SOUTHAMPTON has been ranked as one of the most expensive cities for students to rent accommodation, costing more than Brighton, Manchester and Birmingham.

The city has been named the 11th most expensive place to live in across the UK, with the average rent spend standing at nearly £160 a week, according to the website student.com

Unsurprisingly London was the most expensive, on £275 a week, but Southampton - home to two universities which have a combined student population of 40,000 - ranked as more costly than major cities such as Glasgow and Liverpool. The most affordable was Hull, on £85.

The University of Southampton’s student president, Alex Hovden, said: “I am absolutely aware of the costs – students up and down the country are having difficulties with the cost of living, and Southampton is no exception to that rule.

“We have our own lettings agency, which is one of the few agencies in the city which is on the side of the students, as opposed to the landlord.

“This means that students are being properly looked after in their housing, and not being ripped off. Ultimately, it is there for our members and it has gone from strength to strength in the last few years.”

The University of Southampton has on-campus advice centre which gives tips on managing budgets and forward planning.

Students living in halls are also given a Unilink bus pass in order to travel around the city at no extra cost.

Southampton Solent University also has an on-campus support system, Students 1st, where students can gain guidance on a wide variety of issues including finance, and offers a selection of additional funding to those who are in need. The access to learning fund is a non-repayable bursary that students can apply for each year in order to help cover accommodation costs.

The report analysed weekly rent spend by more than 8,000 students who booked housing in 92 cities worldwide between November 2015 and October 2016 via student.com, the world’s largest marketplace for student accommodation.

The website’s founder Luke Nolan said: “Cities with larger supplies of purpose-built student accommodation tend to be more affordable than cities that are under supplied.

“We speak to students every day and our biggest piece of advice is always: start your search as early as possible. By planning ahead and exploring the market, students can find quality accommodation that fits within their budgets – even in cities that are more expensive than average.”