Bath is a city in Somerset which is famous throughout the world for its history, culture and architecture. It’s also regarded by many as one of the most beautiful and quaint cities in the country and is in fact a UNESCO World Heritage site in itself.
Due to its attractive nature and popularity with tourists, Bath can be an expensive city to live in. It’s only 8% less expensive than London (not including rent). That being said, as with all student towns and cities, you’ll be able to find cheap student nights and discounts to help you keep your living costs down. Keep reading to learn more about the cost of living in Bath for a student.
Fees and funding in Bath are similar to those in other major uni towns and cities. For most university courses you’ll need to pay tuition fees which usually cost £9,250 per year (this will be rising to £9,535 from the 2025/26 academic year). As well as paying for your studies, you’ll need to pay to live and will incur expenses like rent, food bills, going out costs and other day-to-day expenses.
To help fund these, you can apply for two loans through Student Finance. A tuition fee loan will cover some or all of your tuition fees, and a maintenance loan can help you pay for your living expenses. The exact amount you can borrow through your maintenance loan will depend on where you study, where you live and your family income.
These loans don’t need to be repaid until you’ve started work and are earning a certain amount per year. For new students on Plan 5 this is £25,000, although the repayment thresholds for other plans differ.
Depending on your personal circumstances, you may also be able to apply for extra funding from your uni in the form of scholarships and bursaries. For example, the Bath Spa Bursary is worth up to £4,000 over three years and is automatically applied depending on where you live and your household income. Additionally, the University of Bath has a bursary worth £3,000 per year of study for students who meet the criteria such as coming from a household with an annual income of less than £25,000.
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In Bath you’ll find student accommodation both in the city and on the main campuses. At the University of Bath, accommodation in halls ranges from £90 to £289 per week, while at Bath Spa you’ll pay between £81 and £280 per week. Catered options and studio rooms are usually at the higher end of the price spectrum, and self-catered rooms with shared facilities are much cheaper options.
If you don’t end up living in uni halls, you’ll be able to find privately rented accommodation in and around the city. One bedroom flats in the city centre can be found for around £1,100 per month, or you might decide to rent a room in a shared house for around £810 a month per person. It’s important to note you’ll probably need to pay rent all year round if you live in private accommodation. In uni halls, you’ll likely only have to pay rent during the academic year (on average 44 weeks).
If you live in privately rented accommodation, you’ll also need to pay utility bills, such as water, gas, electricity and internet, on top of your rent payments. In Bath, you should budget around £85 per month for basic household bills. This figure may be higher if you live alone and have no one to split these costs with.
On average, you’ll find the following rough prices for these common goods in Bath:
Milk (1L): £1.11
Bread loaf: £1.16
Rice (1kg): £1.22
Eggs (12): £2.84
Cheese (1kg): £7.73
Chicken fillets (1kg): £7.31
Apples (1kg): £2.41
Potatoes (1kg): £0.98
The cost of Bath’s nightlife for students is fairly average in comparison with other student towns and cities in the country. Depending on where you go, club entry usually ranges from around £5 to £10 and you’ll find student nights with cheap entry and drinks.
A meal in an inexpensive restaurant costs on average £15 and a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant costs on average £60. A pint will set you back around £5 in the city’s pubs, but drinks are likely to be more expensive in fancy bars and clubs.
National train fares vary depending on where you’re going. To give you an idea, train tickets from Bath to London start at £10.50 each way and start from £8.70 to Bristol, £22.10 to Birmingham and £27 to Manchester. To get the cheapest fares, you should book as early as possible and buy advance single tickets where you can. You can also buy a 16-25 Railcard for £30, which will give you 1/3 off rail fares.
In the city, buses are a great way of getting around and First Bus offers student discounts on all fares. As a student, you’ll pay £2 for a one way ticket and a month’s travel pass is £81.
On top of the student costs we’ve covered in this article, there are other common expenses that you should be aware of when studying at Bath.
This will include any costs associated with your course such as books and materials, as well as extra living costs like toiletries, clothing and other personal items. You might also want to join clubs or societies through your uni which often have a small joining free and regular events or trips.
As an estimate, you should look to budget around £1,200 per month as a student in Bath, including rent. This is not inclusive of tuition fees.
Start your search for courses in Bath now. Or, why not read all the reasons you should be studying in this gorgeous city?