About Preston
Preston is a UK city located in the northwest of England and is in the historic county of Lancashire. This city is very popular among students as it has various high-ranking institutions, which include UClan (the University of Central Lancashire), which ranks 901–950th worldwide as of 2024 according to the QS world rankings.
It also has good transport links and beautiful countryside, providing beautiful scenic views. The city is also extremely cultural, with more than 100 museums and galleries in the city and surrounding areas. The city is also relatively affordable compared to other UK cities.
Popular Student Areas in Preston
Preston is divided into three constituencies: Preston, Fylde, Wyre and Preston North, and into 22 wards.
Popular Preston areas include Fulwood, Broughton, and Ribbleton.
1. Students living in Fullwod will be near the University of Central Lancashire, and purposely-built accommodation would cost around £150–£400/week.
Travel time from Fulwood to the city centre by different modes of transportation:
Bus - 20-30 minutes
Taxi - 10-15
Walking - 45-60
2. Students living in Broughton pay approximately £150–£400 / week for a PBSA.
The nearest university campus is the University of Central Lancashire.
Travel time from Broughton to the City Centre by different modes of transportation:
Bus - 15-25
Taxi - 5-10
Walking- 30-45
3. Students living in Ribbleton pay approximately £180–£400 / week for a PBSA.
The nearest university campus is the University of Central Lancashire.
Travel time from Ribbleton to the City Centre by different modes of transportation:
Bus - 10-20
Taxi - 5-10
Walking- 30-40
Best Student Housings in Preston
Preston has a vast choice of student room options in proximity to their colleges and budgets.
Popular student accommodations in Preston are Canterbury Hall, iQ Kopa, Urban Hub, Jubilee Court, and The WareHouse Apartments.
Discover Student Room Types in Preston
The purpose-built student accommodation in Preston typically includes a variety of amenities included in the bills; it varies according to the provider's terms & conditions. But broadly, we suggest a student should consider budget, needs, and preferences while making decisions.
We have categorised the room types below based on preference and budget to help you in your decision-making. These are the following options:
Type 1: Affordable student rooms in Preston:
These cost around £600–£1,300 per month on average and are recommended for students who are comfortable sharing space. Typically, such properties are houses or apartments.
Twin room
Amenities: these often include two single beds, study areas, and storage spaces for two. They often have en-suite bathrooms. These also share social areas with flatmates, as well as the kitchen.
Gunwharf Quays avg. Rent: £800–£1,300/month
Southsea avg. Rent:£750–£1,200/month
Old Portsmouth. avg. Rent: £700–£900/month
Triple rooms
Amenities: these often include three single beds, study areas, and storage spaces for three. They often share bathrooms. These also share social areas with flatmates, as well as the kitchen.
Gunwharf Quays avg. Rent: £750–£1,100/month
Southsea avg. Rent: £700-£1,000/month
Old Portsmouth. avg. Rent: £600-£850/month
Quadruple rooms
Amenities: these often include four single beds, study areas, and storage spaces for two. They often share bathrooms. These also share social areas with flatmates, as well as the kitchen.
Gunwharf Quays avg. Rent: £650–£950/month
Southsea avg. Rent: £600 - £900 / month
Old Portsmouth. avg. Rent: £550 - £800 / month
Type 2: Affordable student rooms in Preston with privacy: These rooms cost around £350–£850 per month.
Student Single Room (non-en-suite)
Amenities: Private bedroom, Shared bathroom, shared kitchen
Gunwharf Quays avg. Rent: £450 - £700 / month
Southsea avg. Rent: £400 - £650 / month
Old Portsmouth. avg. Rent: £350 - £600 / month
Student Single Room (en-suite)
Amenities: Private bedroom, private bathroom, shared kitchen
Gunwharf Quays avg. Rent: £550 - £850 / month
Southsea avg. Rent: £500 - £800 / month
Old Portsmouth. avg. Rent: £450 - £750 / month
Browse through Preston student single-ensuite rooms, such as Jubilee Court and iQ Kopa.
Room Type 3: Preston student rooms with privacy, quiet space, and near the city centre cost as little as £600 up to £1300 per month.
Preston Student Flats (One-bedroom)
Amenities: Private bedroom, private bathroom, private kitchen
Gunwharf Quays avg. Rent: £700–£1,300/month
Southsea avg. Rent: £650–£1,200/month
Old Portsmouth. avg. Rent: £600-£1,100/month
Browse through Preston student flats, such as Modern 1 Bed City Centre Apartment and Modern 1 bed flat - Merchant City-Free Parking.
Preston student studio rooms
Amenities: Private bedroom, private bathroom, private kitchen
Gunwharf Quays avg. Rent: £600 - £1,000 / month
Southsea avg. Rent: £550 - £950 / month
Old Portsmouth. avg. Rent: £500 - £900 / month
Browse through Preston student studios, such as Canterbury Hall.
Room Type 4: Amenities over budget
Student penthouses in Preston cost around £1,000 to £2,000 per month.
These are suitable for students who prefer private bedrooms, a private balcony, a terrace, privacy, spacious rooms, and a top floor over budget.
Cost of Living in Preston for Students
It varies depending on students’ lifestyle choices, but overall, apart from your Preston student accommodation rent, other expenses cannot be ignored. We have suggestions to help you save money while living in Preston as a student:
Food: £180 - £350/ month on average.
Daily recommended budget: £6 - £12 /per day.
Shop from grocery stores such as Aldi, Lidl, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, and Tesco.
Try the Casita Dry Essentials box worth £36 at a discounted rate of £32. The box contains edible items. T&C applied.
Transportation: £35 - £100/month on average
You can apply for a Preston Bus Easi28Day: £75.00 for unlimited bus travel for 28 days.
You can apply for a Uclan Term Ticket for unlimited bus travel during your term if you’re a student at Uclan for almost £238.00 per term.
If you use the train, you can opt for a 16-25 Railcard, which costs £30.00 for one year.
Buy a second-hand bicycle for as little as £50.
Or walk; it is free and healthy.
Kitchen Essentials: Market worth around £150–£480.
Some properties do not provide utensils; in that case, check out our Casita Kitchen Essentials and Casita International Kitchen Essentials at discounted prices from market prices. T&C applied.
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 friend's circle and reuse the stuff.
Bedding Essentials: Market worth around £90–£645.
Only a few providers provide bedding packs to their tenants as part of their bills or as an offer. Otherwise, after move-in, students have to buy on their own. Casita Bedding Essentials is offered at discounted prices from market prices to its students. T&C applied.
Due to airport luggage weight restrictions, former students generally leave their bedding essentials on the property while leaving the city. You can find someone in your friend's circle and reuse the stuff.
Bathroom Essentials: Market worth around £110–£440.
While booking a student room, the focus remains on whether it has shared or private bathrooms, but forget about bathroom essentials. The Casita Bathroom Essentials pack has it covered and is offered at discounted prices from market prices. T&C applied.
Cleaning Essentials: Market worth around £55 - £480
Cleaning and hygiene are underrated while booking a student room sometimes. But if you need it on a daily basis. The Casita Eco Cleaning Essentials box has everything covered at discounted prices. T&C applied.