With just over 100,000 students across three high-quality universities, Manchester has a well-deserved reputation as a great student city. Here you can search and find student accommodation in Manchester, including student houses, flats, and halls.
With just over 100,000 students across three high-quality universities, Manchester has a well-deserved reputation as a great student city. Here you can search and find student accommodation in Manchester, including student houses, flats, and halls.
The city is known for being inclusive. Everyone is welcome and spaces like the Gay Village are central to that ethos, with events such as Manchester Village Pride and Sparkle bringing people together each year. It also attracts students from across the world, with over 21,000 international students from more than 160 countries choosing to study here.
Education in Manchester has a big reputation: the University of Manchester is part of the Russell Group and is well-known for its strong research, with 26 Nobel laureates linked to it. As a result, entry to these universities is competitive, with many courses asking for high A-Level grades.
Student life is varied and the needs of every student are suited. You might start the day with coffee in Ancoats, spend time browsing independent shops in the Northern Quarter, then head out in the evening. Nights can be busy but places like MCR Lounge and The Courtyard are popular and affordable.
Getting around is fairly simple, with options ranging from buses, trains, trams, and cycling – some of which have student discounts!
Living in Manchester is similar to most other cities and rent isn’t unreasonably high considering the prospects the city has to offer. On average, our research shows that students in Manchester pay a monthly fee of £845 for rent, which is exactly half of that paid by London students (£1690 p/m.)
Manchester is considered to be home to one of the top UK universities –University of Manchester ranks sixth amongst the Russel Group Universities, as well as 35th in the QS World University Rankings. Manchester,as a whole, was voted as the top UK city to live in based on the 2022 The Economist’s Global Liveability Index. Â
Hosting events such as PRIDE, as well as boasting the famous Gay Village – Manchester is proud of its inclusivity and the support that it provides the LGBT community.
Due to the cultural diversity in this city, many international students choose to study here. During the 2024/25 academic year, HESA reported 18,515 non-UK students to be studying at University of Manchester, 3,645 at the Manchester Metropolitan University, 3,195 at the University of Greater Manchester, and 4,975 at the University of Salford – highlighting the city to be a popular choice amongst international students.
Accommodation locations highly depend on which campus or university in Manchester that you are studying at.Dotted around the city, there are plenty of accommodation options available to students, and for University of Manchester students, the guarantee that new, full-time undergraduate and international postgraduate students will receive an offer of a room in University halls. Popular places for shared homes include Fallowfield, Rusholme, or Withington.
Manchester is well-known for its vibrant night life, there is a wide selection of student-friendly pubs, clubs, bars and themed events. There is always something on, no matter the day of the week! Head out on student night for slightly cheaper prices!Â
Manchester is significantly cheaper than London; transport is cheaper, restaurants are cheaper, and so are groceries, bills, rent and daily expenses. If you were to set a budget of £1,000 per month for example, you would be able to live much more comfortably in Manchester with that money than you could in London.Â
Manchester is considered to be moderately expensive due to the inflation of prices in large cities in comparison to other areas. However, as it is a student city there are many opportunities to get student discounts on private housing, eating out (in-store discounts as well as via using apps such as Student Beans and UniDays), as well as in shops.
Manchester is generally consideredsafe; the city has achieved a Purple Flag status for the past two years (recently being awarded the flag again for this year.) This indicates that active efforts are in place to ensure ongoing safety, particularly for women.
Manchester is ranked as the 13th top student city in the UK. It is generally considered to be a safe city due to schemes in place to help students home from a night out, as well as well-lit streets and the universities having their own safety and security teams.
Manchester Universities
Manchester is home to both the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University.
