Living expense in UK
If you want to have a healthy and pleasant study experience in the UK, understanding how much you need for living expenses is a good place to start.
However, keep in mind that the cost of living varies depending on where you live.
The UK Government advises that you will need:
- If you spend the most of your time studying in London, you will pay £1,265 per month.
- £1,015 per month if you spend more than half of your time studying outside of London.
These statistics do not cover the cost of your education or tuition fees.
There are a few useful websites for budgeting your time in the UK.
Expatistan, for example, uses crowdsourced data to calculate the cost of living in the UK.
Currency
In the United Kingdom, you often pay (and are compensated) in pounds and pence for banking and payments. Stores accept coins and notes, as well as debit and credit cards.
Despite the fact that the currency is the same, the notes in Scotland and Northern Ireland may appear different. This is because Scottish and Northern Irish banks produce their own banknotes.
Scotland and Northern Ireland notes are generally accepted in the rest of the UK, but if you have any issues and need to exchange them for Bank of England notes, you can do this at any major bank in the United Kingdom.
Bank Accounts
Opening a Bank Account:
- Most UK banks will gladly open an account for you while you are living in the country.
Required Documents:
- Your passport.
- A document confirming your attendance at a school, college, or university.
- Proof of address in both your native country and the United Kingdom.
- Reference and bank statements from your home country.
Starting the Process:
- Check with your bank in your native country for possible relationships with UK-based banks.
- They may assist you in opening an account.
Withdrawing Funds:
- Use your bank’s online or phone banking services.
- Go to your local bank branch near you.
- Withdraw cash from an ATM.
- Ask for ‘cash back’ when making an in-store transaction with your debit card.
Getting your phone and internet organized
- Set up your phone and Internet service as soon as possible after arriving in the UK.
Phone Options:
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Landline:
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- Typically applicable if you live off campus.
- May get a cheaper deal by bundling with internet.
- Option to rely solely on your cellphone instead.
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Mobile Prepaid:
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- Allows control over spending.
- Quit using it anytime.
- Pre-paid SIM cards are easily accessible in UK stores, supermarkets, and direct mobile phone companies.
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Mobile Contract:
- Potentially less expensive for frequent use and numerous calls.
- Contract with a UK-based mobile phone operator.
Make international calls.
International calls can be significantly more expensive than calls within the UK. Instead, consider purchasing an international calling card or using internet services such as Skype or FaceTime. Most convenience stores sell foreign calling cards.
To dial a UK number from abroad, enter the country code (44), followed by the area code, and then the phone number.
To call another country from the UK, dial 00, followed by the necessary country code, the area code (if applicable), then the phone number.
Accessing the Internet
In the UK, you will have several alternatives for Internet access, but it is worth shopping around to pick the plan with the lowest pricing and download limits for your needs.
Most educational institutions offer free Wi-Fi, which may be accessed using your student login and password.
If you can’t connect to the internet with your own laptop or computer, you can generally locate one in the student library, an off-campus public library, or an internet cafe.
Some places provide free Wi-Fi, while others, such as Internet cafes, charge per hour. Do not forget to check the network’s security before connecting.