Rent, food, energy… According to a calculation by Unef, the cost of living for students has increased by 6.47% in 2023, which means an additional annual cost of 594.75 euros. To achieve these results, the student union was based on the difference between the aid received (scholarships, APL) and the expenses of daily life and school (housing, transport, food, electricity, mutual insurance, but also clothing, leisure, hygiene , etc.), according to certain standard profiles.
According to the UNEF, which ensures that it is an increase “unprecedented in 19 years of surveys”, this increase in the cost of living for students is maintained notably by the purchase of food products (+14.3% in 2023 compared to 2022) as well as energy expenditure (+10.1% electricity, +20.7% gas, +22% natural gas). The latter are of particular concern to students “who are often housed in real thermal sieves,” laments the union.
Rent, however, continues to be the first item of spending for students and represents just over 60% of the budget, according to Unef calculations. The union thus measured a national average income of 570.69 euros in 2023 in the private sector, compared to 561.07 euros the previous year (+1.72%). In the lodges of the Crous residences (around 6% of the students), if you like it gelé, l’étude évoque une hausse de 3.5% des charges, passing from 381.48 euros to 394.83 euros d’une année the other.
Transport pass
Another important expense item, the cost of the monthly public transport ticket has also increased by 5.91% for students without a scholarship (268.91 euros on average in 2023) and 3.95% for students with a scholarship (255, 99 euros), according to Unef. “The cost of transport can vary greatly between certain cities,” adds the union, citing cities such as Paris (373 euros), Lille (315 euros), Lyon (250 euros) or Fort-de-France (360 euros). Martinique.
In addition, for the start of the 2023 academic year, Unef also points to an increase from 95 to 100 euros in the student and university life fee (CVEC), indexed to inflation – scholarship holders are exempt from CVEC. Introduced in 2018, the CVEC replaces the old contribution of 217 euros for affiliation to the student social security system (RSSE), leaving students now attached to the general system.
Source: BFM TV
