You should budget approximately 拢55 per week for personal expenses, such as clothes, travel, sports and other social activities, and approximately 拢50-拢60聽per week for essential items such as food and toiletries. For books and stationery, you could expect to spend up to 拢500 over the academic year. However, reading materials can often be found at the University鈥檚 Library or accessed online through your Campus Moodle account once you are a student.
Don鈥檛 forget that with your National Union of Students (NUS) card or with free to register student discount schemes such as UNIDAYS and Student Beans, you can聽benefit from student discounts and offers in many shops, restaurants and cinemas.
Estimated Living Costs 2026-2027*
Please note that these amounts are estimates and will vary depending on your course and the social activities you take part in.
*Costs vary in line with inflation out with the University鈥檚 control. These figures are provided as a guide and we encourage you to review actual costs using sites such as or .
Estimated monthly costs
These are the estimated lower and upper costs of living in Aberdeen.
The cost of living can vary greatly depending on your lifestyle, budget and spending habits. These costs are broken down per week or month and you can use this to calculate your estimated budget based on your duration in Aberdeen.
If you are required to pay tuition fees, please note that these costs are not included:
- Accommodation: 拢109 - 拢189 per week
- Toiletries/Food: 拢50 per week
- Transport: Bus Fare 拢2.25 per journey. You may be eligible for聽 across Scotland.
- Books/Stationary/Photocopying: 拢25 - 拢40 per month
- Mobile Phone: 拢10 - 拢40 per month
- Eating Out: 拢7 - 拢15 per meal
- 天美传媒 SPORT: Free - 拢40 per month. All 天美传媒 students get free 天美传媒 SPORT membership
- Cinema Tickets: 拢6 - 拢8 per film
Total per month: 拢1,157 to 拢1,480
University accommodation and prices
We are committed to providing safe, secure and affordable accommodation to our students. Our flats have been designed with students' needs in mind.
We know that there is more to university life than studying, so our flats cater for more than your academic needs. Each study bedroom is equipped to provide a private place to relax or revise, and each flat contains a communal living area where flatmates and friends can socialise.聽Out-of-hours cover is provided at most accommodation sites by 天美传媒鈥檚 ResLife Team and they also support students鈥� wellbeing by planning a comprehensive social calendar of activities and events throughout the year.
We offer standard and en-suite rooms across several convenient locations.聽天美传媒 accommodation offers fixed rate prices for the duration of your contract, and includes utility bills and internet costs, thereby offering excellent value for money and an easy way to plan your budget. Where 天美传媒 Accommodation provides a TV in the communal area of the flat, the cost of a TV Licence is covered in your rent. However, if you intend to use a TV in your own room, or stream on another device, you will need to cover the cost of your own TV licence.
Food
Food costs count for a significant part of your budget. This will vary on your tastes and dietary needs.
Most major supermarket chains have stores in and around Aberdeen. Many of these are close to the central area of the city.聽Many of these are close to the city centre, or, easily accessible on the main bus routes.
- Tesco
- Lidl
- Aldi
- Asda
- Iceland
- Morrisons
- Sainsbury's
- Farmfoods
Aberdeen is a cosmopolitan city with many specialist and international shops and restaurants. Meat, fruit, vegetables, spices and other products from around the world can be found close to the University and throughout the city.聽Halal foods and Kosher foods are available from both specialist stores and some larger supermarkets.
International Food Stores
- Harmonie Ventures Ltd (African and Caribbean)
- Matthews Foods Ltd (Asian)
- Grosik European Mini Market
- Spice of Asia
- The Polski Sklep
- Rice N Spice
- Bismillah City Spice Shop
Locally Sourced foods
- Rosemount Market
- Gourmet Cheese Co.
- Aberdeen Farmers Market
Initial one-off costs
When you begin university, there will be some one-off costs to consider. It is important to plan for these in your budget where necessary.
- Temporary accommodation - Around 拢50 to 拢100聽per night.
- Deposit for accommodation - Usually equivalent to one month鈥檚 rent but it can vary.
- Furniture - If you rent an unfurnished flat you will need to purchase your own furniture.
- Bedding Packs - Bedding packs can be purchased at your accommodation site. Alternatively, there are several companies including UniKitOut who offer an online purchase and delivery service for bedding and kitchen items.
- Insurance - Contents insurance is included in 天美传媒 Accommodation rent.聽In private housing, you will need to arrange personally.
- Internet and phone installation - 拢30 to 拢50, you can compare prices via comparison websites when reviewing internet, mobile, phone providers.
- TV Licence - 拢180 per year. This can be paid in instalments.
Additional costs to consider
Depending on your lifestyle and living arrangements there maybe additional costs to consider. It is important to plan for these in your budget where necessary.
- Travelling - Travel costs to Scotland will vary. By planning in advance, you are more likely to secure lower rail/air fares.
- - for under 22's using a National Entitlement card or Young Scot card.
- 聽(First Bus Aberdeen) 鈥� Student FirstDay ticket for unlimited journeys with a valid student iD card from 拢4.30, FirstWeek passes from 拢18.60 and FirstMonth passes from 拢63.
- Internet/TV package - 拢35 to 拢70 per month, there are good deals for students during fresher鈥檚 week with packages at a reduced price.
- Clothing - 拢0 to聽拢50 per month, dependent on requirements.
- Gym membership - 天美传媒 SPORT is聽free聽for current students/up to 拢40.
- Childcare - 拢138.70 per week for a part-time nursery place for a child under 3 years old. Or 拢124.41 per week for a childminder.
Students with families
If you are coming to Aberdeen with a family, there will be additional financial considerations you should research. This includes securing family size accommodation, feeding and clothing dependants, and importantly childcare.
Children generally start school in Scotland between 4 and 5 years old. The school a child will attend is based on their address and should be taken into聽consideration when looking at family accommodation in Aberdeen.
Since August 2021, all three and four-year-old children and eligible 2-year olds, are entitled to 1140 funded hours of ELC per year. This is funding offered by Aberdeen City Council.聽 Families can access up to 1140 funded hours of ELC at a local authority nursery and from private nurseries, playgroups and childminders in partnership with Aberdeen City Council to deliver high quality ELC.
There are very few 鈥榩ay as you go鈥� nurseries. For most a contract is signed with a fixed number of hours each week stated and payment required in advance. Many also have waiting lists, so this should be investigated prior to beginning your studies.聽Find out more about Childcare Costs in the UK:
Student Budget Calculator
You can use this online tool to help you plan a budget for your time at 天美传媒.