Students in Oxford spend more per week than their counterparts around the UK, according to a survey.

Research for the Royal Bank of Scotland's Student Living Index found that the city's undergraduates spend more than average amounts of money on alcohol and going out, and less than average on books and course materials.

Only students in London and Cambridge spent more per week.

Of the 106 Oxford students questioned for the survey, two fifths said they would be taking a part-time job to help them cover term-time living costs - despite Oxford University's policy against students working during the term. According to the statistics, the average Oxford student spends £187 a week on rent and day-to-day living costs, but earns almost £90 from part-time work.

Students from 21 towns were questioned and ranked according to cost-effectiveness, by calculating the relative difference between average expenditure and income. Oxford was seventh best because while the cost of living is comparatively high, students earn above-average amounts from part-time work.

Students in Oxford are expected to spend £154m over the coming academic year.

The research suggests that Oxford's 25,215 students will spend £20.4m on alcohol, almost £11.1m on supermarket food shopping, £4.1m on utility bills, £9.2m on going out, £4.7m on books and course materials and £60.6m on rent.

Christopher Kavanagh, 19, who has just finished his first year of philosophy, politics and economics at Magdalen College, Oxford, works during the holidays to fund his term-time expenses. He said: "I don't have a part-time job but I do a bit of paid research during the holidays and occasionally during term. Most students don't work during the term-time but everyone works in the holidays.

"The cost of living is expensive compared to my home town - Sheffield.

"I don't think Oxford students go out more than students in other university towns, but there are more rich students who will probably spend more on dinners and posh nights."

A spokesman for Oxford University said: "The university doesn't encourage students to take part-time jobs while studying at Oxford. Students are here to study.

"There are only eight-week terms for undergraduate courses and there's a lot of work to fit in to that time. The pay off is that they have longer holidays when there are opportunities to work.

"Colleges can provide some work for students within the college such as administration or bar work to help them with their funds.

"The university and colleges themselves have hardship funds available if students find themselves unexpectedly in financial difficulty."