London is one of the most expensive cities in the world. It has been stated that an average student should budget £1,100-£1,300 per month for all living expenses, including accommodation, travel, food, laundry, study costs, and other personal fees. However, here and there, a few tricks can be applied to help a student live peacefully and comfortably in a city like London.
 

1. Is London Expensive for Students?

London is an expensive city for students. As far as living costs are concerned, these costs will vary greatly depending on your lifestyle, spending habits, and budget. These costs are given by the month. You can calculate your estimated costs based on how long you will be in London. However, the government is helping U.K. & E.I. and international students afford and enjoy their academic years without stressing while studying about affording their student lifestyles.
 

2. How much can a student earn in London?

The minimum wage changes every year. For this year, if you are aged 18–20, it is £6.15. 21–24 it’s £7.70 and 25 or over £8.21. (The Labour Party is proposing a single minimum wage of £10, regardless of age if they win the next election.) Part-time jobs can work depending on how much time you can devote to your course schedule and how far your part-time job is from your university. Choose less expensive areas to go live in, and try to understand if it’s worth commuting to your university or the transport price adds up to how much you would pay to stay around university grounds.
 

3. How much is a student travel card in London?

Talking about commuting to university or around London to your part-time employment, Oyster cards or contactless payment cards are the cheapest way to pay for single fare journeys on underground, buses, DLR, and some London train trains. With an 18+ Student Oyster Card, you can save 30% off adult-rate Travelcards & Bus/Tram season tickets.
To get an 18+ Student Oyster Card, you must be:

• A student aged 18 or over
• A registered, full-time student for a minimum of 14 weeks course duration
• Living at a London address during term-time

You can also move around London with Santander Cycles. If you’re 18 or over and studying in London, you can buy Santander Cycles yearly membership for £67.50.
 

How to find student accommodation in London?

Student accommodations can be found directly through the university campus or with the help of affiliated agencies that provide studios and rooms to students near university grounds. Rates may vary depending on the location and size of the room/studio. Consider your budget and calculate also living costs. Remember that you can apply for a maintenance loan to help with these living costs. How much you get will depend on your household income. Due to London’s inflated rent prices, students living away from home in London can borrow more money than others. These students can borrow up to £12,382 in the 2021/22 academic year.
 

How to move to London as a student?

You need to think about a few things before moving to London to start your academic year:

• Check your visa status. As a student studying in the U.K. for longer than six months, check on the government website depending on your country of residence which type of visa you might need to study in the U.K.
• Check your scholarship application or any other university applications with your counsellor if everything is in other before travelling.
• Create a monthly student budget to control your monthly spending.
• Prepare yourself for some culture shock.
  Culturally, the U.K. is very diverse and welcoming of people from all around the world. You’ll find plenty of other international students at all universities, and most will have societies to help you meet like-minded people and those from similar backgrounds.

How to find student housing in London?

There are many ways to find accommodation for students in London.

• You can visit Spareroom, Portico, Rightmove, Flatmate or other property sites you can visit to find the right fit for you.
• In addition, you can contact your university directly to find out what is the best solution for you, whether to have an off-campus accommodation or to live now on-campus. If it is off-campus, you are looking for.
• Still, you don’t want the stress of looking for a place by yourself in a city you have never been to; you can entrust an accommodation agency to help you look for the best fit for you and find a location that has a perfect studio/room and also other facilities that will facilitate your move to a new country and city.

Why LondonNest?

Why LondonNest provides all the above and helps students decide on the best location to live, depending on their university and lifestyle needs. LondonNest collaborates with the best student accommodation around London near the most prestigious universities.

• View our accommodations and check for availabilities for this year >

• Read our Guide to Study in London