Preston is a city in North Lancashire, west of Blackburn, east of Blackpool and north of Manchester and Liverpool.
The city is home to Preston College and the University of Central Lancashire as well as lots of shopping, dining, entertainment, parks, galleries and museums.
The city has great transport links including the M6, A59, A6 and M55. There’re also mainline rail links to major UK towns and cities in the region.
Like many northern cities, Preston has a friendly vibe with an easy going atmosphere. It’s geared up for students and there are lots of businesses around that cater specifically to your needs.
The cost of living in Preston is pretty reasonable. It’s a northern city so it will be cheaper than anywhere down south. Plus, there’s a lot of housing stock, keeping purchase prices and rents reasonable. The average cost of living in Preston for students is around £1,000 per month including rent, bills, food, entertainment, transport and clothes.
Rent is a big chunk of that, with food and bills coming a close second. Compare that to Sanctuary Student’s Moor Lane Halls accommodation that costs as little as £65 per week for a standard room or £99 per week for a double ensuite.
What’s more, rent includes all bills!
All gas, electricity, water, heating, internet, cleaning of communal areas, building security, maintenance and everything else is included in the rent. We even include free contents insurance! That reduces your monthly expenditure significantly!
We can’t help with food and other expenses but at least your rent is cheap and you have no bills to pay and worry about!
A night out in Preston is also inexpensive depending on where you go. The cost of a pint is reasonable, a taxi home won’t break the bank and it’s possible to eat out on a budget here.
There are plenty of cheap student accommodation options in Preston but you probably wouldn’t want to live in many of them.
Sanctuary Students is different. Our entire business model is designed around providing high-quality, safe and warm student accommodation at an affordable price.
All our buildings are freshly decorated, well-maintained, have CCTV, communal areas, kitchens, laundries and more.
Moor Lane Halls has a common room with Sky TV, Wi-Fi, on-site laundry, CCTV, on-site security, 24-hour maintenance and even an on-site gym.
Our Walker Street accommodation also has a common room, Wi-Fi, on-site laundry, security patrol, CCTV and 24-hour maintenance. Both buildings are within walking distance of the University of Central Lancashire, St George's Shopping Centre, Fishergate Shopping Centre, Preston train station and everywhere you’re likely to want to visit.
Staying with Sanctuary Students is about so much more than just a room!
Securing cheap student accommodation options in Preston is just part of making it through your student years.
Making your money last is just as important. Saving money on rent and bills is one way to make it through but there’s more.
Here are some simple, actionable tips to save money as a student in Preston.
Eating out or takeaways are easy, but expensive over the long term. Save them for the weekend or special occasions. Cook for you and your friends the rest of the time.
Cooking basic staple foods can also be easy. It will also be much, much cheaper than deliveries or eating out.
Plus, nothing earns kudos more than a student that can cook!
Most banks and building societies offer student bank accounts. They will be free and often come with a free overdraft.
It isn’t often you’ll be offered something for free from a bank so you may as well take advantage of it.
Your bank account will make paying for things easier with a card and will often provide other incentives such as discounts and cheap entry to venues.
If you plan to use public transport to get around, consider getting a student travelcard.
Calculate how much you’ll probably spend on bus or train fares against how much the travelcard costs. If the maths work, get one.
This is the one piece of advice we give every student who stays with us. Budget well and you’ll not only make your money last throughout your time here, but you’ll also learn an essential life skill.
It isn’t difficult to create a student budget. Use Google Sheets or another spreadsheet and create a column for income and another for outgoings.
Divide your allowance between the number of weeks and months you’ll be here and keep a little aside for contingencies.
Make sure you always spend less than your weekly or monthly budget and you’ll make it through.
Smart shopping is a great way to save money on everyday expenses.
Shop late for groceries as you’ll find lots of discounts on fresh produce. Avoid big brands and go for own brand or discount brands. You’ll often find very little difference between them, apart from the price.
If you need course books, buy them secondhand from last year’s students. eBay and other marketplaces often have them too.
Do you need big ticket items like a laptop? Wait for sales like Black Friday if you can. You’ll save a lot of money if you can wait.
This is probably the only time of your life that so many businesses will freely offer you a discount. Take advantage of it.
If you see a student discount offered, use it if you need to. If you don’t see a sign outlining a discount, ask for one.
Most businesses in Preston are geared up for students so you may as well take advantage of it!
Preston is a great city to be a student in. There is loads going on, you’re close to other major cities and it’s very easy to get around.
Even though you have found fully inclusive cheap student accommodation in Preston, that’s only half the battle.
Stay within your budget, shop savvy and use all the tips we shared here to help you manage your finances.
Accommodation prices accurate as of June 2023.7