Cost of Living: London Vs. St. Andrews

I have received offers for postgraduate study at the LSE and St. Andrews.

I was wondering just how bad the cost in Central London is on a day to day basis compared to say the Washington DC area(which by American standards isn't cheap at all)?

Also compared to London how much less is the cost of living in St. Andrews? From what I understand it's very small, rural, and quiet place so I would imgaine off the bat alot less then London?

Thank you for any insights I get in advance!

I have received offers for postgraduate study at the LSE and St. Andrews.

I was wondering just how bad the cost in Central London is on a day to day basis compared to say the Washington DC area(which by American standards isn't cheap at all)?

Also compared to London how much less is the cost of living in St. Andrews? From what I understand it's very small, rural, and quiet place so I would imgaine off the bad alot less then London?

Thank you for any insights I get in advance!

Hi ProStudent! Congratulations on the offers. 

St Andrews is quite an upmarket area but I'm sure it'll still be much cheaper than London.

Here is a cost of living comparison tool!    https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/St-Andrews-United-Kingdom


You can use these to search for rentals.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent.html

http://zoopla.co.uk

St Andrews is expensive for Scotland, but it's no comparison with London, which is one of the most expensive cities in the world. That said, if you're used to DC prices maybe London won't be that shocking to you!

When I applied for my student visa (granted, several years ago now), you were required to show that you had £1000 available per month if studying in London, or £800 anywhere else in the UK.  The prices may have changed but the point remains, even UKVI expects it to cost more in London.

When I applied for my student visa (granted, several years ago now), you were required to show that you had £1000 available per month if studying in London, or £800 anywhere else in the UK.  The prices may have changed but the point remains, even UKVI expects it to cost more in London.

Yeah, the current amounts are now:

- £1,265 per month for living costs if you are studying in London for the majority of your study (more than 50% of your study time);

-  £1,015  per month for living costs if you are studying outside Londonor anywhere else in the UK for the majority of your study (more than 50% of your study time).

St Andrews is expensive for Scotland, but it's no comparison with London, which is one of the most expensive cities in the world. That said, if you're used to DC prices maybe London won't be that shocking to you!

How would the cost of living in St. Andrews compare to the DC Area if any comparison can be made?

I'd assume cheaper no?

I honestly don't know, I just have an impression of DC as expensive. In St Andrews, cost of living can vary pretty widely; it depends on if you stay in halls or a private rental, whether you have flatmates or not, where exactly in town you are, whether you feel the need to have a car, etc. You can get an idea of rent costs by looking at estate agents websites for student rentals and the uni accommodation pages.

How would the cost of living in St. Andrews compare to the DC Area if any comparison can be made?

I'd assume cheaper no?

Here's a calculated example from the same website as linked earlier, though they don't have complete data for St. Andrews:
https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=United+States&country2=United+Kingdom&city1=Washington%2C+DC&city2=St.+Andrews&tracking=getDispatchComparison