Preparing to go to university and want to know how much money students really spend? Read on to find out more.
Updated: 26 Nov 2025
Ever wondered how much the average student spends on alcohol, food, and rent? To help you prepare your finances, NatWest’s Student Living Index 2025 revealed how much cash the average student is splashing out on everything from their weekly grocery budget to their social life.
According to NatWest’s findings, groceries are what students spend the most money on after rent, with the average monthly grocery spend sitting at £146.76.
It’s no surprise that London remains the region with the highest rent in the UK for students. Average monthly rent in the London area is roughly £742. Across the country in general, the average student spends £562.67 on rent.
If rent is a concern concern for you, considering looking to study somewhere cheaper. For example, students in Milton Keynes have the lowest cost of rent, paying around £490 a month on average.
Unsurprisingly, a big portion of a students’ income is spent on socialising. The students surveyed for the index estimated that they would spend around £30 on a night out. Loughborough has the lowest average spend for a night out, coming in at £23.90, while Cardiff has the highest at £35.81.
However, many students are choosing to cut back of going out to save on cash. About 50% of the students in the survey said they were reducing how often they went out. 34% said they ordered fewer items online, and 27% got a job to help with their bank balance.