Our guide to the cost of living in London

We know that living as a student in a different country can be expensive. If you decide to choose the UK and specifically London as your study destination, it is important to be prepared for the costs of living here and plan your student budget. This is an essential part of making sure you will be able to live comfortably and, most importantly, enjoy being an international student.

From flights and the student visa application to tuition fees, textbooks, accommodation and food - you'll need to budget for everything before you get here. Our helpful guide to the cost of living in London will you tell you more about the average cost of university life and give you some top tips to cut costs or find extra funds.

Average student living costs 2023/24

Average on-campus undergraduate living costs

As an undergraduate student you can expect to pay an average of £1,080-£1909 per month* to cover your on-campus accommodation, bills, groceries, and a range of other essential living expenses during your studies in 2023/24 (without dependants). These are average costs and will vary depending on your lifestyle so please use the information below as a guide only.

Expenditure typeLower range cost per monthUpper range cost per month
On-campus accommodation (40 week licence) £460 (micro-ensuite) £824 (premium en-suite)
Food £180 £400
Utility bills (electricity/gas/water/wifi) Included in your hall fee Included in your hall fee
Travel in Kingston using the free university bus
(to/from lectures and accommodation)
Free inter-campus bus service

Free inter-campus bus service 

Travel in London using a student oyster card
(zones 1-6)
£199.70 £199.70
Course costs (textbooks/printing/copying/
field trips)
£60 £200
Mobile phone £20 £45
Entertainment (gym, sports, film and music) £90 £150
Personal costs (laundry, clothes, shoes, toiletries) £70 £90
TOTAL £1,079.70 £1,909

*Calculated using The Student Money Manual. We recommended that you set aside some extra money for unexpected expenses and emergencies.

Average on-campus postgraduate living costs

As a postgraduate student you can expect to pay on average around £1,080-£1909 per month* to cover your on-campus accommodation, bills, groceries, and a range of other essential living expenses during your studies in 2023/24 (without dependants). These are average costs and will vary depending on your lifestyle so please use the information below as a guide only.

Average postgraduate living costs on campus

Expenditure typeLower range cost per monthUpper range cost per month
On-campus accommodation (50 week licence) £460 £824 (premium en-suite)
Food £180 £400
Utility bills (electricity/gas/water/wifi) Included in your hall fee Included in your hall fee
Travel in Kingston using the free university bus
(to/from lectures and accommodation)
Free inter-campus bus service

Free inter-campus bus service 

Travel in London using a student oyster card
(zones 1-6)
£199.70 £199.70
Course costs (textbooks/printing/copying/
field trips)
£60 £200
Mobile phone £20 £45
Entertainment (gym, sports, film and music) £90 £150
Personal costs (laundry, clothes, shoes, toiletries) £70 £90
TOTAL £1,079.70 £1,909

*Calculated using The Student Money ManualWe recommended that you set aside some extra money for unexpected expenses and emergencies.

Average living costs in private accommodation

As a postgraduate student living in private accommodation in the Kingston area, you can expect to pay on average £1,234-£1,844 per month* to cover your rent, bills, groceries, and a range of other essential living expenses during your studies in 2023/24 (without dependants). These are average costs and will vary depending on your lifestyle so please use the information below as a guide only.

Expenditure typeLower range cost per monthUpper range cost per month
Average rent in the Kingston area based on a typical house share for 4 students* £565 £700
Food £180 £400
Utility bills (electricity/gas/water/broadband/TV) based on a typical house share for 4 students £50 £60
Travel in Kingston using the free university bus
(to/from lectures and accommodation)
Free inter-campus bus service

Free inter-campus bus service 

Travel in London using a student oyster card
(zones 1-6)
£199.70 £199.70
Course costs (textbooks/printing/copying/
field trips)
£60 £200
Mobile phone £20 £45
Entertainment (gym, sports, film and music) £90 £150
Personal costs (laundry, clothes, shoes, toiletries) £70 £90
TOTAL £1,234.50 £1,844.70

*Calculated using The Student Money Manual and based on average rental prices in the Kingston area using London Rents Map; excludes upfront Estate Agents administration fees and holding deposit. We recommended that you set aside extra money for unexpected expenses and emergencies.

Breakdown of living costs by type

Average costs of food and drink in London

Expenditure typeAverage cost
Average weekly grocery bill (food, basic laundry and toiletry items) £30.00-£40.00+
Average pub meal £10.00-£15.00
Average restaurant meal £15.00-£20.00
Pint of beer £4.00-5.00 
Glass of wine £4.00-5.00 
Cocktail £10.00
Regular cappuccino £2.00-3.50
1L milk £0.94
A loaf of bread £1.30

Average cost of entertainment in London

Expenditure typeAverage cost
Movie at the cinema £10.00-£12.00
West End theatre (central London) £35.00-£60.00+
Club/pub entry £5.00-£20.00
Live music/concerts £15.00+
Gym membership £20.00-£30.00 (per month)

Average costs of transportation in London and beyond

Expenditure typeAverage cost
Weekly Zone 1-6 Travelcard £52.00
Train fare to Edinburgh £55.00-£70.00 (standard single)
Train fare to Cambridge £17.00-£20.00 (single)
Train fare to Brighton £10.00-£15.00
Return flight to Spain £120.00-£200.00 (budget carrier)
Return Eurostar ticket to Paris £120.00-£200.00 (standard)
Return flight to Ireland £70.00-£120.00 (budget carrier)

Budgeting for a Student Route Visa

You should budget for other upfront costs, such as your Student Route visa, which will allow you to live and study in the UK for the duration of your course.

UK Visa and Immigration requires that you must prove you have a minimum budget of £1,334 per month to study in London for one academic year (9 months). This amount excludes tuition fee costs and any dependants (which require you to show additional proof of funds).

We strongly advise you to plan a budget which ensures you have sufficient funds which will cover more than just the first few months when you arrive in the UK. You should also include a budget for additional unexpected costs and expenses.

The costs

  • £363 for your UK student visa which will allow you to live and study in the UK throughout your course (this is a one-off charge)
  • £470 for your Immigration Health Surcharge per year which will give you access to the National Health Service in the UK - this is the cost after the 25 per cent discount for student visa holders

Course fees

Undergraduate

Our undergraduate courses vary depending on what course you decide to study on a classroom, studio or laboratory-based course and range from £14,300-£16,500 for the first year.

If you choose to add a sandwich year (professional work placement) to your course, the placement fee is approximately £1,190.

Your course fees are paid for in instalments – 50% of the total fee must be paid in advance to complete the first part of enrolment (online enrolment) and the second part must be paid as one instalment.

You can find out more about making fee payments in our how to pay your fees section.

Postgraduate

Our postgraduate tuition fees vary considerably and range from £17,500 to £24,000 for one year.

If you choose to add a professional work placement to your course, the placement fee is approximately £1,455.

Your course fees are paid for in instalments – 50% of the total fee must be paid in advance to complete the first part of enrolment (online enrolment) and the second part must be paid as one instalment.

You can find out more about making fee payments in our how to pay your fees section.

Ways to save money

International scholarships

If you are an international ('overseas fee' paying) student and are offered a place to study with us, you'll be eligible to apply for one of our £5,000 international scholarships for the September or January intake.

Please note our scholarships are very competitive and we receive many applications every year. If you are successful, the award is deducted from your tuition fees, but you must make sure you can cover the outstanding amount of fees and monthly living expenses yourself.

Loyalty bursaries and alumni discount

If you are an international ('overseas fee' paying) student, you may qualify for one of our bursaries or alumni discounts:

  • Alumni discount
  • Family bursary
  • Study Abroad, Summer School and exchange bursary

Alumni discount

We offer a 10% tuition fee discount for our alumni who are progressing to study a postgraduate course at Kingston University.

Family bursary

We offer a 10% tuition fee discount for each year of undergraduate or postgraduate study for international students who have a direct family connection (family is defined as sibling, parent, child or spouse) to a student enrolled at Kingston University ('current student') or to a student previously enrolled at Kingston University (alumni). Both family members are entitled to receive the bursary if they are studying at the same time.

Get a part-time job

Kingston is a large town, packed full of shops and businesses, and many of our international students get a part-time job. This will help you manage some of your living costs and provide valuable work experience. You will also make new friends, learn what a UK work environment is like and develop new transferable skills.

We keep our timetables as flexible as possible to help you fit in part-time work but if you have a lot of teaching hours you might only be able to work during University holidays. We also advise you to get a job in the Kingston area to save you time and travel expenses and that you do not rely on this as your main source of income.

If you do plan to work while you study, you must check the permissions set out in your visa, as the right to work will depend on the type of visa you have been granted.

Become a student ambassador

Becoming one of our Student Ambassadors is a great way to 'earn while you learn' and meet other students. You can get involved and support the University, gain employability skills and experience, and enjoy flexible, part-time, paid employment to fit around your studies.

Budgeting advice

To start your budgeting, first you need to calculate what money you have coming in (income) and what you're spending your money on (expenditure). Once you have an idea of your weekly/monthly budgeting, you can then see how much money you need to plan for rent, travel, food and other essential living costs.

If you're not sure how much you spend, you can use our above guide to the average student living costs or the Student Money Guide.

Using this guide, look at your bank statements for regular payments you are making as this will help with calculating your budget. For example, how much you normally spend on food at supermarkets or travelling and socialising with friends.

Once you've got an idea of your outgoings, put everything into this budget planner so you can calculate how much money you're going need to live each month. By mapping your spending, you can begin to cut back and make your money last longer. You can also download apps onto your phone which links to your bank and can track your spending habits and where you can save money. Find out more about the best budgeting apps that you can download onto your phone on websites such as Which?'s Best budgeting apps.

Our money saving tips

Check out 8 top money-saving tips for students from the British Council to learn how to save money during your studies. This Save the Student guide on how to create a budget is also a great resource – and includes a useful student budget spreadsheet to ensure you're getting the most out of your money at university.

As a student, you can get a 30% discount on weekly and monthly Travelcards and bus passes by buying a special Student Oyster Photocard for £20. Remember that as a member of the National Union of Students (NUS), you will get discounts in shops, bars and clubs. It may be worth getting a Totum Card, which is designed specifically for students, where you can get online discounts when buying goods such as laptops and computer equipment.

Websites such as LatestDeals.co.uk compare food items so you can get the cheapest ones available at your local supermarket. Olio and Too Good To Go are apps you can download to your phone which shows what food is available from local businesses that you can collect so it's not thrown away.

Cost of living support for current students

We are committed to providing support to our students and recognise that the rising cost of living in London can make students feel uncertain about their finances. You can read about useful resources, hear from some of our current students and find out more about the available to students at Kingston University on our cost of living support pages.

What our students say

Hear from our students and their top tips when it comes to managing money.

Contact the International Office