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Hello, everyone! London is a beautiful city, but the cost of living there is not attractive at all. This blog is specifically for international students with budgeting issues in this city! If you are from Indonesia, you know you will cry every time you convert the rupiah into the GBP! Therefore, you must consider how to spend your limited money here. The first thing you need to do before moving here is to do a little bit of research on where you want to live. I suggest going to SpareRoom to search for flats. The website allows distinctive options, such as locations, the type of rooms you want and even roommates. Prices can range between £500 and possibly £2000 per month, depending on the area. I would avoid living in Chelsea, Knightsbridge, Kensington or the Central and West areas for international students. Typically, shared flats in the East offer affordable pricing.
The biggest mistake you will ever make is going places by Uber! Please do not do that; it is not worth it! London's public transportation, such as tubes and buses, are available in most areas. You can even ride the tube all the way from Heathrow Airport to your future apartment, especially by the Elizabeth line! Tube costs vary depending on the zones you are travelling to, but usually, it does not cost above £5 one way. The bus, however, only costs below £2. That is why I like to use the bus from Bow (East London) to Soho every single time. If you live near the Central areas, you can walk from Westminster to Mayfair or Tower Bridge! I mean, what better way to truly explore the city than by walking? In addition, instead of paying directly with your card, you should get a travel card called the "Oyster card" for cheaper prices. Subscriptions for season tickets and student travel cards are also available for transport. Using them will be more affordable than paying for them daily, especially when you travel within multiple zones regularly. You can easily get the student travel card by requesting it from the student services at your university!
As much as I love Central London, the food can be pricey, so you should visit their website and see the price before eating at specific restaurants. If you want to eat there, go to Chinatown, where there is a lot of reasonably priced Korean, Japanese, and Chinese cuisine. Social media sites like Instagram and TikTok are your friends. There are a lot of reel videos that show us cheap restaurants and fun, affordable activities in London! Being an international student is rough but also a blessing in disguise. Some restaurants, clothing stores and even gyms offer discounts for students. So, NEVER forget to bring your Student ID to claim those discounts! If you prefer to cook at home, you should avoid grocery shopping at fancy stores like Marks and Spencer or Waitrose. You should visit Lidl, Sainsbury, and Tesco Express, and remember to sign up for card memberships. They offer plenty of discounts for members, and you can get free stuff by having certain points on your Clubcard! If those tips weren't enough to keep your money in your wallet, you should look for a part-time job! There is no harm in working during your free time! If it's anything, you can get a little money from it, and you can always put those experiences on your CV!