Living costs for undergraduate study

For 2026-2027, we estimate that it will cost an average of £1,546 each month to live in Edinburgh as a single undergraduate student. This equates to £13,914 for a 39-week academic year and £18,552 for a full year. This amount does not include study costs (like tuition fees) and will likely rise each year with inflation.

Monthly and annual (39 weeks) living costs

Estimated total living costs for a single person for 2026-2027

These costs are an estimated average and are updated annually. They were last calculated in March 2026.

Consider these numbers as a guide only. Living costs can be affected significantly by things like inflation, energy costs, exchange rates and global events.

The exact amount you spend will also depend on factors like your personal preferences and especially on the accommodation you choose.

	Per month	Per 39-week academic year	Per 52-week year
Accommodation and utilities	£980	£8,820	£11,760
Food and other shopping	£248	£2,232	£2,976
Mobile phone contract	£12	£108	£144
Socialising, leisure and wellbeing	£248	£2,232	£2,976
Local bus travel (age 22+)	£58	£522	£696
Estimated total living costs	£1,546	£13,914	£18,552

Accommodation and utilities amount is the average of all self-catered accommodation options. University accommodation is only available for 39-week leases.
Food and other shopping amount is the average when staying in self-catered accommodation. This amount will be lower if you are staying in catered accommodation.
If you are under 22, you can get free bus travel with the Young Scot National Entitlement Card.

Accommodation and utilities: £752 to £1,249 per month

Accommodation options for undergraduate students:

University catered accommodation includes two meals per day in the rental price and is only available for 39-week leases.
University self-catered accommodation does not include any meals in the rental price and is only available for 39-week leases.
Private accommodation is self-catered housing provided by a private landlord or letting agency. Utilities are not normally included in the rental price. Leases are on a rolling monthly basis, but most students end up staying at least a year in a property.
Private student accommodation is self-catered housing purpose-built for students by private companies. The quality of private student accommodation tends to be high, which means it is often more expensive than other private options.

Most students stay in University accommodation in Year 1, but move into private accommodation from Year 2 onwards.

Accommodation in Edinburgh: learn more about your options

	University catered (39-week lease)	University self-catered (39-week lease)	Private	Private student
Rent for accommodation	£1,169 per month (ranging from £842 to £1,518)	£925 per month (ranging from £414 to £1,348)	£688 per month	£1,227 per month (ranging from £659 to £1,781)
Utilities (gas and electric)	Included in rent	Included in rent	£55 per month	Included in rent
WiFi	Included in rent	Included in rent	£9 per month	Included in rent
Laundry services	£13 per month	£13 per month	Washing machines normally in flats	£22 per month
Estimated total	£1,182 per month	£938 per month	£752 per month	£1,249 per month

We have listed these costs per month, but some accommodation types may require you to pay on a different schedule.

University catered and self-catered costs are an average of undergraduate housing on the University of Edinburgh Accommodation website, with the ranges showing the cheapest and most expensive options. A twin room shared with another student in a self-catered block is usually the cheapest option for University accommodation.
Private cost is an average based on 2025 rental price data from Citylets for 2-bed, 3-bed and 4-bed flats in Edinburgh, divided by the number of bedrooms for each flat type.
Private student cost is an average of three private student accommodation providers in Edinburgh (Unite, Homes for Students and Student Roost), with the range showing the cheapest and most expensive options. Monthly prices are based on average weekly prices and may be higher with shorter lease lengths.
Utilities (gas and electric) cost is an average based on fuel plans quoted by Uswitch for 2 to 3-bed and 4-bed flats in Edinburgh's Newington neighbourhood, divided by the number of bedrooms for each flat type. Plans vary in terms and contract length.
WiFi cost is an average based on high-speed fibre broadband plans quoted by Uswitch for 2-bed, 3-bed and 4-bed flats in Edinburgh's Newington neighbourhood, divided by the number of bedrooms for each flat type. Plans vary in terms and contract length.
Laundry cost for University accommodation is based on a £3 wash and dry, once a week. Laundry costs for private student accommodation is based on a £5 wash and dry, once a week. Actual cost will vary depending on the property.

Accommodation at the University of Edinburgh

Citylets data on rent prices in Scotland

Uswitch

Food and other shopping: £248 per month

This monthly estimate is based on shopping at supermarkets and primarily cooking at home (instead of eating meals out). It also includes other shopping, such as toiletries and cleaning products.

To save money, you can shop at budget supermarkets like Lidl and Aldi.

Compare supermarket prices on Trolley

If you live in catered halls, you will spend less on food as your rent includes two meals a day. You will need to cover the cost of additional meals, any snacks and toiletries.

	Catered accommodation	Self-catered accommodation
Food and other shopping costs	£91 per month	£248 per month

Self-catered costs are based on the daily recommended minimum amounts of money for food per person (Western food types) from Numbeo cost of living database.
Catered costs are based on one-third of the self-catered amount.
£11.50 has been added to both the catered and self-catered food amounts to cover the cost of a mid-priced shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothpaste, deodorant and cleaning spray from Tesco supermarket.

See food prices in Edinburgh on Numbeo cost of living database

Tesco supermarket

Mobile phone contract: £12 per month

This estimate is for a SIM-only plan. You will likely have to pay more per month if your plan includes a mobile phone.

This estimate is based on an average of SIM-only plans on Uswitch with 100GB of data or more. Plans vary in data amounts and contract length.

Uswitch

Socialising, leisure and wellbeing: £248 per month

Socialising, leisure and wellbeing includes costs like:

sport and society memberships
nights out
going out to eat
entertainment subscriptions (like Netflix)
gym memberships

You will not need to pay for healthcare or prescriptions, as these are free for students in Scotland. However, international students need to pay a health surcharge to access the National Health Service (NHS) as part of their visa application.

Socialising, leisure and wellbeing costs will vary based on what you like to do. This estimate is based on a calculation of the cost of:

a University of Edinburgh gym membership
a monthly Netflix subscription
a student Cineworld cinema ticket a month
being a member of an Edinburgh University Students' Association society for a year (prices vary)
having Edinburgh University Sports Union intramural sport membership for a year
two regular-sized cappuccinos per week (prices from Numbeo cost of living database)
three pints and one meal out at an inexpensive restaurant per week (prices from Numbeo cost of living database)
an extra £20 for miscellaneous socialising, leisure and wellbeing costs

Local bus travel: £0 to £58 per month

Edinburgh is a small city and relatively easy to get around. You can walk, cycle or take a bus ride to most places.

If you need to use public transport, you can get:

If your studies are based at King’s Buildings, there is also a free University shuttle bus that takes you between there and Central campus.

University shuttle bus

One-off living costs

You will need to get bedding and towels for your accommodation.

You may also need to consider costs for:

cooking utensils (some accommodation options come with these)
security deposits for private accommodation (you will get this back after a tenancy provided there is no damage or cleaning fee)
contents insurance (to protect valuables against theft or damage)
a TV licence (if you watch live TV or content on BBC iPlayer)
an admin fee if you pay for a Lothian Buses pass by monthly direct debit

Other costs to consider

The costs on this page do not include:

tuition fees
additional study costs (like books or equipment)
visa and health surcharge costs (for international students)

Find tuition fees and additional study costs on the degree finder

Cost of applying for a Student visa from outside the UK

You are normally exempt from paying Council Tax if you’re a full-time student who lives with other full-time students. However, if you live with non-full-time students, there may be a Council Tax bill for the household.

Student Council Tax discount

Help with managing your living costs

Cost of living tips

Learn about free discounts and services for students, as well as how to save on bills and everyday spending.

Finding part-time work while you study

Our Careers Service hosts a site where you can find part-time and vacation jobs in the city and at the University.

Help creating a budget

Our Advice Place for students has some helpful tips on how to budget while studying and links to budgeting tools and apps.

What our students spend each week

In our money diaries blog series, our students share their daily spending over the course of a week and chat through how they stick to their budgets.

Financial support for living costs at the University

If you find yourself in financial difficulty when studying with us, it's okay to ask for help. We have a few support funds to help our students with living costs, including a:

financial support fund for both UK and international students
participation grant for costs associated with joining sports clubs or societies
childcare fund for UK students

You will need to meet eligibility criteria to apply to any of the support funds. It's always worth checking the criteria as students often think they are not eligible when they are.

University financial support

Financial requirements for international students

If you are applying for a student visa, the UK Government will ask for evidence that you have a specific amount of money to pay for living costs while you are studying in the UK.

However, the amount they require you to show can be much less than you will need to pay for your living expenses in Edinburgh. We do not recommend that you create a budget around this figure.

Financial requirements you need to meet for student visas

This article was published on 2026-03-09