Sensitive topics I know! But this is probably one of the biggest problems or questions, which is understandable when you are about to live in a city you’ve never visited! Bear in mind though that there will be a big variation between people to people, with different lifestyle etc. The University of Manchester publishes an estimate of a budget, which I think is quite realistic, so do have a look. So what’s the cost of living in Manchester for international students? Here’s my take on it:
Accommodation
Accommodation has to be the highest item on the budget, second to the course fees. This is also highly variable. Manchester has been having a student housing supply issue for a long time, which is only exacerbated in recent times. A very quick search found
- 8 bedroom house share for around £154 per person per week including bills for 52 weeks (total £8008 per year)
- Luxury accommodation 1 bedroom flats are about £756 per weeks for 51 weeks (£38,556 per year). I tried to find the most expensive accommodation to show you the upper ceiling, I think this would be it.
- The accommodation that I used to stay in my second year, which I would have happily stayed throughout, is £151 per week for 50 weeks (for postgraduates – total £6644) or £161.5 per week for 44 weeks (undergraduates – total £7175). For comparison purpose, we’ll take the £151.
- Whitworth Park accommodation (university based) is £118 per week for 51 weeks (£5969 per year)
I’ve written about how to find accommodation in a separate post so please feel free to read up on how to find accommodation on the post! For this purpose, I’ll take £7200 as a plausible alternative of something I would stay.
Groceries
Same theme as there are options:
- Lidl/Aldi are the cheapest, which is where I do most of my shopping.
- Tesco Express/Sainsburys Local, which is convenient stores, but they tend to be a bit more expensive.
- Asda in Hulme, which is walkable, quite affordable and have a great range of selections, including things I can’t find in Lidl/Aldi (perhaps some specific spices, or specific brand of tea, some specific yoghurts etc).
- There is a fruit/vegetable stall in front of All Saints Park on Oxford Road which I absolutely love and in summer I used to get a whole shoebox of strawberries for something so cheap like £2.
You can google these names and add “UK” at the end, of which you should be able to browse the price. I think that food prices in the UK can be quite affordable if you eat in season and eat cheaper things. It can be very expensive if you choose to eat things that are not in season, have to be imported etc. My groceries are about £30 per week, where I buy things in batch and cook for a week. I try to balance eating things I enjoy but also not busting my wallet. I’ve attached 3 of my groceries from Lidl below, (mind that the prices fluctuates), and note that I live with 1 other person. So yeah I’d say perhaps £30 per week for a single person is perhaps makes sense, as you can’t buy so much in bulk by living alone.
Transportation
I can’t find out how much transportation is nowadays, but I think yearly student bus pass is around £300 nowadays. I didn’t spend nearly as much as I lived walking distance from the university, and that wouldn’t include travelling outside Manchester, so please consider that as well.
I’ve written another post about transportation options in Manchester!
Clothes
Clothes varies widely by people, but I’d imagine you may need some clothes that are adapted to the UK climate if you are coming from abroad. Quality of clothes matter a lot in my opinion, more so in the UK than in hotter countries, because better quality clothes keep you dry and warm, which are essential in the UK. I’ve written a whole post about how to dress in winter in Manchester!
My favourite trick in getting cheap coats, jackets and sweaters on the cheap is by visiting a charity shop. Below you can see some of the charity shops around University of Manchester that you can visit.
I got some branded coats from charity shop in Huddersfield for £5, which is still in great condition. This is especially a good idea if you are a postgraduate student and only staying in Manchester for 1 year. I suppose if you are an undergraduate and staying for about 3-4 years, it makes more sense to spend more on clothes as you can reuse them over time. Just fully inspect the clothes and try it in the shop to make sure there is no hidden damage and it fits fine, but there is no shame in buying secondhand clothes, especially when they are still in good conditions. Save the environment and your wallet! Don’t forget to clean and wash them thoroughly too.
Others
The rest are smaller expenses, but to just include some that I can think of now,
- Phone – I have £8 per month contract for 15 GB.
- Textbooks – I honestly didn’t spend anything haha, everything is available in the library or online through university access! £0
- Socialising – eating out on average I’d say £20 (can be £10 if just mains without any drinks) – so depends on how often you go out, I’d say if you are going out every weekend then £80 per month. I don’t drink so can’t comment on pubs or nightlife at all.
- Day trips – I like to take trains outside Manchester and explore other cities, so train tickets + meals + looking around, I’d say maybe as cheap as £50 for a nearby city or can be up to £200 for further afield, even more for London!
So my total would be … £7200 (accommodation) + £30/week for groceries x 52 weeks + £200 (clothes for a year) + £8 x 12 phone contract + £20/week socialising x 52 weeks + £100/month day trips x 12 months …
My total wasn’t too far away from University of Manchester’s living cost estimate! haha. though much more socialising and travelling than anything else, but personally just what I like to do. Hope it helps in deciding! Let me know if you have any question in the comments :)