Living in Dundee

We think Dundee is the best place to live in Scotland.

Dundee is vibrant and friendly, cosmopolitan and cultural, compact and affordable. It's also the sunniest city in Scotland, so even in winter we get more sunshine than the rest of the country.

And it's not just us that thinks it's a great place to be. In recent years, The Times newspaper put Dundee in its top 10 list of best places to live in the UK - twice! This covered areas like employment, cost of living, good schools and community spirit, and we have all that and more in abundance.

This wee city is also:

Find out why Dundee is the perfect place for YOU to be a student.

Where is Dundee?

Dundee is perfectly located on the banks of the River Tay, on the East Coast of Scotland. Here's a map to show you exactly where Dundee is in the world.

With a population of approximately 145,000, Dundee has the big city feel, but is small enough for you to get around easily.

Visiting the rest of Scotland is simple, too: you can be in the countryside in 20 minutes, and we're only a 90-minute drive away from 90% of Scotland. Even London is only a 1.5 hour direct flight, or a six hour train ride away. Watch the video about living here to find out more.

All of this makes Dundee the ideal location for students like you.

It's a city full of culture

So when you need a culture fix, there's lots to choose from.

The V&A Design Museum puts on amazing design exhibitions twice a year. Or there's the Dundee Rep Theatre, art and films at Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA) and even more art and history to see at the McManus Gallery. Recently, the Eden Project chose Dundee to host the first-ever ecological attraction in Scotland. Dundee Culture is full of articles about the rich cultural life here.

Visit Scotland calls Dundee 'an urban wanderer’s delight' and we couldn't put it better ourselves.

Safe, clean and affordable

Dundee is generally considered be a safe place to live according to Zoopla, with a welcoming community and a vibrant cultural scene. AND Dundee is the cleanest city in the whole of the UK (according to Waste Direct).

It's one of the most affordable UK cities to live in. This means that monthly household costs are roughly 20% cheaper than the national average. Plus the 2024 property prices were nearly 50% lower than the UK average. So being a student here shouldn't break your budget.

Not only is Dundee a safe, clean place to live, your money can go further here too!

A truly international community

Wherever you're from, and whatever you choose to study, we'll do our very best to make you feel welcome.

Dundee is international and multicultural, much like the university itself. There are roughly 40,000+ students studying in the city, making it home to people from many different countries and ethnic groups.

You’ll easily find places of worship for religions including Islam, Sikhism, Hinduism, Judaism, as well as many Christian denominations. Many Abertay staff members are from other places, so they understand what moving to a new city or country feels like. With this much support available, we're sure that Dundee will quickly become your home away from home.

Eat out or takeaway?

There’s all the usual food choices here, but why not try Japanese, Thai, Mexican, New Zealand or Lebanese cuisine for a change? Or visit our artisan coffee shops and, of course, there are great restaurants and cafes right across the city.

We have international food shops such as Chinese, Indian, Polish and Russian supermarkets, as well as halal butchers. Tesco and Lidl are very near to Campus, and Dundee is famous for its amazing bakeries. So why don't you try a Dundee pie or a local pasty called a 'bridie'? And find out why National Geographic called Dundee Scotland's undiscovered culinary star.

Get active

If you like to live an active life, then you’ll love it here. In fact, choosing where to walk, cycle, ride, swim, ski, climb or camp will be your only challenge.

There are many miles of coastline, trails and forests to explore. Water sports like open water swimming, kayaking, sailing and stand-up paddle boarding happen locally. There’s even a skate park about 10 minutes’ walk from Campus.

The sea, mountains and forests are so close you can visit all three in a day. And you’ll often have the place to yourself – apart from the odd seal, deer or dolphin, that is.

^{Photo credit: Dundee One City, Many Discoveries}

Dundee's nightlife

Whether you like chatting in a cosy pub, seeing bands, drinking coffee or clubbing, Dundee’s nightlife always delivers.

Our pubs are second to none. The biggest nightclubs regularly host some of the UK’s most well-known DJs, and there are lots of live music venues, too. In fact, there is a huge music scene here if that's your thing.

If movies are your passion, then you've got two cinema chains and an arthouse cinema to choose from, so you'll be spoilt for choice.

However you like to relax, it's all here when you need it.