Whilst your spending time at university, one of your biggest concerns will likely be your living costs. It’s common for students to be worried about their financial situation, which is why it’s a good idea to be aware of the typical living costs you might need.
In this article, we’ll look at the average living costs for both Newcastle and Northumbria students. It’s worth noting that the information below looks at average day-to-day living costs for students and does not include the average amount spent on renting a student property in Newcastle.
Total monthly living costs
For Newcastle University students, the average total monthly living costs come to £445. For Northumbria University students, the average monthly costs are £427. In the following sections, we’ll break down what exactly makes up the total monthly living costs of students.
Groceries
Groceries are of course an essential living cost, as everyone needs to eat! On average, Newcastle students spend £96 per month on groceries, whereas Northumbria students spend £126. For both sets of students, groceries proved to be the costliest living expense – which is of little surprise!
Takeaways/eating out
The alternative to spending money on groceries is ordering takeaways and eating out! Whilst this can often be tempting, it’s usually a lot more expensive compared to buying groceries. On average, Newcastle students claimed to spend £48 per month on takeaways, whereas Northumbria students spent £51.
Going out
It’s important to have a social life as a student, so it’s no surprise that going out was found to be one of the bigger expenses in the list. For Newcastle students, they spend £75 on going out, whereas Northumbria students manage slightly cheaper nights out, spending just £50 per month.
Transport
Transport is another necessary living cost, as you’ll need to travel to and from university, or you might need to travel home on occasion. Transport costs will also likely include taxis at the end of late nights out! Newcastle students on average spend £27 a month on transport and Northumbria students spend £40.
Household bills
Another essential in terms of living costs, household bills usually consist of electricity, gas, water, and wifi. Although some students may have these household bills included in their rent payments, the majority will have to pay utility bills separately form their rent. On average, Newcastle students pay £35 a month for bills, whereas Northumbria students pay £46.
Mobile phone
With almost everyone using a phone contract these days, mobiles add another monthly cost to living expenses. Newcastle students pay £20 for their monthly phone bill, and Northumbria students pay £25 per month.
Clothes and shopping
Spend can fluctuate quite a lot in terms of clothes and shopping. Whilst everyone needs clothes to wear, some students may choose to spend more when it comes to shopping for new things. Newcastle students spend £34 a month on clothes and shopping, whereas Northumbria students spend £47, splashing out a bit more.
Health and wellbeing
Health and wellbeing living expensive may include things such as gym memberships, meditation groups, and private counselling. On average, Newcastle students spend £13 on health and wellbeing, whereas Northumbria students £11.
Course materials
Course materials may include specific textbooks you need, or other stationary products. The chances are, you’ll spend more on course materials at the start of the academic year, but the monthly average cost for Newcastle students is £13 and the average spend is £14 for Northumbria students.
Holidays and events
Whilst not an absolute necessity, it’s still important to indulge in social events and spend time relaxing on holiday. The average monthly costs for holidays and events are £15 for Newcastle students and £11 for Northumbria students.
Gifts and charity
Gifts and charity expenses average out at the lowest monthly spend in terms of living costs. On average, Newcastle students spend £10 on gifts and charity, whereas Northumbria students spend just £6 per month.
Comparison with rest of UK
According to the 2021 National Student Money Survey (which is where the above information is derived from), the average monthly living costs for Northumbria and Newcastle is higher than the national student average, which comes out at £389. There are a lot of factors that can affect the monthly living costs of students around the UK, but it’s fairly universally agreed that the maintenance loan is not enough to cover the total cost of living for most students.
