Top 25 most affordable university cities in UK

Belfast is the most affordable place to study, according to a ranking of university cities based on living costs and earning potential.

Northern Ireland’s capital is closely followed by Southampton and Nottingham as cities that provide a combination of low living costs and the potential for term-time jobs, according to the RBS Student Living Index. 

On average, students spend 27.5 hours a week studying, 12.5 hours socialising and 4.5 hours in part-time work, the survey found. Students at Cambridge and Oxford spend the most time studying, while those at Southampton work the longest hours and receive the most term-time income. Overall, more than two-fifths of students do not have a term-time job.

Students at Cambridge, Liverpool and Leicester came out top regarding the amount they spend on sports and fitness activities, while Liverpool, Leicester and Birmingham are the cities where students spend the most on hobbies and interests.

More money is spent on going out and socialising in Oxford, Cambridge and Newcastle than anywhere else, according to the report.

The index was based on a survey of 2,486 students and took into account average weekly expenditure across several categories including rent, groceries, going out, health and fitness.

Student Living Index 2015: most affordable university cities 

 ellie.bothwell@tesglobal.com