- Rent: The average rent that you will pay in England varies depending on where you live. A one bedroom flat averages at £650 (~$1000 USD) per month if you’re in the city; £550 (~$850 USD) if you’re outside of the city. It may be more if your energy costs are included in the rent.
- Council Tax: If you live in England, you have to pay council tax. They calculate how much you should pay per year based on where you live and how many people live with you (if you live alone, it’s much less). This tax helps pay for trash collection, police forces, and street maintenance. It usually averages about £25 ($40 USD) per week.
- Other utilities: If these aren’t included in the rent, the total for gas, electricity, and water per week is about £40/$60 USD. If you live alone or are not home that often due to sightseeing, socializing, or studying, those costs may be less. Heat may also make utilities vary, but that estimate should at least help you budget throughout the year.
- Television license: In England, you must pay for a television license if you’re watching TV at all, even if it’s on a computer or tablet. The cost of the license is £150 ($230 USD) per year for a color television. Luckily, this is per home and not per person, so if you have roommates, you just split this cost.
- Travel costs: Many people in England will buy passes instead of having a vehicle. It makes the commute faster and you can travel much further for much less. A monthly pass for most services. averages at £55, but students can get some great discounts. The International Staff website has a lot of resources available for every type of public transportation you can use in England.
- Other Miscellaneous costs: such as food, internet, books, toiletries, and other items and services you may need. Make sure that you also save a certain amount of cash for potential health care issues that come up, excess school costs that you weren’t expecting, and general emergencies.