Cost of living in Liverpool for students

With inflation being the way it is and prices rising across the board, affordability becomes even more important to students. There’s no point selecting a university in an expensive area and not having the money to enjoy yourself!
Cost of living in Liverpool for students
Published on: 22 Oct 2023
Accommodation

Student accommodation is probably going to be your largest expense. Being selective about where you live in your second and third year could save you hundreds, or perhaps even thousands of pounds during your stay.

It’s a balance. You want to live somewhere cheap to minimise your outgoings. But you also want to live somewhere that’s fit for human occupation.

Our own student accommodation in Liverpool more than strikes that balance.

A fully furnished ensuite room in the city centre can cost as little as £85 per week. Considering the quality on offer, that’s extremely competitive!

Household bills

Household bills can be another considerable outgoing. They will include energy (gas and electric), water, internet, insurance and any optional services you might have.

Bills are a tough one to predict right now as energy costs are all over the place.

Not long ago, we would tell you to factor in bills of around £120 per month to cover everything. With energy being like it is, you could be paying much more. The cost depends on how many people are in your house, how warm you like it and how much electricity you use.

Stay with Sanctuary Students and all your bills are included in the rent. That’s a big saving over your time in Liverpool!

Travel

Travel costs can also add up over the 2 years you won’t be living in halls. Buses in the city are plentiful and not that expensive compared to other cities.

An average student weekly bus pass would cost around £15 for most journeys. A monthly student bus pass can cost closer to £40. The true cost will depend on where you live, what bus operator runs that route and how often you’ll use the bus, but it’s definitely something to bear in mind.

Walking or travelling by bike is cheaper but you’ll need to factor time and bike maintenance into that.

Living in the city centre works best. Shorter journeys, close to class and to the action makes life much cheaper.

Food

Food is one of the expenses being hardest hit by inflation. That’s the same for students as anyone.

We would recommend budgeting between £50-80 per week on food depending on how much you eat.

You can spend less than that of course, but if you include alcohol consumed at home it could easily hit that.

Stick to discount supermarkets, shop savvy and learn some basic cooking skills. Making your own pasta sauce can cost as little as 50p for 2-3 meals and take 15 minutes while a jar can cost well over £1 for 1 or 2 meals.

Mobile phones and internet

The Liverpool cost of living when it comes to phones and internet will be the same as anywhere else.

Only regional operators will use regional pricing. For the big networks, O2, EE, Vodafone, Virgin Media, Sky and others, they will all use national pricing.

If you’re in an HMO, the cost of the internet will be shared between you. Add £20-30 per month for your phone and you have an idea of what it will cost.

Sanctuary Students includes internet in with the rent. Stay with us and that’s another bill you don’t have to pay!

Leisure and entertainment

This area of Liverpool's cost of living is harder to estimate. Everything depends on where you go, what you do and how often.

We can say with certainty that Liverpool is a cheaper night out than many university cities but aside from that, it’s almost impossible to assess how expensive it might be.

There are hundreds of pubs and clubs in the city, with bars, cafes, restaurants, venues and more all wanting some of your student income.

The cost of a pint is less here than elsewhere, although that’s changing daily. Entrance to clubs and venues can also be cheaper, depending on who is appearing. Many parks, galleries, museums and other entertainment options are either cheap or free so there’s plenty to do that won’t break the bank.

Study costs

When we talk about study costs, we’re talking books, stationery and all those little things you need as a student.

We’re not talking about fees here as those can vary massively depending on the course you’re doing.

For all those other things, you should plan to spend between £10-20 per month on pens, paper and study aids. If you can go paperless and live on your laptop, you can reduce that.

Course books also vary hugely between courses. If you’re studying law, budget for £200 per year for a mixture of new editions and secondhand books. Study medicine and you’ll need much more than that even for used books.

Laundry

A clean student is a popular student. Not all HMOs or student digs will have a washing machine so you’ll need to factor in visits to the laundry at least once a week to keep things clean.

Depending on where you go and how much you need to wash, a 9kg self-service wash costs around £5. A service wash done for you will be around £10.

Dry cleaning and special cleaning for sports kits will cost more. Laundry detergent costs around £5 per litre for brand name or less for non-branded.

A washing machine will use around 500 watts per hour on a normal cleaning cycle. Check your electricity unit cost for how much it would be. Or stay with Sanctuary Students. Each building has its own laundry room with washes costing around £3.

Gym memberships

The University of Liverpool has its own gym at the Sports and Fitness Centre at Greenbank. It currently costs £143 per year for students.

There are also private gyms around the city, with average costs between £30-50 per month.

Classes, organised sports and personal training will cost extra, but for basic gym facilities, the uni is the best option.

Students staying in Marybone Student Village will have access to our on-site gym at no extra cost as the membership is included in your rent.

Liverpool cost of living

Liverpool is a cheaper city than most to be a student in. There are still a number of outgoings you need to plan for though.

Stay with Sanctuary Students and you reduce those outgoings significantly. No bills, no paying for internet, no unpredictable utility bills and lower travel costs too.

When our rents are so competitive and include all those outgoings, it’s no wonder we are so popular!

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