• Cardiff has become the most affordable university city for students in 2022. It’s moved from a top-third position last year to top spot this time around. Students in the Welsh capital have the fifth highest average monthly income, at £2,241. They spend an average of £1,041 each month in total, which is the fourth lowest out of the cities we surveyed.
• In contrast, Edinburgh has the highest student cost of living, replacing London in this year’s index. The Scottish capital is the only city where student spending and costs outweigh their income. Students there have an average monthly term-time income of £934, the lowest out of the cities ranked. Their total monthly spending amounts to £949.
• The average monthly term-time income for students now stands at £1,805. Students in Coventry enjoy the highest income overall, at £3,180. Leicester (£2,508) and Manchester (£2,368) follow.
• Students in London and Manchester rely the most on parental or family support for their income. Oxford and Cambridge students have reduced their reliance on parents and family in the past year, however. They now make greater use of bursaries and scholarships to pay their rent. London-based students are less reliant on loans and personal savings.

Discover our tips for student budgeting. 

• Liverpool students have spent the most on alcohol this year. They spend £30.50 more than the monthly average. At the other end of the scale, Cambridge students spend the least on alcoholic drinks.​
• Takeaway spending is highest in Oxford, at £20 more than the monthly average.
• Manchester and Coventry have the highest rents for students in the UK. Those in Edinburgh and Cambridge have the most affordable rents. Overall, average student rents have declined by 12% since last year’s survey. The average monthly rent now stands at £455.
• Student spending on going out has surged, reaching a monthly average of £44.70 this year. Newcastle tops the chart, with Southampton at the bottom.
• Monthly spending on clothes, shoes and accessories has reached £48 on average. Leicester comes out top, while Southampton students spend the least.
• Canterbury students have spent more than triple the UK average on household bills this year. Their monthly spending stands at £182, compared to the national average of £56.50.

• Money management is stressful for almost one in five UK students. Coventry has the highest rate, with stress levels 30 percentage points above average.
• Students in Coventry and Southampton feel they get the most financial management support from their university (both 12%). The UK average is just 6%.
• Average monthly savings have risen £3.50 since last year, reaching £109. Cambridge students put the most away (£198), while those in Durham are at the other end of the scale (£63). Of those able to save, 45% make use of a traditional bank savings account. Overall, 15% say they’re unable to save anything though.
• A quarter of students dip into their overdraft when short of funds. This is up 25% on last year’s reading. Some 22% make use of a credit card, marking a rise of 144% on 2021.
• Around a fifth (21%) of those using buy-now-pay-later services made purchases of £100 to £500. But 57% have never used one.
• When sharing expenses with housemates, 77% split them equally. Yet 16% say they generally pay a larger share than other people.

• The past year has seen a 21 percentage point drop in students being targeted by scams. But 53% have still been targeted by scammers or fraudsters in some way.
• Students in Edinburgh (97%), Cambridge (86%) and Coventry (81%) were targeted the most by scammers and fraudsters. At the other end of the scale, Durham (29%) and Exeter (30%) students faced the fewest threats.
• For more information on protecting your finances against the latest fraud and scams head to our security hub.
  

• Newcastle students spend the most on going out, at 65% more than the UK average.
• Overall, 42% of students spend £10 or less on wellbeing and self-care each month, suggesting it’s not a big spending priority. Newcastle, Leicester and Canterbury students have the biggest spend in this area. They spend £30 more than those in Coventry on wellbeing and self-care.
• Time spent studying at home has dropped by a third following the end of lockdown restrictions. On average, students now spend 39 hours a month on academic study at home.
• Time spent on campus has doubled following the end of Covid-19 rules. Each month, an average of 45 hours are spent studying on campus. The rates are highest in Newcastle, Liverpool, Oxford and Bristol.
• Some 26 hours are spent each month on home entertainment. Canterbury leads the way (over 45 hours), with Cambridge at the bottom (less than 10).

• Sheffield students have the highest monthly income from term-time work, at an average of £223. Leicester, Southampton and Birmingham students also score highly. Edinburgh is at the bottom (£52), and Cardiff and London also lag behind. The average across the whole UK stands at £144.
• Holiday work provides an average monthly income of £109. Coventry students have the highest income from this source (£325 a month), and Southampton and Leicester follow. Canterbury students are the least reliant on holiday work, at less than £35 a month. Manchester and Edinburgh students also have low holiday work contributions.
• Take a look at our guide if you need a few handy tips on finding your first job after graduating or landing a job at university.

• Online wellbeing programmes are the most common mental health service provided by universities (44%). Free online resources and online counselling (both 35%) come next.
• Durham students are most likely to enjoy their university degree (49%), with Bristol, York and Coventry also scoring highly. Edinburgh students (18%) are the least likely to be enjoying their studies, followed by London and Leicester.
• Some 38% of students found their summer exams more stressful than expected. Only 23% said they were less stressful than first thought.
• Exercise and sports (35%) are the most common ways for students to fight stress from money worries. Support from friends and family, hobbies and interests, and meditation were also popular methods. But 26% of those polled said they’re unaffected mentally by money worries.

• A tenth of students are making no efforts to lead more sustainable lives. This is a 2% increase on last year.
• Recycling/upcycling clothing and home items and buying second-hand were other common ways to boost students’ green credentials (both 36%).
• Some 27% are keen to research new ways they can become more sustainable.
• Brand transparency remains important, with 14% prioritising firms that are open about sustainability and work practices.
• Want to find out how you could save money while making more sustainable choices? Take a look at our climate change hub for money saving and green living tips, as well as more information on our sustainable bank ambitions.