Cheapest Cities with Russell Group Universities

Where are the cheapest Russell Group universities?

While the cost of tuition fees at each Russell Group university is consistent for domestic students, where you choose to study can still save you money in other areas of student life, such as rent and living expenses. If the cost of university is an important factor when applying for uni in a Russell Group city, finding the best student accommodation prices could save you thousands of pounds a year.

Which Russell Group cities are the cheapest?

To help you find the most affordable Russell Group universities, our league table uses StudentCrowd’s live accommodation data* and this list of Russell Group universities to rank the top 10 cheapest cities. This is the best data on student accommodation in the UK. 

You can use our league table below to make the most effective decision for your student budget. Although the rent costs per week only differ slightly, those few extra pounds add up over the year.

So if studying at a university with world-leading research is important to you, explore our league table! Discover the most affordable cities with Russell Group universities in the UK and read student reviews to learn more about life as a student.

Last updated - 3rd March 2023

*StudentCrowd’s data is the most comprehensive data on the cost of student accommodation in the UK. Find out more on how we collect and manage our accommodation data here.

The table below is based on the cost of purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) and university-owned halls. We used the monthly average of all student accommodation in each location from September 2021 - August 2022. Note, it does not cover HMO (house in multiple occupation) rents, however, PBSA and university-owned accommodation are an accurate reflection of local HMO rents. StudentCrowd collects rent and occupancy data on a weekly basis for all PBSA accommodation and on a fortnightly basis for all university-owned accommodation in the UK.