06 Sept. 07
Living in Belfast has become more expensive for students since last year, a new study has indicated.
The Ulster Bank 2007 Student Living Index suggests Belfast has dropped from sixth to 19th place in a league table of 27 cities.
The table ranked major UK university towns by cost of living, looking at weekly expenditure against earnings.
Ciarnan Helferty of Queen's University said students were leaving with more money worries than ever before.
On average, Belfast students now spend £193 each week on living and housing costs, compared to £186 per week in Leeds the most cost-effective city for students to live.
Students in Belfast report paying out more on rent, transport, books, eating out and laundry. The average student working part-time in Belfast earns £91 per week compared to £98 for the UK as a whole and £128, on average, in Leeds.
Some 61% of university students in Belfast have part-time jobs compared to the UK average of 41%, whilst 29% of students studying in Belfast live at home compared to the average of 18%.
Roisin Ryan of the Ulster Bank said: "Although Belfast has become less cost-effective for students, it is still less expensive than other cities, including Edinburgh, Oxford and Nottingham."
She said that the rising cost of property in Northern Ireland - and subsequent rise in rents - seemed to be one of the reasons for Belfast's lower cost-effectiveness ranking for students this year.
"Expenditure on weekly rent by Belfast students has risen from last year's survey, with fewer students this year reporting weekly rent of less than £50 and many more reporting weekly rent above £50 and above £75.
"In addition, in line with the broader issue of lower average salaries here compared to the rest of the UK, Belfast students in part-time work earn on average considerably less than their counterparts in other cities."
The index listed Nottingham as the worst place for students to live.
The Student Living Index was compiled with the bank's parent company Royal Bank of Scotland.
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