England’s South East is one of the largest regions in the country by size, covering the area from Oxfordshire right down to the white cliffs of Dover. It presents a variety of appealing options for student living at an equally variable range of price points.
In this article, we bring you the best cost-saving tips to enjoy the South East on a student budget. We won't be factoring in cost of living estimates from London since these are significantly higher than anywhere else in the country. If you’re thinking of studying in London, you can read our guide to the cost of living in the capital here. Instead, we’ll be focusing on the many university towns and cities which populate the region. Read on to find out more.
There are 17 unis in the South East outside of London, offering hundreds upon hundreds of degree course options across all subject areas. While this presents a lot of choice, the amount you pay for an undergraduate course is usually fairly standardised, with government guidelines capping tuition fees at £9,250 per year (this will be rising to £9,535 from the 2025/26 academic year).
Most students take out a student loan to cover this cost through Student Finance, who also offer a maintenance loan to provide additional funding to support general living expenses such as rent, groceries, travel and other external expenses. The amount you are eligible for is proportional to your household income, and students can receive up to around £10,000 per year (this will be rising to up to £10,544 if you're living outside of London from the 2025/26 academic year). Even better, it won't need paying back until at least the April after you graduate and even then only if you’re earning over the repayment threshold for your loan plan.
You can further supplement your uni funding by applying for scholarships and bursaries through your chosen institution. There’s usually a selection of options for both merit-based and needs-based criteria, so check out the relevant financial services department pages online and see what you might be eligible for. These types of financial awards are typically non-repayable and are awarded in a variety of forms from cash stipends to tuition fee discounts.
The South East has the largest population of any region in the UK, around eight million people. A lot of people means a lot of housing, and wherever you choose to study you’ll have a range of options to suit your budget and preferences.
Most unis offer placement in halls of residence for the first year of study. This is a great option for meeting people and making friends, some of whom you'll probably end up living with during your second and third year. Another advantage of halls is that they present a very convenient package deal for term-time housing, typically including all utilities bills, internet and insurance, without any need to organise these things yourself. There’s often a security service and sometimes a concierge, all for a rental fee which usually varies between £120 - £200 per week, depending on your individual circumstance.
Self-catered accommodation is typical although catered is also sometimes available, and despite costing more per week, it’s worth estimating your weekly grocery budget and making a quick comparison. You might find that the time you save cooking and the money you’d save on groceries makes the expense of catered accommodation worthwhile. Most unis will also offer a range of shared bathroom, ensuite and studio rooms so you can choose what level of privacy you feel comfortable with. Some unis offer twin rooms, which tend to be the cheapest accommodation option.
If you’d prefer to rent your own place, you’ll find plenty of options. Pricing does vary quite a lot between locations with Oxford topping off the list at an average monthly price of £1,580 for a studio apartment in the city centre, and £2,580 for a three-bedroom apartment in the same location. Portsmouth has the lowest prices for monthly rent, with costs of £1,00 and £1,500 for studio flats and three-bedroom apartments respectively. Southampton is a close second at £1,010 per month for a studio apartment. As a very general rule, the further you move from London, the lower housing costs become.
Due to its proximity to London, the South East does have a slightly higher cost-of-living index than other regions in the UK. This applies to grocery shopping as well, although the margins are relatively slim, and with a bit of shopping around you should be able to find reliable low-cost alternatives.
To get an idea of how much you could pay, here's what some common grocery itemscost in Southampton:
Milk (1L): £1.26
Bread Loaf: £1.12
Rice (1kg): £1.46
Eggs (12): £2.65
Cheese (1kg): £7.40
Chicken fillets (1kg): £6.28
Apples (1kg): £1.48
Potatoes (1kg): £1.06
Kent is known as the garden of England, and you can find an abundance of locally-grown seasonal produce if you know where to look. Local markets and farm-to-table initiatives are a great way to source inexpensive and often organic ingredients.
The South East has plenty of opportunities for a night out. Despite its relatively high rental prices, Oxford offers a surprisingly affordable range of options for eating out. A meal at an inexpensive restaurant will set you back only £14, and a three-course dinner for two at a mid-range restaurant costs an average of just £60.
Portsmouth has the cheapest late-night fast food and Reading and Winchester offer the cheapest pints of beer at around £4 per pint. The highest pint price recorded at uni towns in the South East is still a full £1 cheaper than the London average, so your drinks bill will likely be around 15-20% less than in the capital. Even so, at times you may find London calling, and an additional benefit of going to uni in the South East is that you’re usually less than two hours from London by train.
The South East is a remarkably well-connected region. Due to its central location, many train journeys around the region are routed through London, however this is not always the case and there are good local bus and coach services between cities.
An adult single ticket generally costs between £2 - £3, so we’d recommend looking into a monthly pass if you use the service regularly to bring your average expense down. Don’t forget to check if local transport offers a student discount, as you can usually save around 1/3 the cost of a ticket this way if they do and there may be additional perks. Southampton has the lowest cost for public transport at only £2 for a one-way ticket, and £53 for a monthly pass. Southampton even has its own international airport which makes it easy to grab a weekend getaway.
Regardless of where you choose to study, you’ll be immersed in a world of student activities and entertainment. Most unis have a fantastic selection of clubs and societies to get involved with, which are usually cheap to join, but sometimes require additional expenses for things like equipment, social events or trips. It's worth keeping this in mind, and budgeting for unexpected activities so you won’t have to worry when the time comes.
You may also need some extra cash for scanning and printing uni documents, or maybe just going to see a film at the cinema. Reading has the cheapest average cinema prices, at only £8.50 for an adult ticket, so you don’t always need to spend much to have a good time.