Student Life 2013/14 January 2014 | Page 157

Portsmouth is definitely a great place to live - when surveyed, it ranked fourth in the country as far as students were concerned. And they didn’t just have to rate the houses! Other areas checked included going out, shops and transport – all crucial parts of student life. Portsmouth is not as expensive as you might think for a seaside town - an average rent of £81 a week in 2013 compared with the national average of £79.42. Southsea and Fratton are the most popular areas for students but they don’t rank that highly for student satisfaction - 50% and 58% respectively. This is because they’re so far away from Guildhall and Gunwharf Quays where everything goes on, and the University bus doesn’t run through Southsea (though it does run through Fratton). However, it’s important to keep in mind that even in these areas you’re not very far away - it’s definitely within walking or cycling distance. Rents here are on average £77 in Southsea and £81 in Fratton, so they’re about average for Portsmouth. However, the most popular place for students to live is Southsea where the average rent works out at £57 a week - £22.42 cheaper than the national average! The second and third most popular places to live are the University campus (average £88), Fratton (£81); while Portsmouth Harbour (£129) ranks a distant fourth. AFS TOP TIP Check out the city centre; it’s really close to everything but lots of students don’t realise you can live there and the average rent is just £73 a week. With 74% satisfaction overall, it’s certainly a hidden gem! www.accommodationforstudents.com 157 PORTSMOUTH ACCOMMODATION