Orla
University of Edinburgh · Edinburgh
Economics · Year 1
left after rent every month
-£162“Edinburgh is beautiful. I tutor every evening just to make rent.”
↓
Where does Orla's money go?
“Edinburgh is stunning. The campus is stunning. The city is stunning. And I tutor GCSE Maths every single evening just to make rent. I love it here. I am exhausted.”
💷Loan arrives+£796
🏠Rent£932
🛒Food£200
🚌Transport+£0
💰What's left£162
To cover that gap, Orla works 13 hrs/week. At minimum wage that's £687/month.
What Orla's loan actually buys
Orla's life on £796/month
🛏️
Halls room
£932/mo
✗ Can't afford
🚌
Bus travel
FREE under 22
✓ Affordable
🍜
Meal out
£22
✗ Can't afford
🐕
A dog
£60+/mo
✗ Can't afford
💇
Haircut
£35 Edinburgh
✗ Can't afford
💻
Online tutoring
Earns £130/wk
✓ Affordable
👟
New trainers
£80
✗ Can't afford
🧻
Toilet paper
£3 Savers
✓ Affordable
A week in Orla's life
Monday
9am: Economics lecture. Notes for tutoring.
12pm: Library. Sandwich from home.
3pm: Prepare GCSE materials.
5pm: Tutor student 1. Online. £15.
7pm: Tutor student 2. Online. £15.
9pm: Revision. 11pm: Bed.
Saturday
10am: Three back-to-back tutoring sessions.
1pm: £45 earned.
2pm: Walk up Arthur's Seat. Free.
5pm: Supermarket. Budget: £25.
7pm: Study. No social plans. Cannot afford.
Same course. Same loan. Different city.
Edinburgh
-£162
per month
Manchester
+£171
per month
Manchester would leave Orla £333/month better off
See Manchester vs Edinburgh →If Orla had chosen Manchester, she'd have £333/month more.
She loves Edinburgh too much to regret it. But she's running on empty.
Some choices cost more than money.
What happens when Orla graduates?
Student now£-162/mo
Graduate year 1
Graduate analyst in Edinburgh, after rent
Improvement+£1,312/mo
Know someone choosing between Edinburgh and Manchester?
Send this to anyone making the same decision. Or send it to your parents — there's a version written for them.