The UK unis where rent for students is going up the most disturbing amount, revealed

Finding somewhere to live at uni is often harder for UK students than the actual degree. Prices for student halls and houseshares are already sky-high in 2025. Rent is getting more expensive at UK unis at very different rates.

The real estate service company Cushman & Wakefield’s Student Accommodation Report 2025 included details on the rent growth in uni cities. So, you can see exactly how much rent is increasing for students in your uni city, and how stuffed you’re going to be.

The UK uni city with the absolute worst rent growth is Colchester. That’s home to the University of Essex. Rent is also going way up in Cardiff and Chester. Erm, maybe the letter C is cursed?

The locations of 16 out of the 24 Russell Group unis made it into the top 25 cities with the biggest rent growth for students. This isn’t great news – it’s much harder for students from less privileged backgrounds to go to these prestigious unis if it costs loads to live there.

So, here are the 25 UK uni cities where rent is going up the most for students, ranked by rent growth. I’ve also listed all the unis in that city, so you can see exactly which students are the most screwed.

25. Exeter – 0.9 per cent

University of Exeter

24. Glasgow – 1.7 per cent

University of Glasgow, Glasgow Caledonian University, Strathclyde University

23. Plymouth – 2.2 per cent

Arts University Plymouth, University of Plymouth, Plymouth Marjon Universtity

22. Canterbury – 2.4 per cent

Canterbury Christ Church University, University for the Creative Arts, University of Kent

21. Portsmouth – 2.5 per cent

University of Portsmouth

20. Bournemouth – 2.6 per cent

Arts University Bournemouth, University of Bournemouth

=16. Liverpool – 2.7 per cent

University of Liverpool, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

=16. Edinburgh – 2.7 per cent

Heriot-Watt University, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Napier University, Queen Margaret University

=16. Dundee – 2.7 per cent

Abertay University, University of Dundee

=16. Cambridge – 2.7 per cent

Anglia Ruskin University, University of Cambridge

15. Bristol – 2.8 per cent

University of Bristol, University of the West of England Bristol (UWE Bristol)

14. Birmingham – 2.9 per cent

Aston University, University of Birmingham, Birmingham City University, Newman University, University College Birmingham

13. Leicester – 3.2 per cent

De Montfort University, University of Leicester

12. Salford – 3.3 per cent

University of Salford

11. Oxford – 3.5 per cent

University of Oxford, Oxford Brookes University

10. London – 3.5 per cent

University of the Arts London; Birkbeck, University of London; Brunel University of London; City, Goldsmith’s, University of London; University of East London; Imperial College London; University of Greenwich; King’s College London (KCL); Kingston University; London Metropolitan University; London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE); London South Bank University; Middlesex University; Northeastern University London; Queen Mary University of London; Ravensbourne University London; University of Roehampton; SOAS University of London; St George’s University of London; St Mary’s University, Twickenham; University College London (UCL); University of West London; University of Westminster

9. Manchester – 3.7 per cent

University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University

8. Bath – 3.8 per cent

University of Bath, Bath Spa University

7. Newcastle – 4.1 per cent

Newcastle University, Northumbria University

6. Loughborough – 4.4 per cent

Loughborough University

5. Durham – 4.9 per cent

Durham University

4. Guildford – 5.2 per cent

University of Surrey

3. Chester – 6.1 per cent

University of Chester

2. Cardiff – 6.3 per cent

Cardiff University, Cardiff Metropolitan University, University of South Wales

1. Colchester – 6.6 per cent

University of Essex

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