About Edinburgh
With 43% of its student population being international, Edinburgh has the highest percentage of international students of any major city in the UK. This is due to the city's excellent educational reputation as well as its slightly low cost of living. Here is a breakdown of the proportion of international students by level of study in Edinburgh:
Undergraduate: 34%
Postgraduate: 47%
Research: 54%
Four world-class universities are located in the city, including the University of Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh Napier University, and Queen Margaret University, contributing to its excellent higher education reputation.
Popular Student Accommodation Areas in Edinburgh
Popular Edinburgh areas among university students are Marchmont, Tollcross, and Haymarket. There are a few things to keep in mind while searching for the perfect student area to stay in, including transportation, cost, and amenities.
1. Students living in Edinburgh’s Marchmont will be near the University of Edinburgh,
and purpose-built accommodation would cost around £180–£250/week.
Travel time from Marchmont to the City Centre by different modes of transportation:
Bus - 15-25 minutes
Taxi - 10-15 minutes
Walking - 45-60 minutes
2. Students living in Tollcross would pay approximately £160–£220/week.
Nearby universities include the University of Edinburgh and Edinburgh Napier University.
Travel time from Tollcross to the City Centre by different modes of transportation:
Bus - 15-25 minutes
Taxi - 10-15 minutes
Walking - 45-60 minutes
3. Students living in Haymarket purpose-built student accommodation would pay around £160–£220/week. This area includes Heriot-Watt University and Edinburgh Napier University.
Travel time from Haymarket to the City Centre by different modes of transportation:
Bus - 5-15 minutes
Tram 5-10 minutes
Taxi - 5-10 minutes
Walking - 30-45 minutes
Best Student Accommodation in Edinburgh
Edinburgh has various student room options, and students can explore different areas near their universities and budgets in Edinburgh.
Popular student housing in Edinburgh that provide almost every room type are Edinburgh College Residence, Westfield, Gorgie, Silk Mill, The Mont, and IQ Grove.
Discover Student Room Types in Edinburgh (Approx. £200 – £1200/ month)
The purpose-built student accommodation in Edinburgh typically includes a variety of amenities included in the bills; it varies according to the provider's terms and conditions. But broadly, we suggest a student should consider budget, needs, and preferences while making decisions.
Here, we have categorised the room types given below based on preference and budget to help you in your decision-making.
Type 1: Affordable student rooms in Edinburgh:
These cost around £140–£220 per week on average and are recommended for students who are comfortable sharing space. Typically, such properties are houses or apartments.
Shared room
Amenities: Self-contained apartment with multiple bedrooms, shared bathroom, shared kitchen
Marchmont avg. Rent: £370 / month
Tollcross avg. Rent: £350 / month
Haymarket avg. Rent: £300/ month
Triple/ Quadruple rooms
Amenities: Private bedroom, Shared bathroom, shared kitchen
Marchmont avg. Rent: £220 / month
Tollcross avg. Rent: £200 / month
Haymarket avg. Rent: £200/ month
Entire place
Amenities: Private bedroom, Shared bathroom, shared kitchen
Marchmont avg. Rent: £700 / month
Tollcross avg. Rent: £600 / month
Haymarket avg. Rent: £600/ month
Type 2: Affordable student rooms in Edinburgh with privacy: These rooms cost around £200–£400 per month.
Student Single Room
Amenities: Private bedroom, Shared bathroom, shared kitchen
Marchmont avg. Rent: £400 / month
Tollcross avg. Rent: £350 / month
Haymarket avg. Rent: £320/ month
Recommended student single rooms are The Bridge House and Iona Street.
Student Shared Flats
Amenities: Private Bedroom in a shared house or flat, shared bathroom, shared kitchen
Marchmont avg. Rent: £400 / month
Tollcross avg. Rent: £333 / month
Haymarket avg. Rent: £350/ month
Recommended student-shared flats include Thistle St. Apartments.
Student Twin Rooms
Amenities: One room with 2 single beds, Shared bathroom, shared kitchen
Marchmont avg. Rent: £400 / month
Tollcross avg. Rent: £350 / month
Haymarket avg. Rent: £375/ month
Student Double Room
Amenities: One bedroom with double bed, shared bathroom, shared kitchen
Marchmont avg. Rent: £350 / month
Tollcross avg. Rent: £320 / month
Haymarket avg. Rent: £340/ month
Room Type 3: Edinburgh student rooms with privacy, quiet space, and near the City Centre cost around £200- £500 per month.
Edinburgh Student Flats
Amenities: Private bedroom, private bathroom, private kitchen
Marchmont avg. Rent: £600 / month
Tollcross avg. Rent: £500 / month
Haymarket avg. Rent: £550/ month
Browse through Edinburgh student flats such as Edinburgh Queen Square, Queen Street Gardens, and Arthurs Seat Student Living.
Edinburgh Student En-Suite Rooms
Amenities: Single bedroom, Private bathroom, shared kitchen
Marchmont avg. Rent: £500 / month
Tollcross avg. Rent: £450 / month
Haymarket avg. Rent: £500/ month
Browse through students' en-suits in Edinburgh, such as Portsburgh Court Roost, New Park, and iQ Fountainbridge.
Edinburgh Student Studios
Amenities: private bedroom, Private bathroom, private kitchen
Marchmont avg. Rent: £550 / month
Tollcross avg. Rent: £450 / month
Haymarket avg. Rent: £450/ month
Popular student studios are Panmure Court Roost and Huxley Studios.
Room Type 4: Students who prefer amenities over budget
Student Penthouse in Edinburgh costs around £500–£1,200 per month.
These are suitable for students who prefer to have private bedrooms, a private balcony, a terrace, privacy, spacious rooms, and a top floor that is more over budget.
International students in Edinburgh, UK also search for:
Cost of Living in Edinburgh for Students (Approx. £240 – £700)
It varies depending on students’ lifestyle choices, but overall, apart from your Edinburgh student accommodation rent, other expenses cannot be ignored. We have suggestions to help you save money while living in Edinburgh as a student:
Food: £100–£250/month on average.
We suggest buying groceries that cost around £100/month and cooking your own meals.
Shop from grocery stores such as Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Aldi, and Lidl. They have some specific days for students' discounts.
Transportation: £20-£52/month on average
Get a Lothian Ridacard for £57 per month and get unlimited travel on buses and trams.
Rent a bicycle from Edinburgh Cycle Hire worth £10-£15 per day for a daily commute.
Rent electric bikes and folding bikes for £20 per day from private companies for weekend commutes.
University bike schemes: Some universities, such as the University of Edinburgh and Edinburgh Napier University, offer their students discounted bikes.
Buy a new bike for £200, easily available for students, which is equal to one month's rent and will benefit you for the entire year.
Kitchen Essentials: Market worth around £120-£250.
Some properties do not provide utensils in that case, student can check online where some websites provide student at discounted prices from market prices.
Former students generally leave their kitchen essentials on the property while leaving the city due to airport luggage weight restrictions. You can find someone in your friends circle and reuse the stuff.
Bedding Essentials: Market worth around £80.
Only a few providers provide bedding packs to their tenants included in bills or as an offer. Otherwise, after move-in, students have to buy on their own.
Former students generally leave their bedding essentials on the property while leaving the city due to airport luggage weight restrictions. You can find someone in your friends circle and reuse the stuff.
Bathroom Essentials: Market worth around £30
Some properties do not provide bathroom essentials in that case, student can check online where some websites provide at discounted prices from market prices.
Cleaning Essentials: Market worth around £40
