Are living expenses significantly more expensive in Bath than Manchester?

[RollsnRocks]

My son wants to study Maths in Bath with Manchester as his back up option.
He thinks, according to what his friends have said, that accommodation and living expenses such as socialising etc are significantly more expensive in Bath than Manchester.
Could anyone advise please?

Manchester is expensive too

You have to factor lots of things in.

Accommodation - particularly in Year 2 onwards - my daughter is paying £650 without bills. Year 1 seemed pretty cheap on campus.

Transport- not so expensive and she often walks anyway.

Food is the same as anywhere else. She shops in Sainsbury's and spends about £45 every 10 days on a big shop.

Going out- depends on the person obviously.

I was surprised to find that my friend's daughter in Liverpool paid more than my daughter in Y1 on campus there and about the same in subsequent years.

@ASighMadeOfStone Thanks for your reply.
Is £650 per month for 12 months, ie £7,800 per year?

I don’t know about Manchester but Bath has been £100-200 per month dearer for rent than Leeds & Sheffield

Basically yes.

They had to pay a "deposit" of a full month in August, but moved in in September. The tenancy ends at the end of July, so it's 11monthd iyswim?

That's the way it goes I think generally after the first year sadly!

And when you think that lectures started first week of October, then almost 3 weeks off at Christmas, followed by exams, followed by another week off for end of semester, a fortnight for Easter and exams finished by May 17th that's a lot of house paid for and not necessarily used. DD will stay on until June, but one girl she lives with has already gone home after Easter as she has no exams anyway!

It's a fabulous city and a fabulous university though. Neither dd or I would swap it for anything. I went to university in Manchester and lived there afterwards for some years, but I wouldn't go back.

Cheapest halls of residence in Manchester are £118pw, which is a lot cheaper than any other universities my DC is considering. Manchester also benefits from a ridiculously large student population, so lots of shops/bars/hairdressers etc cater to a student budget.

My DD had very cheap halls in Bath last year (approx 4.5k) but now private rent is around 8k for the year with bills on top. DS is in Leeds and is paying nearly 7k in halls for first year but then cheaper private rent going forward. Take into account they will need a bus pass from 2nd year onwards for Bath. I think in terms of actual living costs ie food and drink there is not much in it it is pricey everywhere. DD does not do much going out in Bath really but DS does in Leeds and so spends more.