Plymouth University has the lowest cost of living for students in Britain, a new survey has found.

But just 50 miles up the road, Exeter University, which came 13th in the 2008 Times league table of UK universities, is the least cost-effective place to study.

Plymouth students are, on average, £3,510 better off than Exeter undergraduates - more than the cost of top up fees - or the equivalent of more than 4,000 single track music downloads.

The cost of living index, published by NatWest Bank, analyses weekly expenditure data for rent and living items, against weekly earnings figures from part-time work.

According to the research, the average Plymouth student will fork out around £215 a week on accommodation and other living costs such as food.

They will also earn around £115 a week from part-time work.

At the other end of the scale, the average student in Exeter will spend £286 per week, but will make just £67 from part-time employment, one of the lowest amounts of all the university towns and cities surveyed.

The cost of living and current economic climate is a key factor cited by over 7 per cent of Plymouth undergraduates in determining their choice of university.

Mark Worthington, head of student banking at NatWest, said: "Students are increasingly aware of the wider economic climate and this is filtering down into their decisions when they are choosing their university and also when deciding whether to take a part-time job during term-time.

"Our research shows that many Plymouth students are taking a positive, proactive approach to managing finances by taking on part-time work."

The survey questioned more than 2,500 undergraduates in 26 universities.

Plymouth University:

• 13,133 (43 per cent of Plymouth's student population) will be in part-time employment when the students start the 2008/9 academic year.
• A massive 72 per cent of these have to work to pay their way through university, citing it would be too expensive without additional income.
• In total, these hard-working Plymouth students will expect to earn more than £45m collectively.
• Plymouth University students work 18 hours per week, the joint top spot along with fellow south-coast university, Portsmouth. However, they still manage to cram in the eighth highest number of hours studying per week (25) - in sharp contrast to Portsmouth students who spend an average of only 18 hours studying per week.
• Plymouth is also unveiled as the most cost-effective place to study, while Exeter is the most expensive; Plymouth students are on average £3,510 better off than Exeter undergraduates - more than the cost of top up fees - according to the study.
• Over the next academic year, university students in Plymouth will spend £245m on living and accommodation costs.

Exeter University:

• 4,716 (30 per cent of Exeter's student population) will be in part-time employment when the students start the 2008/9 academic year.
• 33 per cent of these have to work to pay their way through university, citing it would be too expensive without additional income.
• In total, these hard-working Exeter students will expect to earn more than £9m collectively.
• Exeter University students work 10 hours per week, the lowest spot in the league. Even then, they only manage to fit in the second lowest number of hours studying per week (22).
• Over the next academic year, university students in Exeter will spend £162m on living and accommodation costs.