[You Failed]

(Original post by walterwhite123)
Depends. Booze is certainly far more expensive than it will be in Leeds.

Depends? I already said in my post that it depends. If you go to a student bar in London, it's no more expensive thann anywhere else. There are nights where all drinks, including spirits and mixers, are only £1. I think you're going to stuggle to find anything cheaper than that anywhere. However if you go to a reasonably nice bar in central, then yes, it's going to be considerably more expensive.

[leahnic]

(Original post by You Failed)
Depends? I already said in my post that it depends. If you go to a student bar in London, it's no more expensive thann anywhere else. There are nights where all drinks, including spirits and mixers, are only £1. I think you're going to stuggle to find anything cheaper than that anywhere. However if you go to a reasonably nice bar in central, then yes, it's going to be considerably more expensive.

Should try a night in Liverpool for cheap drinks, one place does 5p drinks hahaha

[zara55]

(Original post by You Failed)
Rent is the only thing that is more expensive really, most other stuff is the same price as anywhere else. Tesco's, Sainsbury's etc don't hike up their prices for stuff in London compared to anywhere else. Travel is pretty cheap with an oyster card (£1.35 for a bus to anywhere, £2.xx for the tube within zone 1-2), going out can be expensive but it can also be cheap, it really depends where you go, a student club or a posh bar in South Kensington. You get more of a student loan to cope with the increased rent, so with proper money management, it should cover your living costs.

Actually surveys have shown that the big supermarket chains do in some cases charge more for the same item in London than elsewhere in the UK. Their excuse is that rate and rents are very high in C. London, so they need to charge more. My family home is in outer London and I really notice the difference between prices for many common items between Central London and Outer London even, also between London generally and Scotland where I am at Uni.

My sister is at Kings and she gets parental support for her rent and travel but she tells me quite a few students there have a lot of debt problems and pretty much live hand to mouth.

[sexbo]

Nah. Fried chicken in Tottenham is like £2

[KiranG]

I paid £9000 to live in halls in central London this year. But then again I was allocated one of the nicer rooms in the nicer halls. Most of my friends pay between £5,000 - £10,000. Food and stuff isn't more expensive, but going out, clubs etc. will see you end up broke towards the end of the year. But it's worth the money, I love being in London.

[zara55]

(Original post by sexbo)
Nah. Fried chicken in Tottenham is like £2

LOL. Tottenham is not The Strand.

[sensei_mooni]

Yeah accommodation in London is more expensive, but you receive a bigger loan due to that. The way i see it, it's worth it if you're going to a top Uni like such as Kings etc. Even in my UCL offer booklet they state that 40% of their Undergrads have jobs. Don't let something like living costs put you off going to a top University.

[You Failed]

(Original post by leahnic)
Should try a night in Liverpool for cheap drinks, one place does 5p drinks hahaha

That's can't be legal. There's a minimum of 40p per unit.

(Original post by zara55)
Actually surveys have shown that the big supermarket chains do in some cases charge more for the same item in London than elsewhere in the UK. Their excuse is that rate and rents are very high in C. London, so they need to charge more. My family home is in outer London and I really notice the difference between prices for many common items between Central London and Outer London even, also between London generally and Scotland where I am at Uni.

My sister is at Kings and she gets parental support for her rent and travel but she tells me quite a few students there have a lot of debt problems and pretty much live hand to mouth.

Hmmm, really? I haven't noticed much difference at all :/ things like sandwiches which are £1.05 for like, egg, I can't imagine them being any cheaper elsewhere.

[NYprincessmaddie]

This is my living expenses in London:

Rent (1 bed flat in Kennington): £800pcm
Council tax: £200pcm (x10 a year)
Other bills: Approx £200pcm
Zone 1-3 oyster: £136 a month
Groceries: £200-250 a month

Thats with a child- my bills would be about £150/75 and groceries about £150-200.

I have about £200/250 (depending on the month really) free cash to play with a month.

[NYprincessmaddie]

Obviously if your planning on being a student in London:

1. Go into a houseshare. Not only can it be a great opportunity for a good social time, but it will save you alot of money
2. You won't have to pay CT
3. You will get a discounted oyster.
BRING ON SEPTEMBER! I will be saving myself nearly £250 a month.

You will probably spend more on your social life/clothes etc than I would though.

[zara55]

(Original post by You Failed)

Hmmm, really? I haven't noticed much difference at all :/ things like sandwiches which are £1.05 for like, egg, I can't imagine them being any cheaper elsewhere.

Which supermarket are you talking about? The cheapest sandwich in Aldi?

M & S guarantee the same prices everywhere but Asda, Sainsburys, Waitrose and Tesco all price variably in different parts of the country. The variations aren't typically great but they are noticeable in some places.

[You Failed]

(Original post by zara55)
Which supermarket are you talking about? The cheapest sandwich in Aldi?

M & S guarantee the same prices everywhere but Asda, Sainsburys, Waitrose and Tesco all price variably in different parts of the country. The variations aren't typically great but they are noticeable in some places.

No I was talking about Sainsbury's and Tesco

[zara55]

(Original post by You Failed)
No I was talking about Sainsbury's and Tesco

Do Sainsburys do any sandwich for £1.05? I thought they were all more than that... Don't know about Tesco.

[jelly1000]

I've not noticed food to be any cheaper in Norwich, where I'm at uni than at home.

[Zottula]

The rent is the expensive bit. Students often live further out and travel in. It's also not uncommon for people to share bedrooms in London. You get a bigger loan too. It is doable to live in London on a budget, but you do have to think ahead and plan.

[You Failed]

(Original post by zara55)
Do Sainsburys do any sandwich for £1.05? I thought they were all more than that... Don't know about Tesco.

Tesco definitely do, the simple sandwiches (egg mayo, tuna and cucumber, ham etc) are all £1.05 think the cheapest Sainsbury's sandwich is about £1.40, but they are nicer.

[This Honest]

I've lived in London all my life.
Transport and rent is the most expensive.
Everything else is alright. Food can be cheap if you look at the right places though

[Ham_Sandwich]

I think it depends massively on where you're living in London, I'm starting at Goldsmiths in September and my accommodation looks like it'll be about £130 a week - which isn't much more than places in Nottingham :/
But in my experience you're better off in London than other Southern cities (Brighton, I'm looking at you...). They're all seriously expensive compared to good old Yorkshire, but you get quite a bit more loan for going to London.

[walterwhite123]

(Original post by You Failed)
That's can't be legal. There's a minimum of 40p per unit.



Hmmm, really? I haven't noticed much difference at all :/ things like sandwiches which are £1.05 for like, egg, I can't imagine them being any cheaper elsewhere.

What 40p minimum? It doesn't exist.

[nataliekwong]

(Original post by Bonganp01)
'm thinking of moving to London for university next year (got my eye on King's!) But I've had loads of people tell me its really expensive which is kinda putting me off. Is it really that bad? What should I expect for rent/food e.c.t. I currently live in Leeds, West Yorkshire by the way, is there anything I could do to make my transition smoother like save up or something lol?

Thank you in advance!

Its okay rent-wise, but then its mainly going out, cinema, shopping and eating out that becomes expensive.