Egham and other Surrey towns

Hello all,

I'm considering doing a Ph.D. at a couple of different Uni. of London colleges and I was hoping someone might be able to help give some info about finding affordable housing.
Royal Holloway is one of the places I was looking at and the rent seems pretty high in this area.

What is a decent price for rent in this area for a 2 bedroom house/flat?
I'll have my wife and (almost) 2 year old daughter...so I'm hoping to avoid a house share.

I'm also interested in ANY other places in Surrey that might be cheap to live in and I'll commute into Egham or London as needed.

Thanks!

I think Almariel lives there, try pming her

Egham is lovely as is Royal Holloway (my favourite building anywhere!)

I live just down the A30 just between Bagshot and Camberley and we have a second house (2bd)  that we rent out for £880 in Camberley,  but closer to Egham/Englefield Green, you'd probably be paying closer to £1200/mo.

Do you plan to drive?  I ask because a public transport reliant commute to Royal Holloway may prove to be a bit difficult since the rail station in Egham isnt really that close to the school. 

I think you'd have to define cheap before I could recommend any other places, but I would suggest that you dont limit your search to Surrey only as this area of Surrey borders a few other counties as well. Egham is right on the Berkshire border (Windsor is just to the North) and even Hampshire would be within a 30 minute drive away (and probably cheaper).  Middlesex is also just past Staines toward Heathrow, but I dont know anything about much in Middlesex.

What is your price range and other important decision making factors?  Maybe I can be of more help with more information.

I think you'd have to define cheap before I could recommend any other places, but I would suggest that you dont limit your search to Surrey only 

That is the problem.  I don't really know what cheap is for the area.  As for my funds, well...that will depend on what offers of position/assistance and such I might be able to get.  I know the university will offer some scholarships and sometimes cover tuition.

I did my MFA in Exeter and my wife and I did a house share situation which was affordable on our US loans and also working...but since moving back to the States we've had a baby and I don't know that I'd want to do that again.  Needing to rent a private place in such an expensive area may put off our plans for a bit. 
We didn't plan on buying a car while there...but that may be something else to consider in the financial planning area.

I guess I should just start with the basic info of what IS considered cheap for this area and what might I expect to have to save to survive.

I actually was in Egham yesterday and the rail station isnt as far away from the school as I was thinking - maybe 1.5 miles depending where on the campus you need to be... so you'd probably be ok without a car. 

As mentioned - cheap and Surrey arent usually spoken in the same sentence, especially near Egham/Virgina Water, I'd consider a 2 bed for under £1000/mo to be "cheap" here.   Going to East to Staines would probably save you at least £100-150/mo, or going West to Camberley would probably save about the same or more.

Thanks!  That's very helpful.  I still have lots of things to consider - but that's very good to know that kind of specifics.