Burnley named UK’s third cheapest city for university students, according to latest study

A new study by Best Financial Planners has revealed the UK’s most affordable university cities and the results might just surprise you. The study analysed 100 cities across the country, using a data-driven approach to work out where students can truly stretch their student loan the furthest. To ensure a well-rounded picture of affordability, they examined 14 key factors, including average rent, transport, grocery costs, and entertainment expenses, all of which were scaled, weighted, and combined to produce the final rankings.

The methodology gave heavier importance to essentials like rent, utilities, and transport (each weighted at 12%), while still factoring in lifestyle and social expenses such as dining out, fitness, cinema tickets, and even how many coworking spaces or tours under £20 were on offer. The research drew from publicly available data including the Office for National Statistics, Numbeo, Tripadvisor, and Coworker.

Burnley bags third place in the ranking with a score of 69.99, and it’s not hard to see why. With rent averaging just £431 per month, it holds the title of second cheapest city in the study, a huge win for students aiming to cut down on one of their biggest monthly expenses. Utility bills are also impressively low, at £149.90, making it the fourth cheapest for essential services like electricity, water, and waste. While transportation costs are a touch higher than the frontrunners at £51.22 per month, Burnley still ranks within the top 16 cheapest cities for getting around.

Food and drink costs are another area where Burnley truly stands out. A typical inexpensive meal comes in at just £52 per month, placing it 11th overall, and the town is home to the cheapest McMeal deal in the country, just £24 for a weekly visit to Maccies, making it easier for students to grab a bite on the go without blowing their budget. For those who enjoy a cheeky drink at the weekend, Burnley also claims the cheapest domestic beer prices in the study, with a month’s worth of weekend brews costing just £40. Groceries come in at a very manageable £35.98, placing it within the top 10 cheapest cities for supermarket staples.

And when it comes to cheap nights out, Burnley doesn’t disappoint either. It has the lowest cinema ticket prices in the entire study, with a single trip costing just £5.75. While the city does only have two parks, limiting outdoor space for those craving a bit of greenery, Burnley more than makes up for it in affordability.

Southend-on-Sea takes the top spot overall, proving that coastal living doesn’t have to cost the earth. While rent sits mid-range at £529 (16th cheapest), the city claws back affordability points with ultra-low transport costs (£35 – 4th cheapest), broadband at £26.80 (9th cheapest), and utility bills at just £127.50 (3rd cheapest). It also ranks 8th cheapest for groceries at £35.65 and offers budget-friendly beer (£52 monthly) and cinema trips (2nd cheapest nationwide). Blackburn, ranked second, impresses with £478 rent (9th cheapest), low transport and internet costs, and the cheapest average dining expenses among the top 10 at £50 a month. Salford, in fourth, combines low transport (£34 – 3rd cheapest) and fair rent (£505), but students will need to brace for steep utility bills (£294.20 – the highest among the top 10). Still, with Manchester just a stone’s throw away, its location remains a major perk.

In fifth is Darlington, where students enjoy low rent (£438) and six parks to roam, but must contend with the priciest transport in the top 10 (£63.50). Hull follows in sixth with affordable rent (£449) and decent transport, though eating out will set you back £64 a month — the highest dining cost in the top 10. Telford, ranked seventh, offers great value in terms of things to do, with the most tours under £20, but higher rent (£535) and the steepest transport costs (£99.48) drag it down. Scunthorpe comes in eighth, but its high rent (£642) and average overall costs make it less student-friendly. Worcester, in ninth, offers a middle-ground option without standout prices, while Weston-super-Mare rounds out the top 10 with the most expensive rent (£750) and high transport (£93.50), making it a lovely, albeit costly, choice for students wanting a coastal lifestyle.

On the other hand, London, Oxford, Basingstoke, Edinburgh, Cambridge, Sunderland, Bedford, Sutton Coldfield, Bath, and Manchester ranked as the most expensive cities for university students.

Top 10 cheapest university cities: