Accommodation costs are a priority when it comes to student finances, with average weekly rent for a student room in the UK running at £86.76. StudentTenant.com analysed weekly rents in over 100 student towns and cities in the UK to find the most affordable areas for student housing. Here is their official top ten, in reverse: 

10) Sunderland – University Rank: 102

Students living near the University of Sunderland are spending an average of £69.15 on housing per week.

9) Coventry – University Rank: 42

The average student studying at Coventry University spends an average of £67.5 per week on student accommodation.

8) Wolverhampton – University Rank: 76

Students at the University of Wolverhampton are spending slightly less on student accommodation than Coventry, at £67 per week.

7) Leicester – University Rank: 30

Leicester is one of the cheapest places to rent in the UK, with students paying £65.75 per week to study at the University of Leicester.

6) Colchester – University Rank: 32

Home to the University of Essex, students living in Colchester spend an average of £62.85 per week on housing.

5) Stafford – University Rank: 105

Stafford may be a beautiful place to live, but students at Staffordshire University who live in the area pay £62.25 a week for the privilege to do so.

4) Crewe – University Rank: 62

Manchester Metropolitan University students living near the Crewe campus are spending an average of £60.70 a week on student accommodation rent.

3) Carmarthen – University Rank: 119

Students at the Wales Trinity St David University are spending an average of £59.75 per week on rent.

2) Bradford – University Rank: 58

Bradford students studying at the University of Bradford are spending an average of £59.25 per week.

1) Pontypridd – University Rank: 110

Pontypridd is the cheapest place for students to live in the UK. They spend an average of £53.90 for properties within reach of the University of South Wales – £16 cheaper per week than Sunderland, £793 less per year.

Danielle Cullen, managing director at StudentTenant.com said: “It’s nice to see affordable student housing is still available in certain parts of the UK. Sad, however, that none of these universities are in the top 30 ranked according to latest league tables.

“With the cost of student living on the constant rise, are we genuinely going to start seeing talented individuals having to sacrifice places at the best universities because they can’t afford it? Will they have to move to somewhere they don’t particularly want to because of a crazy rental market in the biggest and best cities? These are the sorts of questions that need addressing by those with the power to make changes.

“There is still a small glimmer of hope with the upcoming snap election though. Corbyn’s promises of a rent cap and fee free experience for students will open up a lot more opportunity for our young people. This would offer more freedom to study where they truly desire, enabling students to really meet their full potential and follow their real dreams, rather than settling for second best because of money worries.”