Manchester is one of the best student cities in the UK and, with a total student population of more than 90,000, there are lots of local businesses, service and nightlife venues that cater to a student budget.
While accommodation is likely to be your main expense, a room in a University hall of residence will simplify your costs, as our hall fees include contents insurance, all utility bills (usually gas and electricity) and free internet access.
On this page, you’ll find breakdowns of spending for the average Manchester undergraduate (first-year and second-year onwards) and postgraduate student for one academic year.
Estimated living costs 2023/24
|
Cost |
Undergraduate year (41 weeks)
|
Monthly cost (based on 41 weeks)
|
|
Accommodation (self-catered) *
|
£6,570 (£7,360 catered**)
|
£657 (£736 catered**)
|
|
Groceries
|
£1,500
|
£150
|
|
Takeaways
|
£530
|
£53
|
|
Transport (including local transport and travelling elsewhere)
|
£480
|
£48
|
|
Going out and socialising
|
£770
|
£77
|
|
Mobile phone
|
£210
|
£21
|
|
Clothes
|
£415
|
£41.50
|
|
Health and wellbeing
|
£260
|
£26
|
|
Course materials
|
£260
|
£26
|
|
Holidays and events
|
£295
|
£29.50
|
|
Gifts and charity
|
£150
|
£15
|
|
Relatives or friends who you financially support
|
£43.5
|
£4.35
|
|
Total
|
£11,483.50
|
£1,148.35
|
Sources:
- Accommodation figures from our accommodation website.
- Groceries figures from a weekly budget supermarket shop containing the items on this list, bought in July 2023.
- Transport costs calculated using bus pass costs on the Stagecoach webpage and an approximate allowance for other travel assuming a student will travel home/visit friends.
- All other costs obtained from savethestudent.org and their National Student Money Survey with costs increased in line with inflation as of April 2023.
- *The University of Manchester self-catered accommodation can range in price from £4,618 to £8,190 a year.
Further information on accommodation provision and the annual cost of accommodation at The University of Manchester. - **Catered accommodation calculated by adding £790 of meal costs to the annual total (breakfast and an evening meal on weekdays).
- ***The ‘groceries’ total will be less if the student chooses catered accommodation.
|
Cost |
Undergraduate year (41 weeks)
|
Monthly cost (based on 41 weeks)
|
| Accomodation*
|
£7,435
|
£619.58
|
| Groceries |
£1,500
|
£150
|
|
Takeaways
|
£530
|
£53
|
|
Transport (including local transport and travelling elsewhere)
|
£480
|
£48
|
|
Going out and socialising
|
£770
|
£77
|
|
Mobile phone
|
£210
|
£21
|
|
Clothes
|
£415
|
£41.50
|
|
Health and wellbeing
|
£260
|
£26
|
|
Course materials
|
£260
|
£26
|
|
Holidays and events
|
£295
|
£29.50
|
|
Gifts and charity
|
£150
|
£15
|
|
Relatives or friends who you financially support
|
£43.5
|
£4.35
|
|
Total
|
£12,349.50
|
£1,110.93
|
*Accommodation based on the estimated rentand household utility bills detailed on the Save the Student website. This annual figure is on a 52-week basis as private accommodation contracts usually are renewed yearly.
|
Cost |
Undergraduate year (41 weeks)
|
Monthly cost (based on 41 weeks)
|
| Accomodation (self-catered)
|
£8,580
|
£715
|
| Groceries |
£1,800
|
£150
|
|
Takeaways
|
£636
|
£53
|
|
Transport (including local transport and travelling elsewhere)
|
£576
|
£48
|
|
Going out and socialising
|
£924
|
£77
|
|
Mobile phone
|
£252
|
£21
|
|
Clothes
|
£498
|
£41.50
|
|
Health and wellbeing
|
£312
|
£26
|
|
Course materials
|
£312
|
£26
|
|
Holidays and events
|
£354
|
£29.50
|
|
Gifts and charity
|
£180
|
£15
|
|
Relatives or friends who you financially support
|
£52.20
|
£4.35
|
|
Total
|
£14,476.20
|
£1,206.35
|
*Based on cost of yearly bus pass plus additional amount for travel elsewhere.
These costs are intended as a guide only.
It’s important to bear in mind that all estimates made by the University are for single students. If you intend to bring your family, you should also account for family living expenses as well.
Some courses will require you to pay for specific items, materials or activities not covered in the tuition fees, such as field courses. In these cases, the University endeavours to keep these additional costs as low as possible.
International students
If you require a visa to come to the UK, you're granted it on condition that you can pay your tuition fees and living expenses (for you and your family, if they are accompanying you) without having to depend on finding work in the UK.