<p>Hello everyone,
I have a chance to be an exchange student at UCI. I am worried about financials. I do not want to exceed $1000 per month. I won't be paying tuition, but I am expected to supply housing expenses.</p>
<p>Do you think I can manage to live in Irvine and not spend more than $1100 per month? (Including eating and housing)</p>
<p>It is OK for me to share a room off campus, or live in a dorm. </p>
<p>How would you comment on eating expenses? What are prices of fast food etc?</p>
<p>I am not much of a social person, I would plan to focus on studies even I could manage to come. I want to study at UCI, but my financial limits are very strict.</p>
<p>I am in serious need of those information, any suggestion and information is welcome.</p>
<p>I think I live for ~$750/month. 500 is rent in shared room apt of 4.</p>
<p>Fast food can be REALLY cheap (in-n-out, lee’s, jack-in-the-box, del taco, taco bell, wendy’s meals are like 3-6$)… I have it maybe 2-3 times a week. There are cheap good deals once a week at albertsons/ralphs.</p>
<p>hmm i remember this was posted before and there were replies, what happened to all of our threads??</p>
<p>fast food is definitely cheap but it isn’t going to sustain you for long so you would probably be better off buying real groceries and spreading it out through the week.</p>
<p>“fast food is definitely cheap but it isn’t going to sustain you for long so you would probably be better off buying real groceries and spreading it out through the week.”</p>
<p>Don’t rely on fast food for cheap food… Buy groceries and learn to cook at your apartment. you will save tons of money doing this… An average meal at your local fast food place is $6-7 per combo meal…you can get a 2 weeks worth of groceries for $30 if you shop well… you also learn to cook and you save money for more fun stuff… movies, heading out with friend, etc</p>
<p>My rent is ~650$ and I spent 200$ a month on food. So 1000$ a month is definitely do-able.</p>
<p>You can share a room off campus in an apt, (2bed/2bath) so 4 ppl, 2 ppl per room, for about $500 per person.</p>
<p>VDC, 4bed/2bath, you will have your own room. But it is more expensive, around $680 for the upcoming year.</p>
<p>If you do not mind sharing a room, the typical UTC apt bedroom is around 11x12. It is a fairly small room to share. But if money is definitely a factor, you’re going to have to share a room. </p>
<p>Is the $1100/mo also for book expenses? Remember that books cost money too, and are not part of tuition.</p>
<p>Here’s a website that may help you out.
WWW.STINGYCAMPUS.COM
you can buy/sell stuff with fellow classmates, looking for housing and jobs, and even get class notes and professor information! I use it everyday too!</p>