Cost of

Living in
Newcastle

Cost of Living
in Newcastle
Your spending patterns may be very
different while you’re at university in the UK
compared to what you have been used to
in your home country. This leaflet provides
a brief guide to some of the main expenses
you may face as a student to help you
budget. Of course, how much you spend
depends on your lifestyle.
The costs are approximate and should
be used as a guide only. Undergraduate
students should budget for 9 months
per year of study, whereas postgraduate
students will be 12 months.
Average cost of living per annum
Single International/non UK EU
Undergraduate: £5,940 – £9,432
Postgraduate: £7,920 – £12,576
Further information
For further information see
www.ncl.ac.uk/undergraduate/
season/finance/internationalstudent
finance/ and
www.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding/
ukcost.htm
Rent Rent varies depending on which University accommodation you Mobile phone Mobile phone prices vary depending on network and
choose. Accommodation is also available in the private-rented sector, pay-as-you-go prices. Common networks include Orange, O2
(University Accommodation) Notes
but varies depending on the area. £ £20 – £40 Vodafone and T-Mobile. It is good to check comparison websites
£ £250 – £400 such as moneysupermarket.com which enables you to shop
or above Average monthly prices per area include:
Fenham £217 – £238
Heaton £216 – £260
around and find the best deal.
Sandyford £282 – £325 TV Licence It is a legal requirement that all households with a TV must have
Jesmond £282 – £368 a valid TV licence. TV licences can be obtained online:
£ £12 www.tvlicensing.co.uk. You can pay the full amount or opt
You can check with NUStudentHomes for properties.
for monthly direct debit.
Food Buy your food at local supermarkets as it is cheaper. Supermarkets
Home contents It is important to arrange this insurance should any of your
such as Morrisons, Asda and Sainsbury’s are good and the Grainger
£ £120 Market in the city centre sells cheap fruit, vegetables, meat and cheese
insurance possessions be lost, stolen or damaged. This covers items such
as laptops, clothing, bicycles, keys, mobile phone etc. The amount
amongst many other food products. £ £21 you pay will vary depending on what you have covered.
Average prices:
• Basmati rice (1kg) £1.46 • Pasta (1kg) £1.30
• Bread (loaf) £1.00 • Milk (1 pint) 50p
• Potatoes (1 kg) £1.20 • Apples (1 kg) £1.70 Local travel A monthly travel pass varies between £32 – £48, depending on the
• Chicken breasts (x 4) £3 – £8 area of the city covered and the bus or metro operator.
(depending on the quality of the meat). £ £32 – £48
Household ‘Household’ includes cleaning products, shampoo, soap, washing-up Sport, leisure & Cinema: Student discounts are available e.g. £4 rather than £6/7
liquid, light bulbs etc. This will vary depending on how much you entertainment or 2 tickets for the price of 1.
£ £20 use. Cheap places to buy household products include Wilkinson’s, Sport: You can also hire a sports court in the University Sports Centre
Poundland and local supermarkets.
£ £70 – £100
to play basketball, badminton etc – this is FREE if you are a member.
Bowling is a popular activity and you can buy 3 games for £6.
A ticket to the football costs between £25 – £42.
Personals This includes personal items such as clothing and shoes. Some shops
will also give you discount with your student card. This is usually about
Eating out: Costs around £5 – £10 for a basic one-course meal.
£ £60 10%. Reasonably-priced shops include Primark, H&M, Matalan, New
Non-alcoholic drinks cost approx £1.50
Look, and TK Maxx. There are also a large number of second-hand
shops in Newcastle.
Average prices include: Miscellaneous Course materials: £5 – £50
(see your School for costs relating to your course.)
Jumper £10 – £30 Coat £30 – £70 Shoes £20 – £50 £ £5 – £40
Weekend travel (e.g. to London):
By coach from £20 (1 return ticket). You can buy a Young Person’s
Utilities Utilities cover your bills such as gas and electricity and water. Coach card and get 30% off coach travel.
(Gas, electricity and water) This will vary depending on the size of your house and how many By train from £50 (1 return ticket) but you must book well in advance.
people are sharing. Please note that you won’t have to pay these Purchase a Young Person’s Railcard (16 – 25 years) and save
£ £50 – £70 costs if you stay in University accommodation. 1/3 on train fares for £28.
Haircuts are cheaper for males than females in the UK!
From £10 – £50 depending on the salon you choose.

Money Saving
Tips
Food
Shop at local supermarkets for fruit and
vegetables. Use coupons in local newspapers
and magazines. Make a list before you
go shopping and stick to it. Make packed
lunches, rather than eating out in a restaurant,
every day. Learn to cook!
Entertainment
Set yourself a weekly limit for entertainment
activities and do not overspend! Join the
University gym rather than a city gym as
membership will be cheaper and you can use
the sports courts for free if you want to play
basketball etc with friends. Join a University
society for free, or as little as £5 membership,
and this will allow you to make new friends
and spend little money; there are over
140 societies to choose from.
Photography credits: John Donoghue.
Designed by Aspire Design. Printed by Statex.
©Newcastle University, 2012.
The University of Newcastle upon Tyne
trading as Newcastle University.
Clothes
Buy clothes and shoes in the ‘sales’ or from
a charity shop (e.g. Oxfam, Shelter, British
Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK).
Purchase an NUS card from your Students’
Union and you will be able to receive
discounts in many high street and online
stores. Remember to always ask shops
if you can get a discount with your NUS card.
Tips to stick to your budget
Decide on a weekly amount you have to live
on and withdraw that amount in cash each
week and make that money last a full seven
days – that is your weekly budget! You could
also create a spreadsheet to monitor your
expenditure.
Don’t use cash machines which charge you
for withdrawing money.
www.ncl.ac.uk
Further information
Tuition fees: www.ncl.ac.uk/
international/finance/fees/
Accommodation: www.ncl.ac.uk/
accommodation/students/
Scholarships: www.ncl.ac.uk/
international/finance/scholarships
Contacts
If you require further advice, please
contact us:
International Office
Newcastle University
Kings Gate
Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU
United Kingdom
www.ncl.ac.uk/international
Enquiries form: www.ncl.ac.uk/enquiries