or off-campus stay.
- Prefer to cook and have meals at home rather than in restaurants to reduce monthly food expenses.
- Use public transport service rather than buying cars or motorbikes. You can also purchase a bicycle to commute.
- Prepare a budget on a weekly or monthly basis as it will help estimate the expenditure costs.
- Explore part-time job opportunities to help you manage your expenses and foster the necessary skills for future employment.
Key Takeaways
UK universities rank among the world’s finest, with 90 institutions featured in QS World University Rankings and four in the global top 10. Indian students can access this premier education across diverse subjects from Medicine and Engineering to Business Management and Law. Monthly living expenses vary significantly by location, with affordable cities like Newcastle, Leicester, and Cardiff offering substantially lower costs than London. The NHS Immigration Health Surcharge provides comprehensive healthcare coverage throughout your studies, requiring upfront payment for the entire visa duration.
International students can work up to 20 hours per week during term time and full-time during official vacation periods, with the current National Living Wage set at £12.21 per hour for workers aged 21 and over. Upon graduation, the Graduate Route visa currently allows students to remain in the UK for two years (three years for PhD graduates) to work or seek employment without employer sponsorship, though proposed changes may reduce this to 18 months from January 2027.
Take the first step toward your UK education journey. AdmitX provides end-to-end support from university selection to visa approval. Our services include:
- University Selection Guidance
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FAQ
How much more expensive is living in the UK than in the US?
The cost of living in the UK is slightly lower than that of the USA by 14.6% due to number of factors such as lower cost of accommodation, groceries. Transport and healthcare services etc.
Is the UK costly for Indian students?
In comparison to countries like the USA, the cost of living in the UK is low. However, UK can be considered a costly country among other European countries. With the right budgeting and planning to spend money on requirements rather than wants, students can save and invest in the right place to sustain themselves.
How much money is needed to sustain Indian students in the UK?
The minimum amount needed to survive in the UK is GBP 1,334 or INR 1.42 Lakh (for London) and GBP 1,023 or INR 1.09 Lakh.
How can I apply for a tuition and maintenance loan in the UK?
You can apply for the tuition and maintenance loan on the official website of the Government of UK from the start of the academic year. Also there are several other options to opt for education loans from banks and NBFCs.
What are the new rules for international students in the UK?
From the 1st January 2024, most international students can no longer bring family members to the UK. This was brought into immediate effect to slash the unhealthy use of the immigration system.
What is the QS World University Ranking of the University of Edinburgh in 2026?
The University of Edinburgh ranks 34th globally in the QS World University Rankings 2026.
Do students in Glasgow receive any transport benefits?
Students under 22 who have lived in Scotland for at least six months qualify for free bus travel across Scotland.
Can international students work part-time whilst studying in the UK?
International students on degree-level courses can work up to 20 hours per week during term time and full-time during holidays.
What is the minimum IELTS score required for UK universities?
Most UK universities require an overall IELTS score of 6.0-6.5 for undergraduate courses and 6.5-7.0 for postgraduate programmes.
What is a CAS for UK student visa applications?
A Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies is a unique reference number issued by your UK university that confirms your unconditional offer and sponsorship.
If you are an aspirant looking to study at your dream university, book an appointment with AdmitX today and start your applications early to avail yourself of all the benefits.
