Cost of living in the UK - Information for International Students
Moving to another country or city to live and study is a big step and you need to think about the costs involved in this move. Not only do you need to think about how your course is paid, but you also need to think about the general cost of living - accommodation, bills, travel, food etc.
ACCOMMODATION
Living in halls of residence
| 1. University Halls of Residence (40 weeks) |
PER WEEK |
TOTAL PER YEAR |
a. Accommodation (incl. heating and electricity)
b. Food
|
£97.50 - £103.00
£50
|
£3,900 - £4,120
£2,000
|
| TOTAL |
£147.50 - £153.00 |
£5,900 - £6,120 |
| 2. University Halls of Residence (Full Year, 50 weeks) |
|
|
d. Accommodation (incl. heating and electricity)
e. Food |
£97.50 - £103.00
£50
|
£4,875 - £5,150
£2,500
|
| TOTAL |
£147.50 - £153.00 |
£7,375 - £7,650 |
| Please note that the above costs for food ar only estimates. For more information on living in the halls of residence and applying for a room, please visit our accommodation pages.
|
Living in privately rented accommodation
There are many residential letting agents in Edinburgh and the price will differ depending on the type of property that you chose to rent. Our Accommodation pages provide an estimate of how much living off campus costs be able to advise you on reputable letting agents if you chose to rent privately. Living off campus will mean that you will have to pay for heating and electricity bills. The cost of these will depend on how many people you share a flat with and how much you use.
OTHER BILLS, COSTS AND INFORMATION RELATED TO MONEY
Bank accounts - It is advisable to set up a UK bank account if you want to make your time in Edinburgh easier. It will definitely make it easier to pay for any of the things below if you chose to purchase them - direct debit usually being the easiest way to pay. There are many banks in Edinburgh, many who offer incentives to opening a bank account with them. Probably the Royal Bank of Scotland has the most branches in Edinburgh as it's one of the UK's biggest banks.
TV License - If you chose to have a TV, you are required by British law to buy a TV license or you risk a fine. A TV license can be purchased from the TV Licensing Agency. Details of payment methods are available on their website. Direct debit is the most convenient option.
Council Tax - Students living in Scotland do not need to pay the council tax, but you must provide evidence of your status. For more information please visit the Registry Council Tax page.
Travel - Travelling around Edinburgh is easy with Lothian Buses. You can buy a single ticket for £1.20, a day ticket for £3.00 (which provides unlimited travel that day on Lothian Buses), a weekly pass (which provides unlimited travel that week on Lothian Buses, a monthly pass (for unlimited travel on Lothian buses for 28 days) and a yearly pass (for unlimited travel on all Lothian Buses for a year). Lothian buses offer student discounts on monthly and yearly passes. Please note that yearly passes must be paid by direct debit, so you will need a UK bank account. For more information, please visit the Lothian Buses website.
If you live off campus, and it's a better option for you, you can also get the train to the QMU campus from Edinburgh city centre (Waverly Station/ Haymarket Station to Musselburgh Station). Prices can be obtained on the First Scotrail website.
Food - If you are living on campus, you have the option to eat in the university food court, 'Food for Thought' or you can buy supplies and cook you own meals. The closest supermarkets are Asda, Lidl (Craigmillar or Musselburgh) or Tesco (Musselburgh), which are all a short bus ride away and all relatively cheap for groceries. You can pay by cash, credit or bank card (if you have a bank account). Often supermarkets will provide a home delivery service or online shopping via their website.
Mobile Phones - You can buy a 'Pay as You Go' mobile from all mobile phone stores and often some supermarkets. Credit for most mobile phone networks can be purchased on their website (eg Vodafone, Orange, O2) with a bank card, from some ATMs or from many grocery shops. If you would like a mobile phone on a monthly contract, you must have a UK bank account. There are a few shops at Fort Kinnaird, an outdoor shopping complex which is close to the QMU campus, where you can buy a mobile phone.
Landline Telephones - If you are living off campus, you may wish to set up a landline telephone connection, which is often cheaper to use than a mobile phone. The main landline telephone supplier in the UK is British Telecom (BT). Other suppliers such as Tiscali and Talk Talk (who may also offer a broadband/ digital TV deal) are also available, but you must have an active BT line. BT charge approximately £11 per month for line rental - which gives you the option to remain with BT to charge you for calls or change to another supplier to charge you for calls. If you set up a connection, you may be tied to a minimum 1 year contract which you must pay to get out of - be sure to ask.
Internet - If you live on campus, you will get free access to an internet connection in your room. If you live off campus and wish to set up the internet, there are a number of options available to you. Virgin Media is one of the main suppliers of internet connections in Edinburgh and offers a digital TV, phone and broadband package for approx £30 per month. More information can be found on the Virgin Media website. Sky will also offer a similar package. Other broadband (no digital TV) suppliers are listed on the top 10 broadband packages website - all will probably require a active BT line. Please note that if you chose to set up an account with any of these, you will probably be tied to a minimum 1 year contract.
Useful Links
Monetas
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