Cost of Living in Exeter for Students (2026–27)

Exeter is a compact university city in Devon, and the University of Exeter has more than 33,000 students, a large share of a city of this size. Its two campuses, Streatham and St Luke’s, sit close to the centre, and most students live within walking or short bus distance of them.

This guide breaks down what a student actually spends each month. The figures come from real 2025 accommodation booking data and current Numbeo market pricing for Exeter, not generic UK averages.

 How Much Does It Cost to Live in Exeter?

A student in PBSA (private hall) accommodation with utilities and a gym included should budget around £1,341 a month. Without those extras bundled in, budget closer to £1,504 a month.

Without bundled utilities and gym, budget closer to £1,504 a month. Over a 9-month term-time year, that is roughly £12,070 to £13,540. Over a full 12 months, it is £16,094 to £18,054.

The transport line assumes you buy a bus ticket every term. Many Exeter students live within a 5 to 10 minute walk of Streatham campus and do not need one, which would bring the monthly total down by about £109.

What Shapes Exeter’s Student Budget

Real 2025 booking data puts Exeter’s weighted-average student rent at £208 a week (£901 a month). Rent is about 67% of the monthly total, so it is the highest cost by a wide margin.

Utilities are the other cost to watch. Priced separately at current Exeter rates, basic utilities and broadband come to around £130 a person a month in a three-person house-share, which is why bundled accommodation is worth more here than in some other cities.

Everyday prices are moderate. An inexpensive restaurant meal costs around £15, a fast-food combo about £7, a cinema ticket £9.50 and a pint of draught beer £5.50. A three-course dinner for two at a mid-range restaurant is around £74.

What different room types actually cost

UniAcco 2025 booking data across Exeter, based on 249 bookings:

The remaining 3% or so is made up of one-bed, two-bed and four-bed flats, which are too few to quote reliably. Exeter’s rents cluster tightly: a non-ensuite room costs only about £86 a month less than an ensuite, and a studio costs about £255 a month more than a non-ensuite. Most students choose an ensuite or a studio, because the saving from going without an ensuite is small.

Best areas for students in Exeter

Exeter is small enough that no student area is more than about 25 minutes from campus. The University has two campuses, Streatham, which is the main one, and St Luke’s, so the right area depends partly on where your course is based.

Pennsylvania. Close to Streatham campus, with a 5 to 10 minute walk to lectures. It is loud, social and popular with second and third years, and rents run slightly higher because of the location.

Mount Pleasant. About 15 minutes from both campuses. It has decent housing and a balance between lively and quiet, with mid-range rents.

Stoke Hill. A residential suburb about 15 to 20 minutes from Streatham and 20 to 25 minutes from St Luke’s. It is quieter, rents are more affordable, and homes tend to have more space.

City centre. Lively and convenient, with shops, restaurants and nightlife. It is about 25 minutes to Streatham and 10 minutes to St Luke’s, and a bus runs between the centre and Streatham. Rents tend to be higher.

St Luke’s and Heavitree. The natural choice for St Luke’s students, about 5 minutes from the campus and 20 to 25 minutes from Streatham. It is quieter, and rents are lower.

St David’s. A 25-minute walk from both campuses, with river views and noticeably cheaper rent. It suits students who prioritise price.

Utility Bills: What You Need and What It Costs

If you live in halls or purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), your utilities are already in the rent, so there is nothing extra to set up. If you rent a flat or house with friends, you will usually set up and pay for these yourself. Here is what to expect in Exeter, per person, in a three-person share.

Typical Utility Costs per Person

Here is where those numbers come from. Numbeo estimates £355 a month for electricity, heating, water and waste for a typical flat, and £35 for broadband. Split three ways, that gives the £118 and £12 above. Numbeo’s range for the flat bill is wide, from £240 to £425, so your own bill depends heavily on the house and how much you heat it.

A few things worth knowing:

• Energy. Suppliers’ prices are capped by Ofgem. From October 2026 the typical household pays £1,723 a year for gas and electricity, which is up £60 on the previous cap. A shared student house with several people at home during the day can use more than that.
• Water. Exeter is served by South West Water, whose average household bill is about £779 a year from April 2026, or roughly £65 a month. That is above the England and Wales average of £639. In a rented house it is often included in your bills or rent, so ask your landlord before you sign.
• TV licence. It costs £180 a year from April 2026. You only need your own if you watch live TV or iPlayer on a television. If you only use a phone, tablet or laptop, your home licence may cover you.
• Winter. Heating bills are higher from October to March, so do not set your budget on a summer bill.

A few habits keep the bills simple. Ask whether the tenancy is “all bills included” before you compare rents. Take a photo of the meter readings on the day you move in. Agree on a single monthly payment between housemates, so one person is not chasing everyone at the end of the month.

Council tax

Council tax works the same way across the UK. It is worth understanding the rules instead of assuming you are automatically exempt.

A household where every resident is a full-time student does not pay council tax. If you live with one housemate who is not a student, the property gets a 25% discount, and the non-student pays the bill. If two or more residents are not students, the discount no longer applies. One more point: if you are a named tenant on a joint tenancy agreement, the council may still ask you to pay, even if you are personally exempt.

Check who will be listed on the tenancy before signing a joint agreement with a non-student. University halls and purpose-built student accommodation are normally registered as exempt, so these rules generally don’t apply.

Food Costs: Groceries and Eating Out

A basic grocery basket of milk, bread, eggs, rice, chicken, cheese, beef, fresh fruit, vegetables and bottled water costs about £55 a month.

Beef is the one item priced well above the national average, at about £17.67 a kilo, which is why the basket keeps it to a small quarter-kilo. Swapping it for more chicken or eggs trims the bill.

Eating out takes up most of the food budget. An inexpensive restaurant meal costs around £15 and a fast-food combo about £7. Eating out or ordering in twice a week comes to roughly £88 a month. A mid-range three-course dinner for two is about £74, so it is best saved for special occasions.

Getting Around: Transport Costs

Exeter is compact, and many students walk to campus, especially from Pennsylvania and the streets around Streatham. A single bus journey costs about £3, and an adult monthly pass about £80. For regular riders, the student ticket is the better deal.

Stagecoach’s Termrider is the main student ticket for 2026–27. In Greater Exeter, it costs £328 per term and gives unlimited travel in the zone, including evenings, weekends and half terms. It is sold per term only, with no annual option, and is bought through the Stagecoach Bus App.

Three terms cost £984, about £109 a month across a 9-month academic year, and this is the figure used in this budget. If you live within walking distance of your lectures, you can skip the ticket entirely or buy it for one or two terms only.

Mobile, Personal Care, Entertainment & Gym

Mobile: A monthly SIM-only plan with calls and 10GB or more of data costs around £12.

Home wifi: Broadband at 60 Mbps or more costs around £35 a month if you pay for it separately. Most halls include it.

Personal care: Toiletries and everyday essentials come to roughly £18 a month for a modest, realistic routine.

Entertainment: A cinema ticket costs about £9.50 and a pint of draught beer about £5.50. Two cinema trips and three pints a month come to roughly £36.

Gym: A standalone gym membership averages around £33 a month. Most PBSA properties include gym access in the rent.

Tuition, Scholarships and Part-Time Work

Home undergraduate tuition at the University of Exeter is £9,790 for 2026/27, rising to £10,050 for students starting in 2027. International fees depend on the subject. For 2027 entry, published rates are £25,700 for arts, humanities, social sciences, law and business subjects; £31,500 for computer science, engineering and similar subjects; £32,150 for biosciences and psychology; and £49,300 for medicine. Check the University’s fees page for the rate that applies to your start date.

The University runs its own scholarship and bursary schemes, and eligibility and amounts change each year, so check the official funding pages for the latest information.

For part-time work, the UK National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over is £12.71 an hour from April 2026. That is around £1,017 a month before tax for a typical part-time student schedule.

Where You Can Realistically Save Money

• Walk where you can. Living in Pennsylvania or near the Streatham campus removes the need for a bus ticket, saving about £109 a month.
• Buy Termrider by the term. It is sold per term, so you can buy it only for the terms you need rather than the full year.
• Look at St David’s and Stoke Hill. They offer lower rents than Pennsylvania and the city centre, in exchange for a longer trip to campus.
• Keep bundled accommodation. Utilities and gym would add roughly £163 a month if you paid for them separately, more than in most cities.
• Cook most meals. The groceries budget is £55 a month. Eating out twice a week is £88, so shifting a few meals home makes a visible difference.

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