Cost of living hub
We're here to help with the cost of living
Living costs for postgraduates
Budgeting
Creating a budget can help you understand how much money you will need and make day-to-day life easier.
How much you spend will depend on your lifestyle and spending habits. We've collated information and resources to help you build a budget, specific to York.
When planning your finances for future years of study remember to allow for an estimated increase in line with the Consumer Price Index.
Budgeting tips from a Masters student
MSc Sustainability Science student Sandy shares her top tips on managing your money and making it go further while studying a Masters.
Accommodation
Where you live is likely to be your biggest living expense. At York there are three main options:
- Live on campus, in University-owned accommodation
- Live off campus, in private-rented accommodation
- Commute, from a nearby town or city.
University accommodation
We have on-campus accommodation that caters to a variety of budgets and tastes. We even have a limited amount of accommodation that's family-friendly.
When it comes to budgeting, here's some useful things to know:
- Contracts are typically 51 weeks for postgraduate accommodation.
- All postgraduate accommodation is self-catered.
- University-managed accommodation prices include: electricity, heating, water and insurance.
- You may need to purchase a TV license to watch TV.
- You can use our on-campus laundry services.
- The prices on our accommodation pages might change from year-to-year.
Maddi gives a tour of Wentworth College accommodation to give you a taste of what it's like to live on campus as a postgraduate.
Private-rented accommodation
Rental costs will vary depending on things like location and the number of people you're sharing with.
Private-sector accommodation contracts are typically around 52 weeks—so you will often be paying more for household bills, compared to live-in University accommodation.
Some private-sector housing contracts will come with bills included, so you should always check which bills are included with your rent. If bills are not included, you will need to budget for things like:
- gas and electricity
- water
- broadband
- contents insurance
- TV license
Students can apply to be exempt from council tax (york.gov) if they meet the necessary criteria.
York is a walkable and cycle-friendly city, however, if you live further away from the University campus, you will need to allow for travel expenses.
If you have any questions about private-sector housing in York, feel free to get in touch with the University’s Student Housing Advisor through the appropriate self-referral form.
Food
How much you spend on food will depend on where you shop and your eating habits.
There are small supermarkets on Campus East and West, with larger ones a short bus ride or 20-minute walk from campus, catering to all budgets. The Students' Union also run SCOOP (Student Co-Operative) on campus which is a student-run, low-waste, not-for-profit shop on campus, selling wholefoods and other eco-friendly products.
There are also a number of catering outlets located across our campuses, including cafes, restaurants and bars.
Psychology graduate Rhiannon shares her advice on how much you should expect to spend on food at York, as well as how to save money on your shop.
...with an Aldi within walking distance of Campus West and a Lidl in the city centre, you can easily ensure that you won’t spend all your money on a weekly food shop! York has every major food shop, so no matter your budget you won’t be stuck having noodles for dinner every night.
Travel
It’s easy to get around with bus travel within the campus zone and good links to the city. Many routes are also walkable or bike-friendly, so you’ve got options depending on what suits your journey. The city centre is only a 30-minute walk from Campus West, or 10 minutes by bike.
If you’re looking to regularly travel by train, it’s a good idea to purchase a railcard (railcard.co.uk), which can save you money on your trips.
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This map shows some of the bus routes through campus and into the city centre.
Course-related costs
Books
How much you will need to spend on books will be dependent on your course. Check the course page for an indication on what reading materials you might need.
Before buying books it’s a good idea to check the University Library, as many key texts are available to borrow or read online. If you need or want to buy books, second-hand copies are often available for a cheaper price.
Field trips and exhibitions
Some courses will include additional costs for things like travel to and from field trips and exhibitions. Check the course page or contact the relevant academic department to find out if you’ll need to cover additional expenses like this.
Childcare
If you are studying full-time and will need to arrange childcare, you'll need to factor in the cost of this.
We have a nursery located on Campus East for children up to 5 years and 11 months old. You can also find other registered childcare providers in the city of York.
Children in the UK can attend primary and secondary school for free.
Other expenses
Everyone's expenses will differ based on your lifestyle and interests. Here are a few other common things to think about:
- toiletries and household essentials
- clothes
- leisure and social costs
- mobile phone
Budgeting tools and resources
- Student budget calculator (whatuni.com)
- Budget calculator (blackbullion.com - login required)
- How to budget at university (savethestudent.org)
- How to manage your money better and make it go further (studentbeans.com)
- Guides and tools to help you save money while studying (moneysavingexpert.com)
- Student Minds cost of living support hub (studentminds.org)
Save money with student discount
Many shops and restaurants in York, and around the country, offer student discounts. Here are some of the most popular places to see what you can save:
- Student beans (studentbeans.com)
- UNiDAYS (myunidays.com)
- Save the student (savethestudent.com)
- TOTUM (totum.com)