The cost of living in Nottingham is about £1,650 to £1,850 a month for a single renter, including rent, Council Tax, bills, food and transport. The ONS puts the average one-bedroom private rent at £731 a month (April 2026), which is cheaper than Manchester or London.
Quick answer
Budget £731 for an average one-bedroom and about £826 for everything else. Rents rose 3.8% in the year to April 2026. Figures were checked in October 2026 and are estimates, not quotes.
Cost of living in Nottingham at a glance
| Item | Typical monthly cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom (city average) | £731 | ONS, April 2026 |
| Rent, 1-bedroom (centre / outside) | About £897 / £732 | Numbeo |
| Everything except rent, one person | About £826 | Numbeo |
| Council Tax, Band A (full charge) | £153.08 over 12 months | Nottingham 2026/27 charge |
| Broadband (60 Mbps or more) | About £31 | Numbeo |
| Monthly public transport pass | About £80 | Numbeo |
Numbeo prices are submitted by users, so use them as a guide and check the ONS and council figures first.
Rent in Nottingham
| Home size | Average monthly rent (ONS, April 2026) |
|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | £731 |
| 2 bedrooms | £909 |
| 3 bedrooms | £1,043 |
| 4 or more bedrooms | £1,455 |
| All properties | £1,007 |
These are averages across every tenancy in the city, so new lets in popular areas can cost more. See our Nottingham rent guide for more on rents, and compare Derby and Leicester if you are weighing East Midlands cities.
Council Tax and household bills
Nottingham charges £1,837 for Band A, £2,143 for Band B and £2,449 for Band C in 2026/27, or about £153, £179 and £204 a month over 12 instalments. A single adult usually gets a 25% discount, and full-time students are exempt.
Ofgem’s cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026 equals about £1,723 a year (about £144 a month) for a typical dual-fuel household on Direct Debit. Numbeo users report about £221 a month for utilities in an 85 square metre flat. Ask the landlord for recent bills.
Food and groceries
User-submitted Numbeo prices for Nottingham include milk at about £1.43 a litre, bread at £1.05 and a dozen eggs at £3.77. An inexpensive restaurant meal is about £15.
Transport in Nottingham
Nottingham has buses and a tram network. Numbeo users put a regular monthly pass at about £80. Check the operators’ own sites for current fares on your route, and ask whether your employer offers season-ticket loans.
Student costs in Nottingham
Full-time students pay no Council Tax in England. Halls and shared houses often cost less per person than a private flat, and some include bills. Compare the full cost rather than the headline rent, and check each university’s website for its current accommodation prices.
Sample monthly budget for one person
| Category | Lower estimate | Higher estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Rent (1-bedroom) | £731 | £897 |
| Council Tax (Band A, single discount) | £115 | £115 |
| Bills, food, transport and leisure | £826 | £826 |
| Total | About £1,672 | About £1,838 |
The £826 line is Numbeo’s estimate and already includes utilities and transport. As my own estimate, about £23,000 to £25,750 gross a year would cover these totals after income tax and National Insurance.
How to save money in Nottingham
- Share a two-bedroom (average £909) to cut the rent per person.
- Claim the single-person Council Tax discount.
- Check which bills are included in the rent.
- Buy weekly or monthly travel passes only if you travel daily.
- Compare energy and broadband deals each year.
Frequently asked questions about the cost of living in Nottingham
How much does it cost to live in Nottingham per month?
A single renter should plan for about £1,650 to £1,850 a month including rent, Council Tax, bills, food and transport. The ONS average one-bedroom rent is £731 (April 2026) and Numbeo estimates about £826 for other monthly costs.
What is the average rent in Nottingham?
The ONS Price Index of Private Rents for April 2026 shows £731 for one bedroom, £909 for two bedrooms, £1,043 for three bedrooms and £1,007 across all properties.
How much is Council Tax in Nottingham?
For 2026/27 the full annual charge is £1,837 for Band A, £2,143 for Band B and £2,449 for Band C. Single adults usually get a 25% discount and full-time students are exempt.
How much do you need to earn to live in Nottingham?
This is an estimate: about £23,000 to £25,750 gross a year would cover a single renter budget of roughly £1,650 to £1,850 a month after income tax and National Insurance.
Is Nottingham cheaper than Manchester?
On the ONS measure for April 2026, the average one-bedroom rent is £731 in Nottingham and £987 in Manchester, so renters usually pay less in Nottingham.
Sources
- ONS, Price Index of Private Rents (April 2026 figures)
- Nottingham Council Tax 2026/27 charges (standard Band A to D charges)
- Ofgem, energy price cap levels
- Numbeo, cost of living in Nottingham (user-submitted, 24 October 2026)
