Budgeting for a student house is hard when you have no idea what bills are actually going to cost. So here's a realistic ballpark: for a typical 4-person student house in the UK in 2025, each person is likely looking at somewhere between £65–110 per month on utilities and household bills combined — depending on where you live, how efficiently you use energy, and whether you've sorted a decent broadband deal. That's before food and rent. Here's how that breaks down per bill.
Electricity — roughly £30–50 per person per month
Electricity is usually the biggest shared bill for a student house, particularly through winter. In a 4-person house, the total monthly electricity cost typically sits somewhere between £120–200, making it £30–50 per person. Usage drives this — if people are leaving things on standby, running high-powered showers, or gaming all night, you'll sit toward the upper end.
The UK's energy price cap has provided some stability after the significant rises of 2022–23, but bills remain higher than pre-crisis levels. These figures are estimates based on typical usage under current cap rates; your actual bill will vary.
Gas — roughly £20–40 per person per month
Gas costs fluctuate heavily by season. In summer, gas bills can be minimal; in winter, especially in older, poorly-insulated student houses (which is most of them), heating costs climb significantly. A rough annual average across all 12 months comes out at around £20–40 per person per month when you smooth it out — but expect to pay more during December–February.
If your house has electric-only heating (no gas supply), your electricity bill will be correspondingly higher.
Broadband — roughly £10–15 per person per month
A decent broadband package for a student house typically costs £30–50/month for the whole house, split equally. That's £8–15 per person depending on how many of you there are and which provider you go with. Student deals from Sky, BT, and Virgin Media can bring this down, so it's worth comparing. Don't just roll over the existing contract without checking — you might save a fair bit by switching.
For more on what broadband options look like and how to set it up, see the student bills guide.
TV licence — roughly £3–4 per person per month
The TV licence is £174.50 for the year (2025 rate). Split four ways, that's about £43/year per person, or around £3.60/month. One licence covers the whole house, so this one's easy to split. If nobody in the house watches live TV or BBC iPlayer, you don't need one — but be honest about that.
Contents insurance — roughly £5–10 per person per month
Not a utility, but worth budgeting for. Student contents insurance can run anywhere from £60–120/year per person, which works out to £5–10/month. Some policies include accidental damage and off-premises cover (useful for bikes and laptops). It's cheap enough that it's rarely worth skipping.
Regional variation matters
These are national averages, but where you live makes a difference. London and the South East tend to run higher across almost every bill category. Northern cities like Manchester, Leeds, and Sheffield tend to be cheaper. If your house is older and less energy-efficient (high EPC rating), your energy bills will likely sit at the top of these ranges.
The rough total
Putting it together: per person, per month, expect to budget roughly:
- Electricity: £30–50
- Gas: £20–40
- Broadband: £10–15
- TV licence: ~£4
- Contents insurance: £5–10
Total: approximately £69–119 per person per month, before food and rent.
These are estimates — use them for planning purposes, not as guarantees.
For the full picture on what bills you're actually responsible for as a student renter, see the UK student bills guide. And for help getting everything sorted before move-in, the student house money management guide covers the whole setup process.
Knowing the numbers before you move in means you can budget properly from day one — no nasty surprises in October when the heating goes on and the electricity bill doubles. Plan for the winter costs early.