Blackpool named among UK’s cheapest cities 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.

Blackpool lands just outside the top 10, ranking as the 12th most affordable city for university students, with a score of 63.61, and while its reputation is often tied to tourism and seaside attractions, it’s also quietly delivering serious value for students. Rent is one of Blackpool’s strongest assets, averaging just £443 per month, which makes it the fourth cheapest in the study. Eating out is also refreshingly affordable. A weekly restaurant meal clocks in at £52 per month, placing the town in the top seven cheapest cities for dining. If you’re partial to fast food, Blackpool offers the second cheapest McMeal deal in the UK at just £25 per month. The town also delivers excellent value for weekend drinks, with domestic beer at £52 per month, ranking it fourth cheapest overall. Even coffee lovers are in for a treat. Blackpool offers the cheapest average monthly cappuccino costs in the entire study, ideal for fuelling study sessions without draining your student loan.

Other essentials are more of a mixed bag. Transport costs are reasonable at £55.50, landing Blackpool in the top 25 cheapest cities for getting around. Gym-goers will appreciate the affordability too — fitness club passes rank third cheapest overall. However, utility bills tell a different story, with Blackpool clocking in as the fourth most expensive city in the study for basic monthly services like heating, electricity, and water, averaging £287.60 — a potentially major drawback during the winter months. Groceries and internet costs fall somewhere in the middle range — not budget-breaking, but not standout bargains either.

Southend-on-Sea takes the top spot as the UK’s most affordable city for university students, offering low transport and utility costs, cheap groceries, and some of the most budget-friendly cinema tickets in the country — all with the added bonus of coastal living. Blackburn follows closely in second, praised for its low rent, affordable meals out, and cheap internet, although it’s let down slightly by higher utility bills. Burnley, in third, is a real standout, boasting the second cheapest rent and the lowest costs across beer, cinema tickets, McMeals, and groceries, making it a no-brainer for students watching every penny.

Salford takes fourth place thanks to the UK’s cheapest internet and second-lowest transport costs, though it's weighed down by the second-highest utility bills in the top 10. Darlington, in fifth, combines cheap rent, beer, groceries, and cinema tickets, though students will have to swallow the most expensive transport costs in the group. Hull offers solid value with low rent, groceries, and cinema prices, though eating out is on the pricier side. Telford shines in areas like cheap coffee and budget tours, but is dragged down by steep transport and food costs. Scunthorpe, in eighth, struggles with high rent but excels in areas like groceries and cinema affordability. Worcester, ranked ninth, offers a balanced mix with no extreme highs or lows, while Weston-super-Mare finishes the top 10 with excellent grocery and internet savings — though sky-high rent and transport make it a tricky pick for tight budgets.

At the other end of the scale, the bottom 10 cities are some of the most expensive places in the UK for university life. London unsurprisingly takes the bottom spot, closely followed by Oxford, where rent alone averages over £1,200 per month. Joining them in the “budget-breaking” ranks are Basingstoke, Edinburgh, Cambridge, Sunderland, Bedford, Sutton Coldfield, Bath, and Manchester.

Top 15 cheapest cities for university students: