# Living costs for postgraduate study

**Source**: https://study.ed.ac.uk/postgraduate/fees-funding/living-costs
**Parent**: https://study.ed.ac.uk/postgraduate/fees-funding/tuition-fees/status

We estimate that you might spend £1,167 to £2,330 per month if you are a single student. The amount you spend largely depends on the type of accommodation you choose.

This estimate covers the costs of:

- accommodation
- food
- utility bills (for example, gas and electricity)
- mobile phone
- travel within Edinburgh
- health and wellbeing costs, including:
  - basic personal care costs, hygiene products and clothing
  - health and fitness costs, such as gym or club memberships
  - entertainment costs, such as event tickets and entertainment subscriptions

## Breakdown of costs

Our breakdown of living costs is a guide with estimated costs rather than a complete list of everything you need to consider. For example, if you are moving into accommodation for university, you may also need to factor in costs for things like kitchen utensils or bedding if these are not included in your accommodation costs.

What to note about the breakdown of living costs:

- all data included in these tables was provided in April 2025
- this guide does not include studying costs such as books, IT equipment and field trip expenses, which will vary depending on your programme
- cost of living rates may change in line with inflation (this means in response to the Consumer Price Index or the Retail Price Index)

### University accommodation

Rent for University accommodation includes utilities, such as gas, electricity and WiFi.

[University of Edinburgh student accommodation](https://www.accom.ed.ac.uk/)

[When you will qualify for our postgraduate accommodation guarantee](https://www.accom.ed.ac.uk/applying/guarantees/)

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Costs** | **Per month** | **Per 51-week lease** |
| **University accommodation** | £373 to £1,536 | £4,280 to £17,630 |
| **Food** | £400 | £5,200 |
| **Mobile phone** | £40 | £520 |
| **Health and wellbeing** | £300 | £3,900 |
| **Travel (minimum)** | £54 | £702 |
| **Total** | **£1,167 to £2,330** | **£14,602 to £27,952** |

### Private student accommodation

These figures give you an idea of the cost of student accommodation, for example, managed by a private company external to the University. Private rental accommodation can cost as much as £1,500 per month or even more.

If you are renting private student accommodation, utilities costs are often charged in addition to your monthly rent. 

|  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Costs** | **Per month** | **Per 39-week academic year** | **Per 52-week year** |
| **Private student accommodation (minimum)** | £750 | £7,312.50 | £9,000 |
| **Food** | £400 | £3,900 | £5,200 |
| **Gas** | £80 | £780 | £1,040 |
| **Electricity** | £80 | £780 | £1,040 |
| **Internet/WiFi** | £40 | £390 | £520 |
| **Mobile phone** | £40 | £390 | £520 |
| **Health and wellbeing** | £300 | £2,925 | £3,900 |
| **Travel (minimum)** | £54 | £526.50 | £702 |
| **Total** | **£1,744** | **£17,004** | **£21,922** |

### Travel costs

The estimated costs in the tables are based on Lothian Bus travel with a Student Ridacard purchased in advance.

[Lothian Buses tickets and fares](https://www.lothianbuses.com/fares-and-tickets/)

In Scotland, free bus travel is available to anyone who is under the age of 22 and has lived in Scotland for at least six months. You need to get an entitlement card before you travel.

[Young Scot free bus travel for young people](https://young.scot/get-informed/young-persons-free-bus-travel/)

## Financial requirements for international students

If you are applying for a Student visa, you will need to show evidence that you have enough money to cover your living costs while you are studying in the UK.

[Financial requirements you need to meet for a Student visa](https://registryservices.ed.ac.uk/immigration/applying-for-visa/student-visa/requirements/financial-requirements)

## Help with managing your living costs

[Managing living costs and creating a budget](https://www.ed.ac.uk/students/finance/cost-of-living-help)

[Scholarships, student funding and financial support](https://registryservices.ed.ac.uk/student-funding)

[What our students spend over the course of a week (case studies on the Student Stories blog)](https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/studentstories/tag/cost-of-living/)

## Working to help fund your studies

[Find a part-time or vacation job while you are a taught postgraduate student (Careers Service website)](https://careers.ed.ac.uk/jobs-and-internships/finding-part-time-and-vacation-jobs)

[Find a part-time job or internship while you are a research student (Careers Service website)](https://careers.ed.ac.uk/phds-and-mres-students/build-experience)

This article was published on
2025-10-07