Bradford ‘most affordable’ city for student digs
Bradford has been named the UK’s most affordable city for student accommodation by StudentCrowd.
The student review platform ranked Bradford #1 out of more than 80 cities in its 2025 Cheapest UK Cities for Student Accommodation league table.
Bradford has consistently topped national surveys for its affordability, being ranked the UK’s most affordable city by Comparethemarket.com in 2021 and 2022, and being ranked among the UK’s most affordable cities by international students in 2024.
Commenting on the StudentCrowd report, Claire Pryke, Associate Director of Outreach, Recruitment and Admissions, said: “Study, transport and accommodation costs are an important factor for many students. The StudentCrowd report highlighting the affordability of study in Bradford is yet another reason to study at the University of Bradford, which is renowned for its world-leading research and excellent student outcomes. We’re proud of the fact that 92% of our UK Domiciled Full-Time Undergraduates are in employment or further study 15 months after graduation."
She added: “This year is also Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, so there are many opportunities for students to gain experience and be part of one of the UK’s most vibrant cities."
The University of Bradford has also been ranked #1 on the Higher Education Policy Institute’s Social Mobility Index in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, meaning it does more than any other English higher education institution to improve the life chances of its students.
How the league table was calculated
StudentCrowd’s live accommodation data* is used to create the Cheapest UK Cities for Student Accommodation League Table of more than 80 university locations across the UK. The data is based on an average of the minimum monthly price of student accommodation in all UK locations.
The average cost of a shared flat with a shared bathroom was £84, while a shared flat with en suite was £100, according to the StudentCrowd league table.
Rock Living rental-ownership ‘first for UK’
As a measure of the confidence developers see in Bradford, a £17m scheme by Rock Living, located near the University of Bradford campus, will feature 249 high-quality student units designed with modern amenities and offer a unique ownership scheme.
Joseph Tyrrell, Managing Director of Rock Living, who has over 30 years of experience in the property development industry, having worked extensively in both the UK and Middle East, said: “This is a very unique project. We’re offering a fixed monthly payment of £1,200 over four years, after which the accommodation becomes the investor’s property. This scheme provides stability and protects against the volatile and ever-growing rental costs that investors and their families often face.”
He added: “Bradford, as the City of Culture, is an ideal location to launch this project. The city’s growth and vibrancy make it the perfect backdrop for an initiative that will have a lasting impact on investors, the community, and the city.”
