Hull – a student city that won’t break the bank

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We’re the UK’s most affordable city* - fact.

With one of the lowest rents in England‡, one of the cheapest pints in the country§ and all the perks that come with living in one of the UK's most cultural cities, your student loan will go miles further.

You'll also have more money in your pockets - thanks to generous scholarships and plenty of opportunities for part-time work to top up your income.

Average price of ...

Monthly rent
(one-bed city centre flat)

Hull £572.50
London £2,113.79

Restaurant meal
(budget)

Hull £10.00
London £20.00

Monthly gym membership

Hull £26.36
London £54.62

Cinema ticket for new release

Hull £6.50
London £15.00

Pint of lager in a pub

Hull £3.15
London £6.00

Jaw-dropping festivals at incredible prices

Putting the ‘free’ into Freedom, Hull’s Freedom Festival is an annual five-day carnival of arts, culture, music, exhibitions and debates.

One of the UK’s biggest free Pride events swathes the city centre in rainbows each year, with tens of thousands of people celebrating at Pride in Hull alongside massive pop acts and international superstars.

If you don’t mind splashing out a little, Humber Street Sesh is a massive festival featuring over 100 performances and tickets start at a bargainous ten quid.

You’ve also got Yum!, a two day festival of lip-smacking street food and all the thrills of Hull Fair, Europe’s biggest travelling funfair, on your doorstep.

High culture, low cost

If you’re still thirsty for more, Absolutely Cultured (the company formed in the wake of Hull UK City of Culture 2017) host free events, like the spectacular Urban Legends: Northern Lights, which told stories of Scandinavian mythology or local spooky happenings in The Witching Hour.

Speaking of Absolutely Cultured, they also run the incredible Humber Street Gallery, where you can enjoy contemporary visual art in exchange for an entirely optional donation.

In fact, all of Hull’s galleries and museums are completely free to enter. So, you can spend days getting to grips with Hull’s seafaring history (and meet a MASSIVE whale) at the Maritime Museum, explore Feren’s Art Gallery, which was home to the 2017 Turner Prize, or step back in time at the Streetlife Museum.

And if your take on modern art is more Lion King than Lichtenstein, you can settle down to the latest blockbuster for less than half the cost of your London counterparts, with cinema tickets costing an average of £6*.

Massive nights out, miniature bar tabs

Work hard, play hard, right?

When you’ve packed up your books for the day and want to let your hair down, you won’t break the bank by partying in Hull. Soak up the sun in one of Hull’s many beer gardens and enjoy a pint for £3, that’s almost half of the cost of a drink in London*. If you’re a bargain hunter you can head to the legendary Spiders and down a double for only £1.90. And where else in the universe could you order a pan-galactic gargle blaster? Trust us, it’s a real thing.

If you’ve got the munchies, you can treat yourself to a lip-smacking meal for around a tenner* - whether you’re in the mood for fish and chips at the legendary Papa's, hand-stretched pizza at The Brain Jar in the City Centre or jerk chicken at Pave on Princes Avenue. Full stomach + full wallet = a win.

Get your kit on

If you’ve over-done the cultural offer, you may want to blow off some steam in a more productive way. With all-inclusive access to The Allam Sport Centre, our swanky new gym and fitness centre costing less than £20 a month, you’ll be saving pounds while shedding them.

Even if you decide to train off-campus, you’re in for a bargain. Average gym membership in Hull is almost 80% cheaper than in London†, so that’s one thing that won’t make you sweat.

All roads lead to Hull

Hull is, obviously, amazing but if you’ve got a bit of wanderlust you’re in the right place to start your next adventure. Hop on board a Hull Train to London for just over a tenner when combined with a railcard. Sail to Bruges with P&O Ferries from £50. Or if you just fancy a bit of seaside action, hop on board an EYMS bus to Scarborough and back for £4.30. You won’t even get charged excess baggage for your bucket and spade.

* numbeo.com (August 2023)
† expatistan.com
‡ Natwest Student Living Index
§ Independent - International Beer Day