Birmingham is one of the ideal study destinations in the UK for international students in the present times. Like many other cities in the United Kingdom, Birmingham offers high-quality education to international and domestic students. There are five universities in Birmingham, which are the University of Birmingham, Aston University, Birmingham City University, University College Birmingham, and Newman University. The University of Birmingham is among the top 100 universities in the world and it has been ranked #80 out of 1500 universities in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2025. Aston University is among the top 500 universities in the world and has been ranked #423 in the same rankings.
But, the major question that many students ask before or after enrolling in any UK city including Birmingham is whether the city is expensive. Here, you will learn whether studying and living in Birmingham is expensive and some additional facts.
Is Studying and Living in Birmingham Expensive?
Birmingham has different areas some of which are expensive whereas there are some, which are cheap. Whether you have to spend less or more, it very much depends on the area where you have decided to live. But, fortunately, it is easy to find budget-friendly accommodation in Birmingham.
Average Tuition Fees in Birmingham
The average tuition fees for international students at universities in Birmingham for the academic year 2024-2025 vary depending on the institution and the program of study. Here, you can know about indicative fees at three universities in Birmingham.
1. University of Birmingham
- Undergraduate programs: £22,080 to £30,000 per year.
- Postgraduate taught programs: £23,310 to £31,410 per year.
- Postgraduate research programs: £21,360 to £30,420 per year
2. Birmingham City University:
- Undergraduate programs: Around £13,500 to £15,500 per year depending on the course.
- Postgraduate programs: Approximately £14,500 to £15,000 per year
3. University College Birmingham:
- Undergraduate programs: £14,000 per year.
- Postgraduate programs: £15,000 per year
Some Tips to Live in Birmingham in Your Budget
- Find Accommodation near Your Institute
There are numerous institutes near which accommodations for students are available in Birmingham. Some of them can be even found within walking distance from the institutes and some others may be within easy driving distance. For instance, you can find a student housing property named “Mary Sturge Residence” within 23 minutes of walking distance and 11 minutes of driving distance from BIMM Birmingham. So, this institute is within easy driving distance of the property and if you like a long walk sometimes, then you can visit there on foot also.
Besides, Mary Sturge Residence Birmingham is within just 7 minutes of walking distance from Aston University so if you are a student of this university and decide to live in Mary Sturge, you can easily reach there on foot on a daily basis.
If you can commute to your university and vice versa daily on foot then you can reach there and come back without spending even a single penny, which makes your stay in Birmingham very cheap. Besides, if it is within easy driving distance then you are required to spend only some amount of money so in that case also, you can live in Birmingham within your budget.
- Find Shared Rooms If You Are Comfortable Living with One or More Roommates
In the shared rooms, rents are split among two or more occupants, which is why accommodation proves to be inexpensive for each student. So, if you are comfortable living with one or more roommates then you can look for shared rooms to live within your budget in Birmingham.
- Start Looking for Accommodation Early
Prices of student accommodations rise with the coming of university sessions close and a few months before, you can get them at inexpensive prices. So, you are recommended to start searching for accommodation early through online sources.
- Use Good Online Platforms to Find Accommodation Within Your Budget
There are some good online platforms such as Universityliving.com where you can find the lists of accommodations for students in different cities including Birmingham. Here, you can sort the list according to prices from low to high and high to low, filter the list according to price ranges, and compare the prices of accommodations in different properties online on a single webpage. All this helps you find accommodation within your budget.
Prices of Important Items in Birmingham
Knowing the prices of important items in Birmingham can help you understand the cost of living there in a better way. In everyday groceries, you can find 1 liter of regular milk, 500 grams of fresh white bread, 1 kg of white rice, and 1 kg of local cheese at £1.25, £1.23, £1.87, and £7.36 respectively. In fruits and vegetables, you can get apples, bananas, oranges, tomatoes, potatoes, and onions (1 kg each) at £1.97, £1.37, £1.50, £1.82, £1.23, and £1.02 respectively.
