STUDENTS in Dundee splash the least on alcohol and those in St Andrews are most likely to get help from the bank of mum and dad, according to a new snapshot of uni life.
The Royal Bank of Scotland Student Living Index shows the cost of living is higher on average for Scottish students than their English counterparts.
However, it found that while the average cost of living has fallen by 4% at UK level since 2018, there are significant regional and national differences.
Released today, the list, which ranks 35 university towns and cities, reveals that Cardiff is the most affordable city for students in the UK, with London remaining the most expensive.
Edinburgh is the second dearest destination for learners, it is claimed, thanks to higher-than-average rents of almost £520 per month and lower-than-average incomes of £980.
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Accommodation costs in the Scottish capital – where there is a shortage of affordable housing and a boom in AirBNB-style letting to the tourist market – are in contrast with those of Dundee, where bills are less than £375, according to the RBS analysis.
Household bills and alcohol spending was also lower in the Tayside culture capital, at £43 and around £20 respectively.
In comparison, those in nearby St Andrews spend almost £35 on drink – more than anywhere else in Scotland – but at £15, their household bills are cheaper than those in other locations.
Overall, students are spending an average of £15 less per month on household bills than in 2018 and overall the amount splashed on drink is also down.
Students in Aberdeen were found to be amongst the most financially independent, earning £157.60 through part-time work and saving more than £130 each month.
Those in St Andrews sit alongside their counterparts in Durham and Oxford as most likely to get a financial boost from their parents, receiving an average of around £315 per term.
Overall, Scottish students are also less likely to be reliant on student loans to finance their lifestyles than those in other parts of the UK.
Instead, they tend to fund their lifestyles through part-time work and were also found to be less likely to run out of money at the end of the semester.
RBS said: “Just a quarter claim to have had no money by the end of the year in both Glasgow and Stirling, compared to four in 10 across the rest of Britain.
“As a result, only 14% of Glasgow students claim to have stresses when managing money. Alongside Belfast, this is the lowest figure anywhere in the UK.”
As many as 95% of students surveyed said they had at least thought about budgeting and how they spend their income. Around one quarter said they budget carefully and keep track of what they spend, while just 6% said they don’t think about their outgoings at all.”
Whatever the approach, more than 40% of all students admitted they run out of money before the end of the semester, with one third of this group turning to overdrafts to cope with the shortfall.
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Commenting on the results, Bruno Genovese, head of student accounts at RBS, stated: “This year 60% of students said they don’t get the support they need to help them manage their finances, with one in four UK students saying they find managing their money stressful.
“The Student Living Index helps students to see how they might budget dependent on where they study.”
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