Blackburn named UK’s second 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.

In second place is Blackburn, with a strong affordability score of 70.08. The town is a win for students looking to save on rent. Averaging just £478 per month, it ranks as the ninth cheapest overall, and the most affordable within the entire top 10. Transport is another area where Blackburn shines, coming in as the fourth cheapest at just £35 a month, making it easy to get around without relying on expensive commutes. When it comes to food, Blackburn also impresses. A typical meal out will only set students back £50 a month, making it the cheapest dining option among the top-ranked cities. And for those partial to a weekend wind-down, it also sits comfortably in the top 10 cheapest cities for domestic beer, averaging around £56 a month for a regular four-pack.

While grocery bills are slightly higher than the frontrunners at £38.80 per month, Blackburn still ranks within the top 30 cheapest cities for food essentials, not bad at all for students managing a tight budget. Internet is a particularly good deal here too, with broadband averaging just £25.33 per month, earning it a place as the fourth cheapest for this crucial uni-life necessity. The only area where costs spike is in utilities: basic services like electricity, heating, water, and waste disposal come in at £260 a month, placing Blackburn among the top 20 most expensive cities in that category.

Topping the list is Southend-on-Sea, where students can enjoy seaside living without the typical seaside price tag. While rent isn’t the absolute lowest at £529 (16th cheapest overall), the city makes up for it with rock-bottom transport costs of just £35 (4th lowest), cheap utilities (£127.50 – 3rd cheapest), and budget-friendly broadband (£26.80 – 9th cheapest). Southend also ranks 8th cheapest for groceries at £35.65, and despite slightly higher meal prices at £62, entertainment remains affordable — it’s the 2nd cheapest for cinema tickets and 8th cheapest for beer. With nine parks to explore and a mix of value and vibrancy, Southend proves that students really can live the good life on a budget.

Burnley takes third place, largely due to its bargain rent of £431, the 2nd cheapest in the study, and low utility bills at £149.90. While transport is a bit pricier (£51.22), it’s still manageable, and Burnley offers decent overall value for budget-conscious students. Salford lands in fourth thanks to its low transport costs (£34 – 3rd cheapest) and decent rent (£505), but the sky-high utility bills (£294.20 – the most expensive among the top 10) and limited recreational amenities make it a mixed bag. Darlington, in fifth, delivers low rent (£438) and green space in spades, but is let down by its costly transport (£63.50 – the highest in the top 10). Rounding out the list are Hull, Telford, Scunthorpe, Worcester, and Weston-super-Mare, each with their quirks, from Hull’s affordable rent but pricey meals, to Weston’s scenic seafront charm weighed down by the highest rent (£750) and transport costs (£93.50) in the top 10.

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: