Can city students survive?

A pint of beer, a packet of cigarettes and a boogie is, for many students, the simple ingredients of a good night out.

Yet according to a new survey, student life in Brighton and Hove is so expensive it is giving rip-off London a run for its money.

With average rents almost double those in Britain's cheapest student city of Bradford, the survey suggests even enjoying a pint of beer might be stretching it a bit for those attending Brighton's two universities.

The survey, by Virgin and The Guardian, concludes the city is on its way to becoming "the new London", thanks to soaring house prices and a booming rental market.

The University of Brighton has been bestowed with the dubious honour of being more expensive to attend than the University of Sussex, making it the most expensive educational institution in Britain.

The University of Brighton says it recognises the problem and is taking measures to ease the burden on students.

However, students themselves have jumped to the city's defence, pouring scorn on the survey and saying while the city is expensive, on balance it is not much worse than anywhere else.

They point to the cheap public transport, huge subsidised club scene and reasonable price of food compared to those in a city like London.

David Hogg left Bath to attend the University of Brighton in 2000.

He knew it would be expensive but realised student life anywhere would stretch his budget.

David, 27, said: "I chose Brighton because I was born here and I decided it was quite a trendy place, it was by the sea and was close to London, where I hope to make my career.

"My sister was down here so we decided to share a house.

"We had to move out of our first place after four months because it was absolutely terrible. It was so bad I contacted environmental health.

"I thought Brighton would be expensive to live in because it is close to London. When I was 18 at sixth form college in Bath, Brighton was highlighted as a place where 70 per cent of people's spending was on accommodation.

"But in my experience, because it is such a little place I have been able to save money.

"You can walk around once you get to know it and the buses are cheap. Compared to London, the cabs are affordable and the food isn't that expensive.

"Accommodation and going out is probably a bit more expensive than in other places but other things make up for that. The less worldly you are the harder it is.

"Landlords might take students for a ride but at least that will teach us a lesson and we will know what to watch out for in the future. It can be a steep learning curve but I think that is a good thing.

"If people can't hack it they should go back to live with their parents."

David, who is taking a course in business studies, is sleeping on friends' sofas at the moment, while he looks for accommodation for next term.

He said: "Brighton is a student-friendly city. I wouldn't be anywhere else."

The survey was published in the week many A-level students will make a final decision about which university to attend.

Chand Nazir, entertainments officer at the University of Brighton, said: "We have a shortage of student accommodation. We have 1,500 rooms but 18,000-19,000 students.

"But I was quite amazed they made Brighton the most expensive place to study. I'm sure the university isn't too pleased to get this label.

"A lot of students could be deterred from coming here by this.

"A lot more people come into the town from outside Sussex now. That is good because it is bringing money into the city.

"I used to go out in London and it was much more expensive there.

"It is getting more expensive to live here. When I started university four years ago I paid £45 per week in rent. Now rents can be £60 or £65 a week or higher.

"But going out here is so cheap. You can easily have a night out for £10."

He cited The Event II on West Street, where £10 would cover entry and six or seven drinks.

The union bar at Falmer serves pints priced £1.80 to £2.10.

Mr Nazir said students could take advantage of taxis offering discounts of ten per cent and "fare deal" prices from halls of residence.

He said he was surprised the survey differentiated between the cost of attending the two Brighton universities but said the University of Sussex had more resources, enabling it to offer subsidised accommodation and cheap nights out.

He said: "Maybe they have picked on Brighton because it's the place which gets the most publicity at the moment.

"There are thousands of students renting here. If it was that bad they would be somewhere else."

A University of Brighton spokesman said: "Brighton being expensive is hardly news but the word on the street is that the bubble could be about to burst.

"Housing costs are out of our control although we do have a number of rooms and are getting about another 130 this year.

"One thing we do have is a leasing scheme, which allows us to negotiate with certain landlords.

"It gives us a little more control over the cost and quality of accommodation.

"Students have traditionally sought out cheaper ways of having a good time, whether it is to have a pint or go dancing.

"The university is proud to be part of Brighton. There is a big plus side, which certainly helps to attract students.

"We are certainly not experiencing any problems in recruitment.

"This is obviously a label we would not choose to use ourselves but it is a reality we have to deal with.

"We have a good reputation for student welfare and are constantly increasing the quality of our service."