UK Housing Costs

$5,444 Other Living Expenses Typical Cost

What Are the Living Expenses at UK?

Make the best college choice by understanding the true cost of college. Start by understanding the yearly costs at University of Kentucky.

On this page you will find:

Outline of Housing Costs
Room & Board Trends and Total Expenses
Meal Plans and Housing Requirements
References

Housing and Meal Plan Costs at UK

Housing and meal plans are priced out separately here. The standard student paid $10,750 in 2026, and the cost of a typical dining plan was $5,266. All in all, an on-campus student at University of Kentucky spent approximately $28,500 in 2026 across housing, dining, books and other living expenses.

The following table outlines average expected costs for both on-campus and off-campus housing, meals and other expenses at University of Kentucky.

Expense	On Campus	Off Campus
Room and Board	$21,856	$21,856
— Housing	$10,750
— Meals	$5,266
Other Living Expenses	$5,444	$5,444
Books and Supplies	$1,200	$1,200
Total	$28,500	$28,500

Room & Board Over Four Years? Projected Four-Year Cost: $130,310

Housing and dining costs rarely hold still from one year to the next. Projecting the trend helps you plan for all four years instead of only the first.

At the projected rate, four years of on-campus living costs would total roughly $130,310 in room, board and other essentials.

See how housing and dining costs have changed over recent years and where they are trending at University of Kentucky.

Year	Room & Board
Three Years Ago	$18,080
Two Years Ago	$19,006
One Year Ago	$20,686
Most Recent Year (2026)	$21,856
One Year From Now *	$23,377
Two Years From Now *	$25,005
Three Years From Now *	$26,745
Four Years From Now *	$28,607

* estimated

Year over year, room and board rose an average of 7.0% per year. If current trends continue, incoming first-year students would pay about $30,021 in housing, food and other costs their first year.

Projected forward, the last year of a four-year degree runs about $35,251 for a four-year (bachelor’s) degree, and about $31,649 for the last year of an associate degree.

For a full bachelor’s degree, expect to spend a total of around $130,310 over four years — compared with roughly $61,670 for a two-year (associate) degree.

Build In Yearly Cost Growth

Expect modest annual increases in room and board, and factor that growth into your long-term budget.

Answers to Questions About Living and Dining at UK

Dining plans vary from school to school. Here, plans are structured around a set number of meals per week — see the maximum plan in the table below. Curious about campus housing? The table below summarizes the on-campus living details for this school.