Cost of living as a student in Coventry
How much does it cost to live and study in Coventry in 2024?
Below are some scenarios that will help you figure out how much you might need to budget while you’re studying with us. The students are examples, but all costs are correct as of January 2024.
First-year student living in university-owned halls
Freddie is living in university-owned halls and pays £140 per week for a 39-week contract. All his utility bills are included, although he does pay £13.25 a month for a TV licence and £7.40 a week to wash and dry his clothes in the onsite laundry facilities.
Like all university-owned halls in Coventry, Freddie’s hall is within walking distance of campus, cutting travel costs. He regularly explores the wider city and pays £32 for 300 minutes of eBike hire.
On average, he spends £20 a month on course materials. The university’s BibliU ebook account gives him free access to most of the core textbooks he needs.
Freddie is a gym enthusiast and enjoys a discounted rate of £136 for 12 months of access to the university’s Sport and Recreation Centre due to living in university-owned halls. As a first-year student, he also enjoys going out, spending on average £59 a month on nights out with friends.
Second-year student living in a private rental
Edie lives a few miles from campus, sharing a rental house with three other friends. She pays approximately £400 a month in rent, plus another £110 for utility bills, covering electricity and gas, water, broadband, TV licence, and contents insurance.
She currently pays £140 a term for a Stagecoach UniRider bus pass. As a food lover, Edie spends roughly £120 a month on groceries and eating out.
To help cover her expenses, she works part-time as a student ambassador.
Part-time student living at home
Emily is a part-time student and mother, living in her own home on the outskirts of Coventry. She drives to her lectures and pays £2 a day to park on campus. Her part-time childcare costs are around £138 per week.
She makes use of her student TOTUM card to save money on things like groceries, clothes shopping and other essentials, and also receives some financial childcare support. Her £45 a month smartphone contract has recently ended, so she is considering a much cheaper £10 a month SIM-only monthly rolling contract to save money.
After lectures, Emily takes advantage of free computer access in the university library, which she prebooks online. Depending on when her lectures are, she also makes regular use of one of the 15 food and drink outlets on campus, spending £10-15 a week on coffee and lunch.
As you can see, the cost of living as a student will depend on individual factors and likely change as you progress through university. Therefore, it is important to make a financial plan, stick to it, and regularly review your finances. Several budgeting tools are available to help you get started. We've also compiled top savings tips to help you stretch your money further.
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