Recent research by NatWest shows that Cambridge is the second most affordable city in the UK for students to live in, with a tabulated Student Living Index (SLI) of 0.70. The SLI is calculated by dividing the average monthly living and accommodation costs by the average monthly income.

Cambridge is ranked just behind Sheffield, which scored 0.67 on the SLI, while London remains the most expensive city for students to live in with a score of 1.10.

The study also found that Cambridge is the second most expensive city to privately rent in, behind London, with a monthly rent of £578.70: above the national average of £518.10. However, students in Cambridge also have the highest monthly income of £1340, above the national average of about £1092.

The research revealed that family contributions to a student’s monthly income are higher in more affluent cities and in universities such as Cambridge, where this figure stands at about £270.50 per month.

Cambridge remains top for contributions to monthly income from bursaries and scholarships at £180.40, more than twice the national average of £88.90.

The average SLI across the UK rose by 7% over 2021, after staying relatively constant in the years of 2019 and 2020. The index for Cambridge increased by approximately 20% from 0.58 in 2020.