Planning your Expenses
Planning your finances is an important part of preparing for university life. This guide provides an overview of average living costs to help new students estimate their expenses and create a realistic budget for their time at university.
We advise all students to plan for their own expected costs, and ensure they have enough funds to meet their living costs. For more information or advice on living costs in Cardiff and budgeting for student life, please contact the money advice team on moneyadvice@cardiffmet.ac.uk
Council Tax
Fulltime students in Higher Education are exempt from paying Council Tax. If you live with someone who is eligible to pay Council Tax, your local Council will confirm the annual charges applicable.
Examples of estimated costs
National and local estimates have been used in the illustrative examples below to help you plan your estimated costs as an undergraduate for the 2025/26 academic year.
The figures provided should be used as a guide to help you plan your own personal budget, based on reasonable national and local estimates. Your actual costs will depend on the type of accommodation you choose the extent you will rely on transport, and how much and where you plan to socialise while at university.
| Accommodation Type | Typical Monthly Charge | Typical Occupancy Duration | Typical Cost Over Occupancy Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Cardiff Met Halls - catered [1] |
£988.00 | 42 weeks | £9,576.00 |
|
Cardiff Met Halls – self-catered [2] |
£879.67 | 42 weeks | £8,526.00 |
|
Other private Halls (lower range) [3] |
£693.33 | 44 weeks | £7,040.00 |
|
Other private Halls (higher range) [4] |
£1,382.33 | 51 weeks | £16,269.00 |
|
Private house share including bills [5] |
£650.00 | 51 weeks | £7,800.00 |
| Other 'Essential' Costs* | Typical Monthly Cost | Annual Cost (based on 39 weeks) |
|---|---|---|
|
Travel around Cardiff [6] |
£50.00 |
£500.00 |
|
Mobile phone – lower range [7] |
£16.00 |
£160.00 |
|
Groceries & toiletries [7] |
£144.00 |
£1,440.00 |
|
Printing & course materials [8] |
£42.00 |
£420.00 |
|
TV licence [9] |
£14.54 |
£174.50 |
|
Laundry [10] |
£28.00 |
£273.00 |
|
‘Non-essential’ costs* |
Typical Monthly Cost |
Annual Cost (based on 39 weeks) |
|
Subscriptions – lower range (per subscription) [11] |
£9.99 |
£99.90 |
|
Socialising in Cardiff [7] |
£51.00 |
£1,989.00 |
|
Takeaways & eating out [7] |
£48.00 |
£480.00 |
|
Holidays & events [7] |
£29.00 |
£290.00 |
- Costs for Cardiff Met Halls – based on catered classic (42 week contract)
- Costs for Cardiff Met Halls - based on self-catered en-suite premium (42 week contract).
- Based on self-catered classic room at Blackweir Lodge. Charges, deposit amounts and contract durations can vary considerably between private accommodation providers. These are example costs only: please refer to the website of the private halls provider for exact figures.
- Based on platinum cosy en-suite (self-catered single occupancy) at Bridge Street Exchange. Charges, deposit amounts and contract durations can vary considerably between private accommodation providers. These are example costs only: please refer to the website of the private halls provider for exact figures.
- Based on typical estimated house share rent, plus £100 per month for bills – charges can vary
- Based on information from Cardiff Bus, Metrider passes available and feedback from students. We strongly recommend that students use public transport wherever possible rather than taking cars to university. For students living outside of Cardiff who plan to commute to Cardiff, more details on local transport links can be found on National Rail, National Express & Cardiff Bus websites
- Based on the latest National Student Money Survey for 2025 published by Save the Student
- Printing and course materials costs can vary – your Programme Director and your course information will confirm if anything is essential to purchase. Our learning centres are fully stocked with books and journals, so we advise not to buy materials in advance unless deemed essential. You may be able to purchase essential items at a lower cost by buying 2nd hand.
- The annual 2025 full cost is £174.50 – find out more about TV licences for students on TV Licensing website. The fee can be paid monthly with x6 instalments of £29.10 then £14.54 per month payments.
- Based on national published external research from My Uni Days for a single lowest cost subscription