Cheapest Cities with Seaside Universities
Which UK cities have universities by the sea?
If visiting the sandy beach and taking part in water sports outside of lectures would make your university experience the best, you should study by the sea! The UK is an island, but despite this, some cities are located over 2 hours' drive from the ocean. This isn't very accessible if sea swimming and surfing are part of your ideal student lifestyle.
What if you could study by the sea AND save money while at uni? If you are looking for the cheapest seaside town with a university, you are in the right place! While tuition fees take up a large portion of university costs, rent is a major expense to consider if you want to cut back on spending.
How do I find the cheapest seaside cities with universities?
To make your search easier, we have used StudentCrowd’s live accommodation data* and focused on seaside cities to rank the top 10 cheapest cities in the UK. This is the best data on student accommodation in the country.
You can use our league table below to find the best uni and accommodation price for you. Spend some time reading the student reviews of UK university life to help inform your decision. Although the weekly rent costs may only vary slightly, over your years at university it will add up!
Last updated - 3rd March 2023
Top 10 Cheapest Cities with Seaside Universities in the UK for Student Accommodation
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Sunderland
"I'm relatively new and I think Sunderland is much better than what people deem it to be - ignore the negative reviews!"
Universities in this location: University of Sunderland
| Avg: Shared Flat Shared Bathroom | Avg: Shared Flat with Ensuite | Avg: Studio |
| £83 | £98 | £126 |
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Aberystwyth
"Plenty of places to eat out and a huge range of pubs if a pint is your thing to wind down."
Universities in this location: Aberystwyth University
| Avg: Shared Flat Shared Bathroom | Avg: Shared Flat with Ensuite | Avg: Studio |
| £93 | £127 | £156 |
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Aberdeen
"Aberdeen is a really great student city, it isn’t too big and daunting or too small and claustrophobic. It has beautiful architecture and really nice surroundings if you want to get out of the city for a break as well as an amazing beach!"
Universities in this location: University of AberdeenRobert Gordon University (RGU)
| Avg: Shared Flat Shared Bathroom | Avg: Shared Flat with Ensuite | Avg: Studio |
| £100 | £135 | £176 |
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Plymouth
"Plymouth is a lovely place to stay. Has good nightlife and a good range or shops and restaurants to choose from"
Universities in this location: University of PlymouthPlymouth Marjon UniversityArts University Plymouth
| Avg: Shared Flat Shared Bathroom | Avg: Shared Flat with Ensuite | Avg: Studio |
| £116 | £127 | £152 |
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Swansea
“A beautiful city, with a good location and welcoming people, also with a lot of opportunities for student development.”
Universities in this location: Swansea University
| Avg: Shared Flat Shared Bathroom | Avg: Shared Flat with Ensuite | Avg: Studio |
| £96 | £143 | £186 |
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Bangor
“I love it here. There are loads of nooks and crannies and beautiful sights once you get looking. It's right next to Anglesey, Snowdonia and some pretty towns (Llandudno, Conwy) which are fun to explore with mates. There are two clubs; Academi isn't that great but throw good events sometimes, Cube has decent DJs in every Saturday if that's what you're into. There's a pretty good underground scene here too, especially at Rascals and The Menai.”
Universities in this location: Bangor University
| Avg: Shared Flat Shared Bathroom | Avg: Shared Flat with Ensuite | Avg: Studio |
| £110 | £136 | £181 |
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Cardiff
"Cardiff is a lovely seaside town with a great city center. It’s extremely walkable and the arcades are a really treat to discover! Would recommend visiting the Cardiff market as well to get yourself some yummy welshcakes :)"
Universities in this location: Cardiff UniversityCardiff Metropolitan University, University of South Wales (Prifysgol De Cymru)
| Avg: Shared Flat Shared Bathroom | Avg: Shared Flat with Ensuite | Avg: Studio |
| £133 | £148 | £178 |
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Bournemouth
"Night life in Bournemouth is exceptional, there are different clubs and bars. And Old Fire station is specially for University events."
Universities in this location: Arts University BournemouthBournemouth University
| Avg: Shared Flat Shared Bathroom | Avg: Shared Flat with Ensuite | Avg: Studio |
| £168 | £157 | £197 |
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Portsmouth
"Plenty of shopping and resteraunts/pubs/clubs to go visit. No need to spend long looking for places to get what you need"
Universities in this location: University of Portsmouth
| Avg: Shared Flat Shared Bathroom | Avg: Shared Flat with Ensuite | Avg: Studio |
| £127 | £157 | £197 |
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Falmouth
"Student life in Falmouth Town is welcoming, homely and exciting and new. Whether you're wanting to go on a chill night or a more rowdy night out, Falmouth has been able to cater to both."
Universities in this location: Falmouth University
| Avg: Shared Flat Shared Bathroom | Avg: Shared Flat with Ensuite | Avg: Studio |
| £167 | £169 | £190 |
*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.
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Find out how much you need to budget for university, learn about tuition fees, maintenance loans and calculate your expected living costs.
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Discover the average accommodation prices of over 70 cities in the UK. Read student reviews of each city and find out which is the cheapest!
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Read about all the different costs you will need to factor in when budgeting for university. Learn how to calculate your weekly budget after your maintenance loan comes in.
